James Perrott is finally bidding a fond farewell to the job he loves after working for the same company for the last 60 years. It also brings to an end a 34-year stint working with his son.
James Perrott says he’ll miss working with son Andrew – who is now his boss – but won’t miss the 3½-hour daily commute from his home in Hornchurch, East London to get to the SIG Roofing branch in Park Royal near Wembley, North London.
The former asphalt roofer joined Wedge Roofing Centre – a specialist roofing supplies merchant that has since become SIG Roofing – back in 1958. Once there, James quickly rose to become branch manager of the Barking branch, where he employed his school-leaver son Andrew – apparently against the advice of his wife Irene, who didn’t want her son following his dad into the roofing trade.
After an earlier move to the Ladbroke Grove branch, the father and son duo moved to their current location of Park Royal in 2016 and, despite having had a triple heart bypass 25 years ago and a quadruple one 12 years ago. James wanted to keep working to reach his 60-year landmark. It’s only been within the last 12 months that James has moved from full time to part time as a sales assistant.
James said that he’s loved working and has never minded leaving home at 5.00am each morning to get to work for 7.00am. He’s also admitted that he doesn’t want to stop, but his body is telling him it’s time to take things easier.
James said: “I’ve always been a grafter and I love working. But lifting the rolls of EPDM membrane is getting harder now, so it’s time to acknowledge that I’m not as young as I used to be!
“Working for SIG Roofing has been my life, and I’ve been very lucky to have worked with my son. My last day will be a sad one, but it’s the right time to retire.
“I’m really going to miss all the roofing contractors whom I’ve got to know over the years, who have become more like friends than customers because I’ve seen them day in and day out for years.
Son and branch director Andrew said that it will be a sad day for the branch when James hangs up his high-vis jacket for the last time.
“All the customers of SIG Roofing in Royal Park are going to miss James, and the place won’t be the same without him,” said Andrew.
“My dad has always been a company man through and through and a stickler for doing the right thing, which included never being late for work or letting us leave even a minute early!
“I know that I’ve been very lucky to have worked with my dad for nearly 35 years, and it’s funny that he was the boss when I started and I’m the boss now that he’s retiring.”
The company’s divisional managing director, George King said James’s achievement is remarkable and being able to draw on so many years’ worth of knowledge and experience has been invaluable to SIG Roofing and its customers.
“I was delighted and honoured to visit James at the branch to say a heartfelt thank you on behalf of everyone at SIG Roofing for six decades of service to his colleagues and most importantly all the customers,” said George.
“James embodies everything we strive for in having friendly and very knowledge people in our branches to support the UK roofing sector.”
Reflecting on his 60 years’ service, James says it’s remarkable just how much has changed in the roofing industry.
“When I started there were no pallets, so everything had to be individually loaded and unloaded by hand from lorries, which is very different to how things are now – and a lot harder! And health and safety was non-existent back in the 50s – but working on roofs and with roofing materials is far safer than it was then with our commitment to SIG Roofing’s Zero Harm – which is a good thing.
“I look back and laugh now, but at one time we didn’t even have a phone in the branch. On a Thursday afternoon each week, I had to take all the cash takings for the week to head office. Times have certainly changed.”
James now plans to spend more time with Irene and the first thing they’ll do is go on a holiday that was a farewell gift from SIG Roofing.
