Stoke-Ash postmistress retires from Post Office after 43 years on the job

A Stoke-Ash postmistress is bowing out after almost half a century on the job.

Sheila Coe, 82, is finally looking forward to retirement after single-handedly running the only post office in the village for 43 years.

“I will miss,” said the grandmother-of-five. “I have had my daughters telling me off since I was 60, saying ‘you’ll never get any freedom if you keep going on’.

“I’ll miss the people coming in. People would always come in and have a chat – one or two might not have talked to somebody all day.”

Mrs Coe ran the post office out of her garage since 1979 – four years after moving to Stoke Ash from her hometown of Dereham.

She said: “When I first moved here, a lady at the end of the road had a post office and I was friendly with her, so, when she decided to give it up, I took it over.

“Back then, it was very different – there was a lot of writing involved in those days, because we didn’t have computers then, and a lot more stamps.

“It’s been just me this whole time – a lot of people have said ‘I don’t know how you do it’, but you just do.”

She is now looking forward to her retirement with her husband, Lionel, 86.

Since announcing her retirement, Mrs Coe has been inundated with thank you messages from people in the community.

“People from all over keep sending things,” she said. “I have had cards and people coming with flowers and chocolates.”

Post Office area manager Shervorne Page also thanked Mrs Coe for her service.

She said: “Sheila has been a wonderful postmaster and I know how much the community has appreciated having her behind the counter.

“43 years is an amazing amount of service. I hope she enjoys her well-deserved retirement and has time for more walks around her lovely garden.

For people in Stoke Ash looking to send post, the Post Office said they would be working to find a replacement service in the village as soon as possible.