Postmaster whose first job was to clear up after bloody murder
On his 100th birthday Alfred Thomas has revealed the full horror of the day he took over a post office from a murdered postmaster in 1957. Robert Dalling reports
IT WAS meant to be the exciting start to a new chapter in the lives of Alfred Thomas and his wife Audrey.
They were the new owners of Fforestfach Post Office, after Mr Thomas was the only bidder, spending just over £4,000.
But their excitement was soon turned into horror after they set foot through the doors for the first time to find the premises covered in blood.
It was the remnants of former postmaster William Williams, who was beaten to death with a hammer aged 73 on the night of November 15, 1957.
The person responsible was Vivian Teed, who became the last man to be executed at Swansea Prison on May 6, 1958.
They did not clear the scene of crimes back in those days, so it was up to Mr Thomas to clear up the mess before he began his new role.
Mr Thomas turns 100 today, and ahead of becoming a centenarian, has reflected on the gruesome day, along with his storied life.
“I was most disturbed,” he said. “I saw an ad of a business premises and I was the only bidder so I got it. My wife hadn’t seen it.
“The aftermath was gruesome and it was up to me to clean it up. That was very troublesome.
“My wife is very religious and made sure a priest went in to bless the building before we went in.
“We went in and there was blood everywhere. I was upset about the effect it had on my wife and family, but I made a choice and I was determined I would make a success of it.”
The murder at the post office was gruesome – Teed hit Mr Williams so hard and often that the hammer broke.
Author Geoff Brookes recalled that Teed, who committed the murder aged 24, lived at Manor Road in Manselton. He had been unemployed but the last job he did, labouring for a builder, had been at 870 Carmarthen Road in Fforestfach. It was the post office and he knew his way around.
On the night of the murder, he went back and forced his way in at around 7pm. Worker Margaret John turned up for work in the post office the next morning and could not open the door. She looked through the letter box, saw Mr Williams lying in the hall and called the police.
The floor was slippery with blood, there were fragments of bone on the doormat and a trail of blood in the street. Teed was arrested three days later, initially denying involvement in the crime before confessing after police found blood on his jacket, trousers and shoes.
Mr Brookes recalled how Teed had taken the hammer from his father’s toolbox and had delivered 27 separate blows. It had all been for nothing – he left the scene emptyhanded as the money was in the safe. He was hanged on May 6, 1958.
It is not the only traumatic experience Mr Thomas has experienced in his interesting life – he even had a life-changing experience when he was four years old.
He had visited Landore Picture House and afterwards decided to go to play down by the canal. He attempted to get into the barge, but was unable to, slipped and fell into the water.
“I tried to get on but I slipped,” he recalled.
“A young man was close by and ran towards me to bring me out of the canal, pumping my lungs. It left me with a weak heart but I survived.”
Mr Thomas grew up in Plough Road in Landore and was a former Brynhyfryd and Manselton school pupil. He grew up with brothers Clifford, Charlie and Gordon, who is still alive, aged 96.
He married wife Audrey Tomlinson in 1941 after they first met in 1936, in a spot where youngsters used to congregate near the Catholic church in Brynhfryd. They had two children together, Veronica and Christine, and Mr Thomas has four grandchildren, Lisa, Sian, Thomas and Lucy, and six great-grandchildren.
He was conscripted during wartime to work in industry, making parts for aeroplanes at Ayr in Scotland – but while there, he suffered more adversity after having an accident with a blast furnace which left him with facial injuries for a long time.
But the adversity was still not over for him. When he returned home to Swansea, he went to work at Elba Works in Jersey Marine, where he suffered injuries after a brass piece of machinery broke and flew off, hitting him in the back and leaving him disabled.
After a period struggling to find work, he became a bus conductor, and later an insurance agent at Prudential, before seeing the opportunity to take over the post office.
During his 25 years at the post office, along side its day-to-day operations, he also made it into a record shop and a shoe shop alongside.
After retiring, he has kept himself busy as treasurer of the West Cross Community Centre, a position he held for 35 years.
During his eventful life he also became involved in the world of politics, as a vice-chairman of the Independent party, and had been chairman of the Swansea Chamber of Trade, as well as treasurer of the Sub Postmaster Federation.
To show their respect for Mr Thomas, the community centre recently held a party for him, and his family will also be putting on a party at his home on Sunday.
Discussing the secret to old age, Mr Thomas added: “I have never smoked and I always try and keep fit and healthy by going on walks outside my house.
“I’m really well mentally and I still remember everything.”