Saturday, February 20, 2010

  Longest career in the same store - world record set by Roy Goggs

 HUDDERSFIELD, West Yorks, UK -- Roy Goggs, 80, is still going strong 70 years after starting work in the store he now owns as an errand boy , setting the world record for the Longest career in the same store.

   Photo: Roy Goggs started work as an errand boy at his shop in Huddersfield aged ten, earning 50p a week. (enlarge photo)

   He said: "I've stuck at it because I enjoy my job. And I like meeting people."

   Cheery Roy Goggs began working at his corner shop in January 1940 while the Second World War was in its infancy and even before the Blitz descended on the country.

   From "a small lad in short pants" at the tender age of 10, seven decades on as an 80-year-old grandfather-of-four, hard-working Roy is still open all hours having owned the shop for 57 years.

   Roy, 80, said: 'I was the youngest of three brothers so I used to get their old bikes. I wanted a new bike so I went to the shop and asked the owner, George Symes, if I could work for him.

   'I was only a small lad in short pants so he told me to clear off. The next week I came back with a wheelbarrow and he took me on for 10 shillings a week.' Roy started out as an errand boy, delivering groceries and flowers around the streets of Crosland Moor in Huddersfield, West Yorks.

   He said: 'I used to get a tip from every house I visited, a piece of cake or something like that. It was long before supermarkets started.' Roy remembers his old boss fondly.

   He said: 'George Symes was quite a character. He was an Irishman who always wore a pork pie hat and bow-tie. Every morning I would put the goods out and make him a cup of tea while he sat there picking his winners for the day's races.'

    Mr Symes died in 1953, leaving half the shop in Crosland Moor to Roy and the other half to his daughter.
    Roy said: 'She wasn't interested so I bought her out. It has always been a lovely place to run, everyone has always been friendly but my regulars have dried up a bit over the years. 'I've changed the shop a little bit, put in some bay windows to make it look a bit bigger.'

   The father-of-two, who lives in Huddersfield with his wife of 56 years Valerie Jean, 76, said that business has slowed down over the years.

    He said: 'It was a good business but it's slowly got less and less. Last year I had to make the girl who works for me redundant unfortunately. It isn't easy because there are five mini-markets round me so I've tried to diversify.

    'I've started stocking herbal tonics from Ireland and Canada which have been popular. But we lose trade when older people die because the younger ones shop in supermarkets.' Despite the problems, Roy has no immediate plans to sell up.

     He said: 'I've no plans to retire. As long as I can get a little bit extra on top of my pension, I'll be happy. 'I always said I would pack it in if it got stressful but I'm happy here. I've stuck at it because I enjoy my job. I like meeting people.'

    Roy remains a keen sportsman who has been a member of Crosland Heath Golf Club for the last 56 years. He was also a keen runner in his youth once defeating future world record mile runner Derek Ibbotson.
    He said: 'We were both in Longwood Harriers in the 1950s. I remember beating Derek in the track championship in 1952 over a quarter of a mile.'

    He won an Examiner Community Award in 2001 for his high quality of service and continues to work, despite his 80 years, saying he’ll carry on while he enjoys it.

     Let’s hope he enjoys it for many years to come.

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   Related world records: 
    Oldest Barber - world record set by Anthony Mancinelli

    Longest-serving paper boy - world record set by Ted Ingram

    Longest serving radio DJ-Herb Kent sets world record
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   Longest Serving Chief of Police-Chief Thomas E. Hawley

   Longest career as a weather forecaster-Dave Devall sets world record 
 
  Saturday, February 20, 2010