The owner of an electrical firm which has survived three recessions says he feels very lucky to be marking 60 years in business.

Jim Wyman, 88, founded Sandwich based Wyman Electrical in 1959.

He has reflected that much has changed since he started out as an electrical apprentice at Bernard Brights in Walmer, aged 14, being paid just three pence an hour.

Now, time pressures are more intense and there are increases in paperwork.

But the one constant, he believes, is that good service pays off.

He said: “We always try to give a good service.

“If you do a quality job then people will continue to support you. We are very grateful for the support we receive from our loyal customers.”

'If you do a quality job then people will continue to support you. We are very grateful for the support we receive from our loyal customers' - Jim Wyman

After completing a six-year apprenticeship in 1951 and qualifying as an electrician and ‘wireman’ Mr Wyman took his only break from the trade to complete his two-year National Service in the RAF.

He then returned to Sandwich to marry Audrey, who he met at dancing classes when he was 14, He worked locally as an electrician on Sandwich Industrial Estate, until setting up his own business in partnership with Arthur Archer in 1959.

The partnership only lasted a year at which time Mr and Mrs Wyman became joint directors.

This continued until Audrey’s death in 2011. Additional directors, sons Anthony and Martin, were added in the late 1970s and remain involved today. Martin Wyman manages the day to day operations.

The changes in the High Street have meant Wyman’s no longer has a retail shop, having had his original premises in Sandwich High Street, then in St Peter’s Street and finally at 10 Market Street, which still houses the company offices and stores.

Mr Wyman worried that closing the retail side would affect the contracting, which has always been the main focus of the business.

He said: “We had to make this decision because of competitors like the supermarkets and Amazon, but we carried on with electrical contracting which continues to do well.”

It’s thanks to the hard work of four electricians James Goring, Luke Norris, Ollie Miles, Lennie Price supported by two office staff Kerry Brown and Paula Turner.

They operate throughout the district and have previously completed jobs at William Harvey Hospital, Kingsdown Water bottling plant and the Grand Shaft Staircase in Dover.

A particular highlight has been installing a tunnel of lights for a wrap party for Sky’s The Tunnel on Deal Pier in 2017.

Mr Wyman said: “We’ve always just taken one day at a time. We’ve worked through three recessions. There were days when it got a bit shaky but we moved on.

“We consider ourselves very lucky.”

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