MEMORIES OF A FRIEND AND COLLEAGUE:
ROY JEFFREY HARPER
by Ian Galloway
Roy and I first met in early 1958 as we had both recently joined the Birmingham Municipal Bank and were attending a day release college
for our banking exams.
Roy struck me as a confident, assertive and incisive young man who was not afraid to air his views and
opinions. He was amusing, amenable and popular with everyone.
In 1962 he was a cashier at Wheeler Street branch and I was at
Aston Cross, just a few stops along the same bus route, so we regularly travelled together. As we slowly progressed in the Bank we
saw less of each other but kept in touch. We both bought houses and married, and many, many years later I learned that our first born
were boys and both named Andrew.
We met up again at Staff Association meetings as we were members of the Committee. Roy made
many valuable contributions in our dealings with management. When the Bank became a TSB in 1976 and our Union membership was transferred
from NALGO to NUBE (later BIFU) we served as officers and were eventually elected onto both Regional and National Committees. This
entailed many trips together (including some overnight stays) to Manchester and London and also Union conferences.
Times changed
and the bank management decided that most branch managers were surplus to the workings of the now fully computerised bank and ‘voluntary’
redundancy was offered although not compulsory. However, many staff were pressured and left the Bank. Roy and I resisted and were
able to attain the age of 50 when redundancy included an immediate pension. Needless to say, we both accepted and retired in 1991
and 1992 respectively. We were joined by several other staff that contacted us for advice and also managed to resist the efforts of
certain Area Directors.
Roy found he had too much energy for slippers and armchair so obtained part-time work with an insurance
company and kindly introduced me so we both worked together for a further seven years working hours and days to suit ourselves with
a company car provided which we could also have for personal use. After seven years, due to changes in the role, we were offered full-time
positions but naturally we declined and retired again.
To maintain contact, despite living at opposite sides of town, a mini
luncheon club was formed comprising Roy, Alan Woodbridge, Les Webber, John Ordish, Jim Bates and myself (including our respective
wives) and met up as often as we could as well as at meetings of the Retired Members’ section.
I have many amusing stories about Roy and one stands out – He and Thelma booked a fly-drive holiday to the USA and as it would be an early flight decided to stay overnight at the London airport hotel. After arrival and an evening meal, to their horror they realised they had forgotten to bring their driving licenses with them. Rather than argue or toss a coin, Roy told me they had a vote to see who would make the 200-plus mile journey back home to collect them. This was apparently normal to resolve disputes and Roy said he lost!
Mystified, I asked how you could
lose a vote if there were only two of you – and he kindly explained this usually happened as Thelma always had a second or casting
vote. Still mystified, I asked him if he ever won a vote under this rule and Roy thought for a second and replied – no, now you ask,
I never did.
The absolute irony was that when collecting the car stateside he mentioned the incident to the hire car company
staff, who informed him that Brits regularly did this and they faxed the UK’s DVLA for a copy!
I also recall an Area Manager’s meeting when Roy and I sat together in a group of 20 or so other branch managers and after being bombarded with more instructions as usual asked the most searching questions. At the close of the meeting the Area Manager approached us and demanded that at future meetings we should not conspire or sit together.
That was my oldest friend, Roy.
Roy Jeffrey Harper - born June 14th
1941, died October 9th 2023