HE was, during his years with us, a truly wonderful character and a Royal Mail postman of great substance and dedication for over three decades.
He was Harold (Dai) Evans and here we see his smiling features as he takes a photo in front of the 1927 vintage Austin Chummy motor as local postal workers past and present welcome the legendary union leader, Tom Jackson, to Bonnie Colne in 1986.
Harold, a dear friend and colleague of mine is now in the great sorting office above, but his years in Colne came about due to the heinous Hitler, as he was evacuated from his native Liverpool to escape the bombing with family as a 13-year-old.
Harold settled down in the town quickly and was soon working at Riley’s cotton mill just opposite his Primet Street home. Two years National Service and then in 1952 Harold would marry his Colne sweetheart Mona Frane. Two children followed, Brian and Julie, and by now Harold was a Royal Mail postman, becoming one of the best known faces throughout the town.
After 30 years exemplary service, Harold sadly had to take early retirement due to ill-health but his kindness and good will towards his customers had left him with hundreds of friends.
Also at our Albert Road sorting office, Harold was dearly missed, especially by his wokk mates: Harry Waiters, Tommy Todhunter and myself. On our photograph we can also see Harold’s former colleagues, also sadly no longer with us: Dennis Boulger, Stan Smiles, Dick Webster, Fred Whitaker, Tommy Kegg and Eric Turner.
As we’d bidden our final fond farewells to Harold, I stood at the pulpit in front of his dear family and friends with the words: “Harold’s sheer kindness to us all knew no bounds. He had a heart as big as a football. His days spent with us will live on in our hearts forever”.
Breakfast ? 