The year 2015 sees Nick Rafferty, second generation of the Rafferty family of steeplejacks, achieve 40 years service with the company.
At the young age of 16, Nick started work for the Company on 1 April 1975 as an apprentice steeplejack which, coincidently, just so happened to be April fools day! On his first day on the job he was tasked with laddering a 250ft brick chimney on Holditch Colliery in Stoke-on-Trent… At this point he began to wonder whether the date was really just an unfortunate coincidence!
Before the days of Health & Safety where ‘free climbing’ i.e. climbing without fall arrest equipment was the norm, Nick’s on-site training consisted of a word of advice from his father, Sam Rafferty, who pulled him to one side and said “Nicky… always keep a hand for yourself!” That was it, that was his training for the day. Thankfully, Nick never forgot those wise words of advice and worked as steeplejack for 6 years learning the trade up until a turn in his father’s health meant that he was brought in to the office to carry out more of a managerial role.
When Nick began his management career in the early 80’s the company was trying to grow and establish itself on a National basis. Before the days of internet marketing this was no easy task and could only be done one way… by knocking on doors. Nick travelled the length and breadth of the country in search of new customers and business and his efforts paid off. His natural determination, enthusiasm and entrepreneurship culminated in Rafferty’s establishing itself as one of, if not, the most well known steeplejack company in the UK.
After firmly establishing the company as a major player in the UK market, Nick then set his sights oversees. From the early 90’s through to the present day Rafferty’s have completed contracts all over the World in Europe, Africa, Asia and South America.
Throughout his career Nick has taken the company to unprecedented heights… please excuse the pun! Now with four grandchildren giving him the run around he is enjoying semi retirement and now only comes in to work when he needs a rest! That being said Nick was, and still is, the most treasured and valuable asset of the business and we would like to take this opportunity to thank him for his decades of hard work which will always be appreciated.
