MR W R Beach hung up for the last time in 1965 – after 25 years as telephone manager for the Blackburn area.

A leading figure in the expansion of telephone communications throughout the country, he retired from the job he first began as the war started in 1939.

His area covered the whole of East Lancashire, and during his time in office the number of telephone subscribers had jumped from 25,000 to 75,000.

The business had also been re-organised, and staff had increased from 500 to 1,600.

Manual exchanges had been modernised into automised facilities and STD introduced in some towns.

Two days after he left, a new automatic exchange was unveiled in Rossendale.

He first joined the Post Office in 1926 and was a keen swimmer. He also ran a dairy farm at Whalley Nab. A farewell dance was held at the New Empress Ballroom, Blackburn, and at his last advisory committee meeting, at Burnley head office, he was presented with retirement gifts.