Last updated 13:13, Thursday, 27 November 2008

EDWIN Wilkinson has pulled the plug on a sparkling career which has spanned more than 40 years.

He has just retired after a lifetime in the electrical business.

Born at Barneystead in Wark, he attended school in Bellingham and started work at 15 for Dennis Allen, who had an electrical shop in the village, where the hairdresser’s shop is now.

There was also a workshop behind what was then the Fox and Hounds pub.

He recalled this week: “It was a busy little business, and among the jobs we did was rewiring the whole of Brownrigg School, as well as what is now the middle school.

“I realised I must be getting close to retirement when I started rewiring houses I had already rewired once!”

Eventually Mr Allen moved away to Newcastle, so Edwin sought work in Hexham, with John Cunningham’s electrical business.

It was a job which lasted for 37 years, which saw him rise from electrician to contracts manager, taking over the business following the death of proprietor and friend John Cunningham.

Now he has passed the business on to his elder son Philip, and colleague Christine Pearson.

But there is no chance he will become bored in his retirement, for he is already deeply involved in the community at Bellingham.

He has been a member of the parish council for over 30 years, and is chairman of the town hall committee, on which he has also served for many years.

He is a governor at Bellingham Middle School, and is a long-serving member and former master of the Risingham Lodge of freemasons.

He and his wife Pat have been married for 46 years, and as well as son Philip they also have daughter Marion, and another son Ivan.

To mark his retirement, Edwin was guest of honour at a surprise party at the Beaumont Hotel in Hexham.