Stan outside St James’s Palace delivering a Roberts Radio for the brand’s 75th anniversary
Stan Vandenberghe, who worked as a salesman for Roberts for more than 70 years, has passed away at the age of 94.
During his career, Stan made a huge number of friends across the industry as he clocked up an impressive tenure working in various roles for Roberts (previously called Roberts Radio).
In 2012, he received the Special Achievement Award at the ERT Awards.
Stan first joined Roberts at the age of 15 after leaving school; he worked in various departments of the company from parts, packaging and deliveries before heading out on the road as one of the sales reps covering the whole of the South of England. He remained in this role until the age of 65 when he decided to retire.
However, Stan couldn’t stay away for long and after a few months he ended up returning to the company working part-time as a telephone salesman for another 20-plus years!
One of Stan’s former colleagues at Roberts, and industry friend for over 45 years, was Gerry Kehoe; he joined the business in 1977 and part of his induction was going out to visit dealers with Stan. “That was the start of our very long association,” he said.
Stan receiving his Special Achievement Award at the ERT Awards 2012
“Everybody knew Stan; he was dedicated to his job and he absolutely loved it,” Mr Kehoe told ERT. “He made so many friends over the years and he attended all the industry exhibitions up and down the country catching up with all of his customers. And then of course he moved on to the phones because he still needed something to do and something to keep his mind sharp.”
Stan’s older brother, Harry, originally worked at Roberts and helped get Stan his first job. Mr Kehoe said the pair “were Roberts Radio through and through”. In more recent years, Stan wound down his work and eventually closed his order pad so he could look after his wife.
“They broke the mould when they made Stan,” added Mr Kehoe. “He was always very fit and healthy; he was driving in fact up until quite recently.”
Stan spent the last few years in the Potters Bar area with his family after originally coming from West Molesey, Surrey. He had a son and a daughter, and two grandchildren.
