Telegraph man Eric never had a day off sick during his 38 years’ service
TYPOGRAPHER ONCE WADED THROUGH FLOODS TO GET TO WORK
A FORMER Derby Telegraph typographer who never had a day off work in the 38 years he worked at the company has died, aged 88.
Eric Bates, who was born in Derby, joined the Derby Evening Telegraph after completing his national service in the RAF, in which he served as a telecommunications officer.
But the seeds of his career at the newspaper had already been sown earlier when he undertook an apprenticeship at Harwoods Printers in Derby, after he left secondary school in Spondon.
As well as starting work at the newspaper after leaving the RAF, Mr Bates married his late wife Pat in 1955, with whom he went on to have a daughter, Pam.
Mr Bates originally worked for the Derby Telegraph at the office in the former Corn Exchange, Albert Street, and was heavily involved in the move from there to premises in Meadow Road.
His daughter, Pam Oates, said: “When the paper moved, my dad worked on his own for six months setting up the new computers.
“He was then promoted to a manager over one of the sections and used to entertain visitors for lunch in Derby. He told some stories about famous people he’d entertained, particularly visiting snooker players.”
Mrs Oates said that her father always wore a shirt and tie for work, and also socially.
She said: “He worked there until 1993, when he was 57, and never took a day off work.
“He was incredibly popular and well-known as he trained apprentices, lots of whom kept in touch with him even after he left.
“So determined was he to be at work that when there were floods in Chester Green from the River Derwent bursting its banks, he took his shoes and socks off, turned his trousers up and waded through the water to get to work.”
Mrs Oates said that her father was a big family man and played a large part in the lives of his two grandchildren, Dayna and Ellis.
She said: “He picked them up from nursery and school and looked after them so I could work.
“He and Pat took the girls on holiday every year when they were old enough. Dayna and Ellis have very fond memories of these holidays.
“He loved his family very much. My dad was very sociable and always enjoyed get-togethers and parties.”
Mr Bates enjoyed watching sports such as snooker and also racing, often putting on a bet and winning.
He also played golf and was a member of Allestree Golf Club and regularly went away for golfing weekends, even flying to Ireland to play golf.
Mrs Oates said: “He loved his holidays abroad with my mum, they had at least three a year and made lots of friends who he still kept in touch with until a few years ago.
“He looked after my mum for 10 years when she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and later with vascular dementia, until she died three years ago.
“My dad was a true gentlemen always very smart and loved his family and friends and was loved by them.”
Mr Bates’s funeral will take place at Markeaton Crematorium on Thursday, from 11am. All are welcome. Family flowers only, but donations to Cancer Research UK at the service or via Wathalls Funeral Directors.
He loved his family very much. My dad was very sociable and always enjoyed gettogethers. Pam Oates