Stockcross postmasters to stand down

Tim and Angela Tyler, who have run Stockcross Post Office for 17 years, will retire on Wednesday (April 6)

A MARRIED couple who have run Stockcross Post Office and Village Shop for 17 years will hang up their pinnies and put away the date stamp for the last time when they retire this week.

Tim and Angela Tyler left well-paid jobs as a quarry manager and account in London to take over the business in 1994.

During their tenure the couple have become an integral part of the village and in 2007 were recognised for their services to the community when they received an invite to the Queen's Royal Garden Party.

Mrs Tyler, aged 57, and her husband, aged 65, have seen many changes during their 17 years.

“It was a huge career change for us,” Mrs Tyler said. “We decided to get out of our stressful well-paid jobs and rebuild this local shop and post office.

“But it's not as simple as running the local shop there's a lot of work in the community. I've seen mothers come into the shop pregnant and now their children are leaving school.

“When we came here 17 years ago there were only two buses out of the village on market days, Saturdays and Thursdays, the main supermarket was Sainsbury's in the Kennet and there was no bypass.

“In terms of the post office, everyone had a pension book and mothers had family allowance books. Now it's all paid into bank accounts.

“All our weights were in pounds and ounces and now they are in kilos and grams.

“And obviously there was no eBay 17 years ago.”

Mr and Mrs Tyler will continue to live in the village but plan to travel across Europe in their newly purchased Volkswagen camper van.

“We're going up to the Lake District and the west coast of Scotland and then across to Ireland,” Mrs Tyler said. “Then in the summer we're planning a three month tour of Europe.”

The couple also plan to spend more time with their five daughters and nine grandchildren.

The postmasters, who have overseen two major refurbishments at the post office, which has stood in the village since 1901, will stand down on Wednesday (April 6) and will be replaced by Heather and Stuart Gilmore.