DAVID JAGO was a third generation Co-op man: his mother, father, grandfather and uncle all worked for the Plymouth Co-operative Society, in Callington.

'Granf'er' Jago was a roundsman, as was uncle Alf (his father's sister's husband).

David says: "We lived close to the Co-op yard at Callington and my brother and I would spend hours and hours there.

"I went on the rounds with granf'er and uncle Alf and got to know all of them, I could do them myself if I had to. Sometimes I'd help out in the bakehouse. I've still got the scar on my finger from where I burnt it on a baking tin.

"My first job was as an apprentice with Biscombe's the ironmongers, but part way through that I got called up for National Service and after a couple of enjoyable years in the RAF, I came home. Then I wasn't so keen on the idea of remaining on apprentice terms until I was 25. So when my mother said one day that the Co-op were looking for someone, I was only too pleased to leave.

"Unfortunately, however, as I was last in, I was soon to be moved on, on the 'last-in, first-out' principle when they were looking for men to go to the Co-op warehouse on North Quay in Plymouth.

"So it was that I started the long haul into Plymouth and back everyday, using a combination of buses and trains. Even though they agreed to pay my travel expenses – eventually – I was happy to take a job with the Co-operative Wholesale Society, especially as it was nearer home."

From there David got a job with Glover and Uglow, under the English China Clay umbrella, at Kelly Bray: "That was a brilliant job with better pay, better conditions.

"I spent 10 happy years with them. Eventually, though, I had to move on and after 10 months with William T Eden, I was lucky enough to get back into the ECC fold and I worked as a driver with them until I retired at 60."

A driver throughout his working career, David developed a fascination for vehicle registration details – and chassis numbers – from a very early age.

Not only can he remember the details of all the vehicles he ever drove (in work and out of it), but he has also lovingly compiled long lists of information on almost every vehicle the Co-op ever used up until the late-sixties, early-seventies: the registration number, when the vehicle was acquired by the Co-op, when it left the service and what make and model it was. It's a truly fascinating record, but one that although quite comprehensive, was largely lacking in the photographic department. That's where the Co-operative photo collection (held by the South West Image Bank) proved a true treasure trove for David as he recalled vehicles, drivers, liveries and anecdotes associated with so many of them.

"I didn't think anyone else would ever be interested in all this," he said, wide-eyed at the number of vehicular photos held at SWIB, and merrily matching up his data base with the photos of old Leylands, Austins, Morris, Bedfords and so on. Happy days!

The photos here are all from David's own modest collection.