Johnstons of Elgin maintenance manager Mike Mathieson has sailed off into the sunset after nearly half a century at the Moray cashmere firm to see more of his native Scotland, but also to pursue a lifelong desire to study academia.
Elgin-born Mr Mathieson left school shortly before 16 and one week after that milestone birthday, walked through the doors of the town’s famous mill in January 1976 – and never looked back moving up the gears from apprentice to maintenance manager.
There must be something about the company that draws the Mathiesons in.
Mike’s daughters, Carrie and Asia, have been employed by the company for the past 18 and eight years respectively, while partner Nicola Wood has been at the mill for 28 years and is currently a darner.
Eldest daughter Carrie is a shift dyer at the Elgin mill, while Asia, 26, works as a human resources advisor, but the lineage also extends to Mike’s mother, who worked at the company in the 1960s.
Mr Mathieson (64) said: “People have asked me my plans – I’ve got a lot of things to do. It can be the usual stuff; golf, walking, cycling, but you can only do that for a certain amount of time.
‘Back then you had to get money into the household’
“I am feeling fit and want to enjoy life before old age creeps in.
“I would like to see more of Scotland – there a lot of nice places on my doorstep. The other thing I was planning is looking at doing the Open University in history and politics.
“Because I left school at 16, I didn’t have any further education because back then you had to earn, get money into the household.
“So there wasn’t the opportunity. I looked at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen, but I think it will be the Open University.”
Clearly the flexibility of the Open University appeals to Mike, with its option of three or six-year courses allowing him to pursue a well-earned period of leisure after so long at the mill.
Football is Mike’s other great passion with the blue half of Glasgow being his tribe.
In fact, the Press and Journal caught up with him driving to Dingwall to watch his beloved Gers in action against Ross County in the company of his Johnstons of Elgin replacement as maintenance manager, Willie Stewart.
“I have been a Rangers fan since I can remember, since I was five years old,” added Mike.
After such a huge amount of time at the same company however, Mike will still cast a fond eye down the road at what the company is up to and has promised to be available should the need arise.
He said: “I have been in the main departments, yarn, manufacturing and maintenance, I am just up the road, I am there at the end of a phone call if they need any assistance or advice. (After all) I have got a vested interest – my two daughters and partner are still working there.”
Johnstons is a massive employer in Elgin, with more than 700 staff on its payroll and has a Modern Apprenticeship programme helping to drive skill development and retention of staff.
“Johnsons of Elgin is a great employer for the whole of Moray, the biggest employer,” notes Mike.
So what will Mike miss about the old place he has called his working home for 47 years?
“I think routine is the major thing,” said Mike, adding: “It is about who you are, getting into the entire routine.
“You will miss the companionship, the craic and that. But there has to be a time when you cut loose.
“You think to yourself: ‘Get out when I can still enjoy life. Retirement, there has to be a time.”
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