Longest-serving
paper boy - world record set by Ted Ingram
WINTERBORNE MONKTON, England -- Ted Ingram,
90, has delivered papers as an income-supplementing hobby
for 68 years and setting the new world record for the Longest-serving
paper boy.
Photo:Ted Ingram has been doing his paper round for
68 years/BNPS photo. (enlarge
photo)
Ted said: "I love my daily round. I don't
make any money out of it now, I do it for the village and
because I enjoy it and it keeps me fit. "I can't believe I
am a record holder at my age, but I don't feel any different,
and if my health lets me I will go on until I am 100."
Ted Ingram, 90, of Winterborne
Monkton, near Dorchester, England, is the world's
longest-serving paper boy, after having delivered papers
since 1942 and only taking two vacations and one leave due
to a back injury.
The 90-year-old moved to the village
in 1938 and worked as a tractor driver on a farm. Ted took up the part-time job
in 1942 during World War II to top up his income but enjoyed
delivering papers so much that he never gave it up.
The world's
longest-serving paper boy said: "When I first started
the wages at the farm weren't very good so I thought I would
do the paper round to boost up my money.
"Back in those days there were 26 houses to deliver
to and it took me next to no time and I would enjoy doing
the round because you meet people and have a bit of a chit
chat. During his career pounding the pavements
spanning seven decades the pensioner has dropped more than
500,000 papers through local letterboxes.
Incredibly, there have only been TWO DAYS
when his customers didn't receive their papers with their
morning milk.
And that was when bad snow storms prevented the
copies from getting to him.
Ted, the the world's
longest-serving paper boy, has only ever had two holidays
— both in the 1960s — when he took his family to Butlins and
got a neighbour to look after his paper round for him.
And even when Ted broke his back
in the 1950s he arranged for his late wife Betty to deliver
the papers in their village while he was laid up.
"I prefer to cycle as when I was younger
we used to cycle everywhere especially in to the town to chase
the ladies!" But just recently Ted has had to swap
his trusty push bike for his Peugeot 106 car while he recovers
from a hip replacement operation. He said: "I'll be using
my car until I can get on my bike again. "I am currently delivering
to ten houses six days a week, it can take me 20 minutes to
do the round. I like to stop and chat to the neighbours."
Ted met wife Betty while they both worked
at the farm but she passed away 12 years ago. Ted has two
children, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He said: "I feel I'm lucky. Keeping
so busy has kept me well. If you stop and watch TV all day
you will go down hill."
Ted still has two jobs in his 'retirement'
as he also mows the lawns of the houses and caravan parks
near the village. He lost his 'lady friend' Ethel Samways
when she died last year and said: "I'm looking for another
one now." The previous Guinness world record for the
Longest-serving
paper boy was held by Darlyne Markus of Idaho. She
started in 1958 at the age of 29 and continued to do so until
November 21, 2008, when she reached the age of 79, a period
of 50 years and 173 days.
