To mark his retirement as deputy manger at the Bideford office of the Ministry of Labour and National Service,

Mr G.F. Dickie and his wife were guests of honour at a staff party on Thursday of last week.

Mr Dickie, to whose retirement reference was made in our last issue, was presented with an umbrella and a travelling case by Mr J. Sillman, the senior member of the staff, who recalled that Mr Dickie had been at the Bideford office for twelve years and had spent the two previous years at Barnstaple. “We are very sorry to see him go and I believe Mr Dickie, himself, is sorry that he is going,” said Mr Sillman. “The public is sorry to lose him,too, because he has made a name for himself in Bideford for always doing his job thoroughly and well, and he is well respected by employers and tradespeople and by members of the Local Employment Committee and the Youth Employment Committee. He is respected too, not only by every member of the staff here but by colleagues at Barnstaple, Ilfracombe and Bude, none of whom has forgotten him. They all join with us in wishing him a long life and a happy retirement.”

In his reply, Mr Dickie, who had been toasted with musical honours, recalled some of the highlights of his 35 years’ service with the Ministry and referred to the days of the depression and the gigantic task facing officials in those days in the shape of new and repeat unemployment claims.

Thanking friends and colleagues for their kind thought in arranging the party, Mr Dickie went on to say how grateful he was for the kindness and co-operation he had always received from the civic authorities, the press, employers and the general public.

Adding her personal tribute when she presented a bouquet to Mrs Dickie, the Exchange Manager (Mrs O.F. Griffiths) mentioned that Mr Dickie had held the post until the office had been up-graded a short while ago. “It is not easy for a man to step down to a woman,” she said, “but never at any time has Mr Dickie been anything but the most loyal of colleagues and I thank him for it.”

Gazette article dated 8 July 1955