Bideford’s oldest postman, Mr Arthur Rowe, hangs up his bag

Mr Rowe of 29 Elmdale Road, Bideford, did not start his post office career until he was 65 – and that was after retiring from over 40 years’ service with the Royal Blue and Southern National as a driver. “I found I wanted something to do with my time” he recalled. For the last nine years he has been riding his bicycle on a round which took in Limers Lane and Durrant Lane.

“I was the oldest postman – but not the oldest-looking probably” he said.

Gazette article dated 29 March 1974