(Scotland) HOWARD
Renwick started wearing his cosy red socks when he was just 12. Now
55 years on he's still using them for hillwalking and
metal-detecting expeditions.
THEY’VE been keeping his toes cosy since he was 12. And Howard
Renwick’s favourite socks are still going strong – 55 years
later.
The sturdy red sports socks have seen service on the school hockey
pitch, hillwalking trips and metal-detecting expeditions. And
Howard, 67, fills them with presents for his grown-up kids every
Christmas.
Even after more than half a century, the woollen socks still leak
red dye in the wash.
And they’ve never even been near a darning needle since Howard’s
mum bought them from Cairds Haberdashers back in the 50s.
Howard, of Dundee, said: “They’re very much part of the family.
“I don’t think they’ve ever been repaired. I have no idea how or
why they’ve lasted so long.
“They’ve ruined quite a few sets of underwear, white shirts and
T-shirts over the years and they’re not allowed near the washing
machine any more.
“I wash them carefully by hand, which is maybe another reason
they’ve lasted so long.”
Howard also reckons the fact he’s spent much of his life in lifts,
rather than slogging up and down stairs, has helped his socks stay
young.
He retired recently as boss of the Caltech lift company in
Dundee.
Howard decided to tell the world about his socks after English big
cat hunter Frank Tunbridge claimed he had Britain’s oldest working
pair.
But Frank’s socks are a couple of young whippersnappers, at a mere
25 years old.
Howard said: “I saw an article about Mr Tunbridge’s socks and
thought, ‘I can easily beat that.’”