Britain’s longest serving postman hangs up his mailbag after six decades of service

Jim Hardbattle, 74, has shown he’s the postie with the mostie after he started as a messenger in May 1963, the same month The Beatles topped the UK chart

Britain’s longest serving postman is hanging up his mailbag after 59 years.

Jim Hardbattle, 74, started out as a messenger in May 1963, the same month The Beatles topped the UK singles chart for the first time.

But he finally handed in his notice last week after six decades of service, saying he’d realised it was “time I was going”.

Jim, from Hull, East Yorks, was 15 when he began delivering telegrams and express letters on his BSA Bantam 125cc motorbike.

Aged 18 he started daily rounds from the city’s main sorting office.

He had to dress for the part, wearing blue cavalry twill trousers with red piping down the legs and a cap with a badge that had to be well polished.

Jim said: “You had to be smart and tidy. I wasn’t that long on foot as I got the chance to go on a van delivering. You had to be 19 to do that.”

Jim still drives around 55 miles a day, but now uses up-to-date technology such as scanners when making his deliveries.

He is leaving his job in July and said he will miss his colleagues the most.

He added: “I’ve always been happy in my job, it’s always been reasonably well paid. Yes, I’ve had to do overtime, but hard work doesn’t kill anyone.”

A statement from the Royal Mail said: “Fifty nine years in any profession is a great achievement, and we are grateful to Jim Hardbattle for his decades of service to us and our customers.”

The Communication Workers Union added: “Whatever Jim chooses to do, he is a time-served legend and a pillar of his community. All of the union wishes him the very best.”