Dear Customers
I have now retired.

I have spent over 50 years plumbing and now is the time to put the tools back in there box for the last time.

I started at the age of 14 helping my Father descaling boilers repairing taps etc.
We would get dropped off with our bikes and off on our round we would go. Life was so simple then, as long as you had 4 different tap washers and 3 different ballvalve washers you could almost guarantee to be able to mend any dripping tap or ballvalve, now you have to take them out and renew them.
The industry has changed so much in my time.
I started by spending the first year of my 4 year apprenticeship, (this is in the days when an apprenticeship meant something) learning how to do all things Lead, I never did install any Lead pipes or roofs. I still have my City and Guilds certificates with there wax seal on them, so proud to get them.

Being a self employed plumber used to be so simple, I had a phone at home with an answer machine and that was it. I was left in peace until I got home again.
Now there is so many ways to be contacted, Text, email, whats app, mobile phone, and the landline, I was once told I should be on Facebook Instagram and X as well, I said to the lecture when do I actually do any work? it  has become so stressful it was endless, I'm glad to be leaving it all behind. I once had 15 answer machine message on my mobile to respond by the time I got home, that didn't include other messages and some days it got to much and yes I had to pick who I responded to which in itself was also stressful knowing you are letting someone down which I was always sad about but there was only so many hours in the day, also I just couldn't sometimes remember where the message had been left I would remember seeing it but where?
Often in the evening when the wife was working I would be doing quotes, invoicing, and administration, no wonder the self employed trades people now work the longest hours.

Plumbing is one the most unpredictable jobs to have, no two days were ever the same and like most trades people I enjoyed my work. At the end of the day I wouldn't have swapped it for any other job, I tried on numerous occasions but never found anything as satisfying.
 

The thing I will miss most is you the customers, I have met so many wonderful people over the years, hearing so many fascinating stories while enjoying many cups of tea and coffee. I can truly say there has only been one or two people I wouldn't like to meet again.

So thank you all for providing me with a wonderful working life I'll miss you all.