The Sunderland newspaper deliverer who was still going strong until she was 74

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Let’s hear it for the newspaper deliverers who gave such great service.

And we want to know if there was anyone more devoted to the job than Sunderland resident Elizabeth Hall.

Her first delivery was in 1928

She finally retired in 1988 at the age of 74, after 60 years of bringing Wearsiders their evening Echo.

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Lizzy of Hylton Lane, delivered her first Echo in 1928 when it was still a broadsheet and called the Sunderland Echo and Shipping Gazette.

She did the rounds ever since and was still putting 200 copies of the Echo through letter boxes in Town End Farm and 70 in Monkwearmouth every night right up until she called it a day.

Elizabeth Hall, 74 with the last copies of the Echo she delivered in 1988.Elizabeth Hall, 74 with the last copies of the Echo she delivered in 1988.
Elizabeth Hall, 74 with the last copies of the Echo she delivered in 1988. | se

Still out on the street during blizzards

She never missed a day through illness and could boast that the Echo always got through despite blizzards, snowdrifts, gales and storms.

Lizzy used a pram laden with copies of the Echo to do her round.

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Back in 1988, she said: “I shall be sorry to give it up as I have made loads of friends and the job gets me out of the house for a few hours every day.

Liz gets ready for her last ever paper round in 1988, after 60 years of loyal service.Liz gets ready for her last ever paper round in 1988, after 60 years of loyal service.
Liz gets ready for her last ever paper round in 1988, after 60 years of loyal service. | se

Children in the street gave her gifts

“Lots of people have been coming up to me saying they are sorry to hear I am retiring and giving me gifts. Children have been coming up and giving me boxes of chocolates.

“But I have been ill recently and it is time to give it up.”

But she wasn’t planning to totally pack in. She was going to carry on working in Kirby’s newsagents.

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Tell us if she was Sunderland’s most devoted newspaper deliverer, or do you know different.

The foster mum called Foster - who fostered 30 youngsters

To give you a taster of more news from 1988, all of these stories were in the headlines;

Foster by name and foster by nature. That’s Sunderland mum Christine Foster, who over 20 years had fostered 30 youngsters. Christine, from the Hylton Lane Estate, received a scroll in recognition of her work.

The wonderful people of Wearside raised almost £14,000 to help the NSPCC turn a house in Newcastle Road into a family centre.

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Sunderland Victim Support was appealing for more volunteers to cope with an increasing workload.

Referrals to the scheme increased by 400 per cent over the course of 1988.

Postman Pat had a Sunderland saviour

Richard Lightfoot became a hero that year when he rescued Postman Pat annuals which had fallen from a Royal Mail van.

Richard with one of the Postman Pat annuals he found in 1988.Richard with one of the Postman Pat annuals he found in 1988.
Richard with one of the Postman Pat annuals he found in 1988. | se

The quick thinking youngster rescued two sacks of mail and each contained a batch of Postman Pat annuals that were for the winners of an Echo competition.

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Wearside autotest champion Gary Bowman scooped a national and a regional title in 1988 and it was his most successful season driving a high-powered mini.

The Penshaw man competed against Britain’s best drivers.

Autotest champion driver Gary Bowman with his car and trophies.Autotest champion driver Gary Bowman with his car and trophies.
Autotest champion driver Gary Bowman with his car and trophies. | se

Autotests are won by negotiating tight courses, marked by bollards and usually held on large car parks, as quickly as possible.

Gary won the British Motor Corporation Challenge Trophy at Silverstone and later took the Tyne Tees MG Club auto championship.

Tell us about your memories of the 1980s by emailing [email protected]

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