Memories of High Peak postie remembered in new book looking at the golden age of rural post service

Rural postmen and women ensured mail was delivered to even the most remote farms or homes.

Their long routes were walked - and occasionally cycled - six days a week in all weathers.

Mary Hunter served the village of Flash in the late 1940s.

She took on the role at 18 and stayed for five years.

Author Alan Cleaver interviewed Mary and a handful of other surviving rural posties for his book, The Postal Paths.

Sadly, Mary died in April - a few weeks before the book was published.

Alan said: “Mary's route was ten miles long and her day began at 7.30am going into Flash to sort the mail.”

Her memories of the time have been recorded in his new book.

She said: “I started off walking and then I thought, 'I'm gonna come round here on a pushbike'."

"It was my own bike but didn't have gears. It cost 7s 6d. I had to carry parcels as well, in a bag over my shoulder but there weren't many parcels in those days."

She found the bike saved her time but there were some farms on her round where she found it easier to short-cut across fields.

Mary worked six days a week, only having Sundays off.

She even had to work Christmas Day but this was something of a special day for rural posties as they were invariably invited into each home for a drink or something to eat.

"Everybody on my round said 'come in and have a drink'. I was that warm coming up from Dumpers Grove, I could have sat down and gone to sleep. The drink was usually sherry or port, and I also had a mince pie with them."

Mary was working in an age when everyone knew everyone and the postie was the one who helped keep a community together, swapping gossip and news.

"In those days you had time to stand and talk," said Mary.

There were about 400 homes on Mary's round and she also collected mail from people and emptied postboxes on the route.

"They were grand people I delivered to. I used to go in and have cups of tea. I didn't need to stop for lunch because people gave me cakes or biscuits."

Alan, 65, said Mary was typical of rural posties in having great pride in her work.

He said: "She told me as long as the post arrived from Buxton, it would get delivered no matter how bad the weather or how deep the snow.

“Many rural posties risked their lives - often ignoring advice from head office not to go out - because they knew how important it was for the mail to be delivered on time.

"Sadly that golden age of a rural post service has ended.

“Few have time to stand and chat and few people even know the name of their postman.

“I feel we never said 'thankyou' or said a proper goodbye to these heroic public servants and my book aims to put that right."

The Postal Paths, published by Monoray, £22 is available from bookshops.

Mary’s funeral will take place in Quarnford on Thursday May, 1.