December 24th 2024.
At the young age of 16, Robert 'Rocky' Hudson began his career as a postman for the Royal Mail in Leyton, east London in December 1964. Now, at the age of 76, he is Britain's longest-serving postman and has shared some of the most unique parcels he has handled over the years.
Rocky started out as a messenger in the Whitechapel delivery office, delivering telegrams on a motorcycle. But as time went on, he switched to delivering parcels from a sack on his back, reminiscent of Father Christmas himself, in Poplar. After 40 years of working night shifts, Rocky will be logging his last shift on December 28 this year. This schedule allowed him to take care of his three young children following the sudden passing of his wife, Sheila, at the young age of 26 in 1980.
Reflecting on his many Christmas deliveries, Rocky fondly remembers the unusual items he would come across. From turkeys wrapped in brown paper, to salmon, cream, and Norfolk kippers marked as perishable, he had a commitment to deliver these items on time. He recalls the joy of seeing the smiling faces of those he delivered presents to and the excitement of last-minute Christmas gifts.
For Rocky, retirement will be a new and strange experience, but he looks forward to spending more time with his family, including his granddaughter, British Paralympic archer Jessica Stretton. He proudly states that he is the longest-serving union member and postman in England and has loved every minute of his career. He even enjoys wearing Santa hats and going around during Christmas, bringing joy to children's faces.
Back in 1964, telegrams were a common form of communication and Rocky would often deliver them, carrying messages ranging from congratulations to death notices. He recalls how important these messages were and the urgency to deliver them, no matter the weather.
Speaking of weather, Rocky had to battle through all conditions to complete his deliveries. He recalls how the priority and urgent parcels had to go out, even in the snow. For Rocky, it was a commitment to his job and he took pride in delivering each parcel on time.
After his wife's passing, Rocky worked night shifts for 40 years as it was the only way he could take care of his children. He would start his shift at midnight and return home at 7 am, just in time to get his kids ready for school. It was the perfect schedule for him to balance work and family life.
During his 50 years of service, Rocky had the opportunity to meet the then-Prince of Wales, now King, as he completed his 50th year with Royal Mail. He got to shake hands and have a chat with the royal, a proud moment in his career.
To celebrate his 60 years of service and his retirement, Rocky and his colleagues had a party at the Docklands delivery office on December 7, the same date he started his career in 1964. As he looks forward to retirement, Rocky plans to turn off all his alarms, finish building his shed in the garden, and take care of some maintenance tasks.
Though his last official day at Royal Mail on December 28 will be bittersweet, Rocky is proud of his achievement and has some advice for his fellow postmen: keep up the good work, stick with it, and enjoy it.
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