Fakenham postie Ian Tortice retires after 37 years

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Fakenham postie Ian Tortice retires after 37 years on his rounds

http://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/fak ... _1_3908603" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.3908602.1420644870!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/image.jpgWhen postie Ian Tortice got on his red post office bike for the first time, you could send a letter for 9p and the Queen was celebrating her Silver Jubilee.

Thirty-seven years later, he’s retiring from his beloved rounds in and around Fakenham.

In that time, he’s delivered goodness knows how many Christmas and birthday cards, exam results and bills.

Ask him what stands out after almost four decades and he replies – his customers.

“I’ll miss the people, I’ll definitely miss the people,” said Ian, 65, whose house on Barber’s Lane wasn’t even built when he started out as a postman. Nor was Warren Avenue, come to that, where Ian and wife Janet, 70, lived before.

“I’ve made some friends on the rounds I’ve been on and the dogs, I love dogs,” he said.

“On the round I’ve been doing I’ve only been bitten once in two years. I make a fuss of them all but there’s some you just can’t.”

Fakenham-born Ian, who went to the town’s secondary modern school, had been working as a cleaner at Fakenham Post Office for three years when a delivery job came up.

“One chap was retiring and he said: ‘I’m retiring - you can have my job,” he said.

“It was all bicycles back then, there were no trolleys or anything.”

Asked what else has changed since he first pedalled his way around the town centre, his wife Janet said: “The uniforms.

“They used to wear a navy suit in the winter and grey in summer. The old uniform was very smart.”

About the job’s only drawback, as far as Ian was concerned, was the weather, particularly at this time of the year.

The best part without a doubt was the rapport he built up with his customers, many of whom have been giving him cards over the last few days to mark his retirement.

Two who signed themselves Gill 
and George, from Fulmodeston, wrote, “We always look forward to 
his red van, even if it’s bills it 
brings.”

Another customer said: “You’ll be a hard act to follow. We’ll miss your smiley face.”

Ian, who workmates nick-named ‘Shell’ because of his surname, also received a personal thanks from Donald Brydon, the chairman of the Royal Mail.

He and Janet plan to spend more of their time gardening and visiting family.

[rubberbond]

Fakenham postie Ian Tortice retires after 37 years on his rounds

http://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/news/fak ... _1_3908603" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.fakenhamtimes.co.uk/polopoly_fs/1.3908602.1420644870!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_630/image.jpgWhen postie Ian Tortice got on his red post office bike for the first time, you could send a letter for 9p and the Queen was celebrating her Silver Jubilee.

Thirty-seven years later, he’s retiring from his beloved rounds in and around Fakenham.

In that time, he’s delivered goodness knows how many Christmas and birthday cards, exam results and bills.

Ask him what stands out after almost four decades and he replies – his customers.

“I’ll miss the people, I’ll definitely miss the people,” said Ian, 65, whose house on Barber’s Lane wasn’t even built when he started out as a postman. Nor was Warren Avenue, come to that, where Ian and wife Janet, 70, lived before.

“I’ve made some friends on the rounds I’ve been on and the dogs, I love dogs,” he said.

“On the round I’ve been doing I’ve only been bitten once in two years. I make a fuss of them all but there’s some you just can’t.”

Fakenham-born Ian, who went to the town’s secondary modern school, had been working as a cleaner at Fakenham Post Office for three years when a delivery job came up.

“One chap was retiring and he said: ‘I’m retiring - you can have my job,” he said.

“It was all bicycles back then, there were no trolleys or anything.”

Asked what else has changed since he first pedalled his way around the town centre, his wife Janet said: “The uniforms.

“They used to wear a navy suit in the winter and grey in summer. The old uniform was very smart.”

About the job’s only drawback, as far as Ian was concerned, was the weather, particularly at this time of the year.

The best part without a doubt was the rapport he built up with his customers, many of whom have been giving him cards over the last few days to mark his retirement.

Two who signed themselves Gill 
and George, from Fulmodeston, wrote, “We always look forward to 
his red van, even if it’s bills it 
brings.”

Another customer said: “You’ll be a hard act to follow. We’ll miss your smiley face.”

Ian, who workmates nick-named ‘Shell’ because of his surname, also received a personal thanks from Donald Brydon, the chairman of the Royal Mail.

He and Janet plan to spend more of their time gardening and visiting family.

Wonder what he did to deserve that? Poor sod,37 years.

[Lounge Lizard]

“I’ll miss the people, I’ll definitely miss the people,” said Ian, 65, whose house on Barber’s Lane wasn’t even built when he started out as a postman.
- aye, it were tough back in them days, but we were 'appy.

[bustedflush]

Tortice? I hope he didn't go as slow as one...

[rubberbond]

Is that his leaving present he's holding? Better than a kick up the arse I suppose.

[Lounge Lizard]

Is that his leaving present he's holding? Better than a kick up the arse I suppose.

He's thinking "Where's me Faken' breakfast ?"