BACK in 1962, an 80 years-old Worcester man took the trouble to write a thumbnail sketch of his life story, but somehow it was discarded after his death and only re-discovered in recent times.

The six pages of handwritten notes were found by 87 years-old Victor Day of Blanquettes Avenue, Worcester, after contractors had carried out some work on his home.

"I simply don't know how this person's life story came to be in my house though it's very possible that my late wife, Maglona acquired it at some time. She was very interested in people and liked browsing around second-hand shops. It might have been among items she bought. My wife died six years ago and had been a nurse," explains Mr Day.

He contacted me because he's naturally keen to discover if anyone related to the author of the handwritten autobiography is still alive, or if there is anyone who can shed more light on the man. He signed himself FJ Edwards and headed his notes: My Life.

"He must certainly have been quite a character," suggests Mr Day. Here is FJ Edwards' life story, slightly edited by me:

"I was born in Swansea in 1882, but left there with my parents when I was six months old. We came up the Bristol Channel to Gloucester and then aboard the passenger boat Perseverance to Worcester. Alas, my father died when I was just four, and my mother then had to work to bring up the five of us.

"I began at Hounds Lane School in 1887, when I was five and remained there until I was 12. However, at the age of eight, I started helping to make Fownes gloves by hand as an out-worker, sowing with a square needle and working some nights until 12 o'clock. From the ages of nine to 12, I also used to help a man chop firework into bundles and go around the town with him selling them from his pony and dray.

"At 12, I passed the Labour Examination at school and went to work at the Royal Porcelain Works for 2/6d a week, though I later found I could earn 6d a week more by transferring to the printing firm of Baylis & Lewis. Next, I got a job soldering at Williamson's Tinworks and went on to make patent cigarette tins at 9d a gross piece rate.

"However, at 17-and-a-half I left and joined the Great Western Railway, working in the cleaning shed at Shrub Hill, where I spent six months cleaning locomotives until I was sent to Swindon to train as a firemen on the footplate. I later worked on passenger trains in the Welsh valleys but, after four years, returned to Worcester to work on trains to London, Bristol and Crewe.

"However, after eight years on the footplate, I decided to return to Williamsons at the Providence Works, taking up soldering piece work again.

"In 1914, I was planning to make a dramatic change to my life by selling up and emigrating to Canada but the First World War broke out to scupper my plans. Instead, I took up war work at the Blackpole ammunitions factory, maintaining its steam plant for six years. After the war, the factory was sold to Cadburys, the chocolate people, and I was one of the first people to be taken on by them, converting the steam plant to their needs and maintaining it for a further 10 years.

"Then I had the misfortune to fracture my spine and was in hospital for eight months and had to recouperate for two years. Cadburys didn't want me any more, and the doctor said I would never work again.

"However, I gradually began doing my own brickwork and concrete jobs round my garden and also re-decorated all the rooms of my house, becoming such a good handyman that people started asking me to carry out paid work in their homes and gardens.

"That was in 1932, and for the next 30 years I was never out of work, even though I never advertised. I did bricklaying, carpentry, paper-hanging, painting, hot water fitting, plumbing and all the jobs that go with those tasks. However, I then lost my wife, and retired a year later at the age of 79. I am now 80 and it's 1962."

Victor Day, who passed this remarkable life story on to me, was an air gunner with the RAF, mainly aboard Blenheims, for six years during the Second World War and later became the National Coal Board's district sales manager for Worcestershire, Herefordshire and South Shropshire until his retirement. He has now lived in Worcester for more than 45 years.

He is fascinated to know if there are any relatives or descendants of F.J. Edwards still alive.

Anyone with information can contact me at the Evening News.