Postman prepares to end first-class career (From Gazette & Herald)

Postman prepares to end first-class career

A CHAPTER in the community life of picture-postcard Farndale has come to an end with the retirement of its long-serving postman, Hawson Simpson.

For 40 years, he has delivered mail in the Kirkbymoorside area, most of the time travelling to nearly 100 homes, many outlying farms and cottages.

He says he has lost count of the times he has got stuck in the severe winter conditions in the remote area's panoramic landscape.

"I never went delivering in winter without a shovel and a bag of grit," said Hawson, who started his career cycling to make his deliveries. He used to collect the mail from Kirkbymoorside's postal headquarters three miles away and delivered in the market town.

Hawson became a popular personality and friend to Farndale's residents.

"I've drunk hundreds and hundreds of cups of teas and coffee over the years," he said.

For 20 years, he has been chairman of the parish meeting of his home village of Gillamoor, and is also chairman of Fadmoor village hall, and of the playing field association at Gillamoor. He is also a southern area parish representative on the North York Moors National Park Authority and of its services committee.

Among his many other community activities, he is renowned as an auctioneer and has raised thousands of pounds for charitable events.

Hawson was brought up on his family's Prospect Farm, Gillamoor, and later moved to Sycamore House, which became the local post office and was run by his wife, Ann, who was the sub-postmistress for several years.

Updated: 11:51 Wednesday, April 07, 2004