Fifty Years In Butchery Trade; Mr. F. Caddy Retires

Wanganui Chronicle, 7 January 1949, Page 4

Fifty Years In Butchery Trade; Mr. F. Caddy Retires

Fifty years’ service with the firm of Bristol and Co., Ltd., butchers, Wanganui, has been severed with the retirement of Mr. F. Caddy, who, in all that period has served, thousands of customers from 1.-hind the counter.

The firm of Bristols was originally opened by Mr. Caddy’s father, the late Mr. Henry Caddy, in 1872. About 20 years later the business came under the control of the late Mr. T. S. Bristol, by whom Mr. Caddy was employed as a boy 50 years ago. Mr. Caddy has served under three generations of the Bristol family, being for a long period associated with the late Mr. Frank Bristol and latterly by his sons.

Tlie oldest customer on the firm’s books is the Wanganui Club, which has dealt there for 60 years. There have been several other customers of 50 and 40 years' standing. Yesterday Mr. Caddy recalled that the price of meat 50 years ago was much cheaper than today. Prime ribs of beef were 5d and 6d a lb, steak 5d lb, rump steak 8d lb, sausages 5d lb. Today rump steak is Is 6d a lb, prime ribs (boned) Is 2d, and sausages Is lb.

Mr. Caddy, in his 50 years with the business, has never missed a day because of sickness and he does not smoke or drink.

He possesses two hobbies, gardening and clay modelling, and holds the Otago Arts Society’s silver medal for his artistic work in clay modelling. Mr. Caddy said yesterday that he was going to miss the many customers who have been coming to the shop for years, and said he wished to thank them for their expressions of goodwill.