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After half a century spent scaling the heights of some of the most famous historical buildings in the world, Arthur Harrison is to retire as Director of Norman & Underwood’s Roofing Division.
Arthur began a plumbing apprenticeship with Norman & Underwood as a fresh-faced youth of 15. Just six years into his term with the company, Arthur left to carry out two years of National Service with the Military Police, in the then troubled Cyprus. Following this sabbatical Arthur returned to a career with Norman & Underwood’s Roofing Division with a fantastic suntan and an unhealthy fluency in ‘bar-room’ Greek!
An aptitude for lead work meant that it wasn’t too long before Arthur was made Manager of the Division. After working on high profile contracts including Well’s Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral and Bath and Gloucester Abbeys, Arthur was promoted to become Director of the company’s Roofing Division.
For Arthur, working on Wells Cathedral was one of the highlights of his career, but he can also recall some less savoury moments: “When working in Jerusalem we took a wrong turn ending up in a bad part of town, where we were stoned by locals,” he recalls with a smile.
Working on prestigious contracts including The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, inevitably lead to long stints away from home, but unfortunately the accommodation wasn’t always 5 Star!
“When I started out, an ‘away job’ meant weeks separated from your family, sometimes sleeping in the ricketiest of caravans and living on rations. The central heated guest houses and hotels of today are the most welcome development in my working life, having once spent a year and a half living in a caravan in Poet’s Corner, Westminster Abbey!”
But it wasn’t all work and no play and Arthur recalls plenty of laughs along the way, such as the time he inadvertently did ‘a full Monty’ as a makeshift shower collapsed, causing a passing female motorist to drive into a six-foot bank in shock, and the time he placed exploding crow scarers under the caravans of rival gangs of workers and bread on their caravan roofs to provide ‘feathered alarm clocks’ at 4 o’clock each morning.
Even though he is retiring, Arthur has no intention of slowing down. His plans include plenty of running, fishing and maybe even stint living it up in Las Vegas!
Roger Castleman, Chairman of Norman & Underwood comments: “We will certainly miss Arthur, but as is the Norman & Underwood tradition, his expertise and skills will be passed down through those he has skilfully trained over his years with us.
Says Arthur: “Anybody embarking in the world of work today is lucky to stay with the same company for two years, let alone 50. I have always had a passion for lead and my craft, and have been fortunate enough to have worked for a company that genuinely cares for its staff.
“This industry is full of interesting, eccentric characters, such as stonemasons and carpenters, and I have been immensely fortunate, in that I have worked alongside some of the best, on some of the country’s most beautiful buildings.”
Arthur enjoyed his “15 minutes of fame” earlier this year when he appeared in the Discovery Channel documentary ‘Set in Stone’. Arthur retires from Norman & Underwood on the year of its 175th anniversary.
Ends. 24th May 2000 (578 words)
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