Postman Peter Snowden retires after 53 years' service with Royal Mail in Bishop's Stortford

[TrueBlueTerrier]

https://www.bishopsstortfordindependent ... y-9306801/

Ten-year-old Peter Snowden was helping his dad with gardening at their home in Waytemore Road, Bishop's Stortford, when the postman came along on his bike.

As a friend of Peter's father, the postie got chatting and asked the young lad what he wanted to do when he grew up, to which he replied "a postman".

Fast-forward 61 years and Peter's wish led to him retiring after 53 years with the Royal Mail – a job he has never failed to enjoy.


He began working with the Post Office on March 17, 1970, two weeks before his 18th birthday. He spent several years on the rounds in his home town, with one covering South Street from 1998 to 2004.


But it was when he secured a position indoors in the enquiry office in South Street in 2004 that Peter found his forte.

"It was always ingrained in me the customer is always first," said Peter. "I've always been customer orientated."


He enjoyed the interaction with customers in the enquiry office. "If I couldn't help someone I tried my best to find who could," said Peter.

With Royal Mail workers embroiled in a long-running dispute with bosses over working practices, Peter was philosophical about industrial disputes, having been involved in his first a year into the job.

"I was the last in the building involved in the big strike of 1971," he said. "We were off for seven weeks."

Still working full-time, Peter felt that retiring on Friday (March 31), just after his 71st birthday, would give him more chill time and also to keep up the 4km a day walking he has been doing.

And doubtless he will be spending more time with wife Rosamond and their son and daughter. He will also be watching more of his favourite football team, Watford – starting with a trip to Vicarage Road on Friday (April 7) for their match against Huddersfield.

Colleagues at the South Street sorting office called Peter a "legend" and there was nothing he didn't know about as he had "covered virtually every duty over the years".

They said they would miss him and added that some of his regulars at the "callers" office had said it would feel funny not to have a chat with him again.

[BenacreNick]

Well done Peter.

[Mr Rush]

53 years! That's a tenth of the time Royal Mail has existed