Still in saddle after 50 years at Walsall firm

Melvin Beck started at the firm as a 15 year old in 1964.

Now, he has celebrated 50 years at the Black Country firm. The 65-year-old said: "It was my first-ever job. I left school and went there straightaway. In those days you just walked into a factory and asked for a job.

"I always wanted to do something with my hands and make something.

"At first I thought they made saddles for bikes. I soon realised it was horse saddles."

Mr Beck completed an apprenticeship at the firm. He was trained up by a colleague called Ben Lowbridge. The owner of the firm in Garden Street at the time was a man called Len Holmes.

He continued: "I picked up all the tricks of the trade from the older chaps. Over the years I've always focused on quality over quantity.

"It's a real skill – you either have it or you don't. Some of the methods that we used have gone but most have stayed traditional. The materials we use have changed a bit."

Mr Beck put his loyalty down to a love of the job. He added: "It does feel special to reach 50 years.

"I actually don't feel any different to how I did when I first started. I certainly don't feel any older. I'll keep going for as long as I can."

Mr Beck still makes saddles by hand, using traditional methods when special requests are made by customers. He added: "A lot of saddle makers nowadays are just assemblers, where you get a pile of parts and make a saddle. But the actual process of doing the patterns from scratch is an artform and take years of learning.

"It has always been about quality rather than quantity for me and I still keep that attitude."

And he insisted retirement is not an option as he is too dedicated to his job.

"I'm happy where I am and I have absolutely no intention to give up any time soon."

Mr Beck, a grandfather of four from Walsall, was presented with a bottle of champagne to mark his 50 years.