OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
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WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

HARRY CLIFFORD OWEN STANBURY (1911-1989)

Harry Clifford Owen Stanbury was born on July 12th 1911 to Mr Harry Woodgate Stanbury (1879-1953), a Post Office Sorting Clerk and Telegraphist, and his wife, the former Miss Mary Elizabeth Cobb, a daughter of the Postmaster at Farnborough in Hampshire.  They had married at the Ancient Parish Church of Saint Peter's, Farnborough, on February 23rd 1909.

He was educated at the Plymouth Corporation Grammar School and the Plymouth and Devonport Technical College, from which he gained an electrical engineering degree in 1931.  The following year he was successful in an open competition to become a probationary inspector in the Post Office Engineering Department.  After initial training at the Post Office School in London, he was posted to Birmingham.  He was promoted to probationary assistant engineer in 1935.

According to the special census taken on September 29th 1939, Mr Stanbury, Post Office engineer, was boarding at number 49 Somerset Road, Birmingham.

In 1941 Mr Harry Clifford Owen Stanbury married Miss Brenda Doreen Wigley, a former Telephonist and Writing Assistant in the Birmingham Post Office, in Solihull, Warwickshire.

In 1944 he transferred to Glasgow on promotion but returned to the Post Office's Midland Regional Headquarters in Birmingham in 1946.  Two years later he became Deputy Telephone Manager at London North West.

At his own request, Mr Stanbury was appointed Plymouth Area Telephone Manager in 1949, when he became a full member of the Institution of Electrical Engineers.  At that time he was youngest area telephone manager in the country but because he wished to remain in the City he lost out on promotions and became the most senior area telephone manager in the General Post Office.  His name became very familiar to residents of Plymouth as it was painted on the side of all the area's telephone vans and lorries.

Mr Stanbury was elected to the Newton and Noss Mayo parish Council in 1958, and was chairman between 1961 and 1966, after which he became a member of the Plympton Saint Mary Rural District Council for a year.  He was a founder member and vice-chairman of the River Yealm and District Association, later becoming its chairman.  He was an active member of the Rotary Club and the Yealm Yacht Club, eventually becoming its Commodore.  He was awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1967.

After 41 years' service in the General Post Office he retired in 1973.  An official farewell event was organised on Tuesday April 10th 1973 at the Duke of Cornwall Hotel, which Mr Stanbury found 'rather overwhelming'.  Also present was Mr H W Overmeer, Head Postmaster for Plymouth.  Telephonist, Miss Maria Hollett, presented Mrs Stanbury with a bouquet of flowers.  Her husband was presented with a cheque from the staff and a projection screen from the general managers in the South West Region.

Mr Harry Clifford Owen Stanbury died at his home, "Breezy Heights", Court Road, Newton Ferrers, Devon, on November 24th 1989 and was cremated at Efford Crematorium on November 30th 1989.

Mrs Brenda Doreen Stanbury died in the Teignbridge Registration District of Devon on February 22nd 2001.