A long-serving member of Tavistock Town Council workforce has revealed the secrets of the photograph published in last week’s Tavistock Times.

Ian Lashbrook, who retires in two weeks’ time, is pictured in the rooftop black and white photograph of the council works team reroofing the former Liberal Club (now the FatFace shop).

The woodworker remembers the project, which was in 1982 or 1983, and is pictured standing in the middle distance facing to the left.

The photograph, by well-known local press photographer Jim Thorington, was taken to capture the visit of a former town councillor Kevin Wiggins (second from the left) to inspect the progress of the works.

Far left is worker Dave Rosser and third from the left is works manager Dennis Fleet who is showing Kevin explaining what is happening. Standing next to Ian with a spade is colleague Henry Levell.

Ian said: “It’s an interesting photograph because it gives an unusual vantage point high up overlooking West Street and Duke Street when they were two-way, before they both became one-way. You can also see the cars typical of the time.”

The roof is shown with its new wooden frame and rolls of felt standing by.

Ian added: “I learned roofing on the job. The works manager was a structural engineer, which was an advantage. It was great to be so high up and see the world go by below you as you worked.”

The view also shows the former Beckerleg electrical equipment and TV and radio store on Market Street.

Ann Keelan, of Tavistock, responded to our appeal in the paper for information.

“The stately-looking building is at the junction of West Street and Market Street, now Newell’s Travel, and is seen here from the west,” she wrote. “You can see 13-15 Duke Street in the background on the right-hand side, as well as the merest glimpse of a tree in the foreground, which is in the churchyard of St Eustachius.”