This year has been a very special year for Graham Davies who was born in Bridstow and has lived in the area all his life.

On Friday, December 1st Graham turned up for his last day of work at Weir End Farm, after working there for 50 years. He started alongside his father, as a boy of 15 after leaving Ross Secondary Modern School.

He worked for Graham Hunter-Blair, who took over the tenancy of the farm in 1968, then when the tenancy passed on to his son, he continued to work for Alister.

Alister said Graham was a remarkable farm worker who could turn his hand to anything from driving the tractor, to plumbing. He said, “there is always something needing doing on a farm like this, I don’t know how I will manage without Graham, his knowledge and experience.”

Ally added, “He is so loyal, he cares about the farm as much as we do.” He recalled the night when he was attending a ball at an hotel in Ross when Graham saw a lorry on fire on the A40. Worried that the fire might spread to the barns or the straw he drove to Ross, collected Ally and took him back to the farm so that they could move the straw. Then, when the crisis was over he took Ally back to finish his evening.

Although Graham officially started work in July 1967, he had visited the farm many times before. There is wonderful picture of him riding a cow when the farm used to have cattle. When Graham started there were four farm workers employed now there is just one, and Ally said he is not being replaced. Graham received his long service medal at the Three Counties Show this year for 40 and 50 years service.

Graham told the Ross Gazette he never thought about doing anything else as a young man, his father just told him he had a job and that was that, but he said he had enjoyed his time at Weir End.

The celebrations have not ended for Graham though, as well as retiring this year, he has celebrated a milestone birthday, his 40th wedding anniversary and his wife, Linda, who was also born and brought up in Bridstow, has worked at Bridstow School for 25 years. See the full story in this week’s edition of the Ross Gazette, or subscribe to our online edition here