THE Bury Times this week bade a fond farewell to its longest-serving employee.

David Hall is retiring after 44 years with the company.

During his working life he has witnessed many technological changes in the Bury Times itself and in the newspaper industry.

He joined the firm in 1955 aged 16 as an apprentice compositor when the Bury Times HQ was in Cross Street.

Six years on he became fully time-served and later worked as a lino-type operator, a job he was doing in the early 1970s when the Bury Times transferred to Market Street.

Changes in production and to web-offset publishing, plus the switch from broadsheet to tabloid, were reflected in changes in the workplace.

In 1977 David, 59, of Ainsdale Avenue, Bury, was appointed head of the readers' department - taking over from his father Bert on his retirement. Two years ago, he switched jobs to work in the production area.

Said David: "When I started, I served my time in a craft which had been going for 500 years.

"All that has changed during the past 30 years because of technological and publishing advances."

He says he leaves the Bury Times with "mixed emotions" and reflects fondly on his colleagues over 44 years.

He has a wife, Jean, and a daughter, Kathryn. He hopes to devote his retirement to his main hobby of travelling.

At the presentation, when David received many gifts, Bury Times Group advertisement director Mr Philip Wheelhouse said: "David has served an amazing period of time. It is a fantastic milestone."

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