Retirement

Man who has married thousands of
couples is retiring tomorrow

A man who has married thousands of people retires tomorrow (Friday). He is the Registrar for the Aylesbury Registration District, Mr. Reginald White, of Tring Road, Aylesbury. Since 1954 Mr. White has been keeping careful record of all in the Aylesbury area who give birth, die or marry.
It was in 1930 that Wendover born Mr. White first came to work in Aylesbury. Previously for 10 years he had been Clark to the Guardians Officer at Buckingham.
In Aylesbury he worked as deputy county public assistance officer until being made Deputy Superintendent Registrar in 1949. After five years as deputy, Mr. White was made Superintendent Registrar.
During this period he also became secretary of the Bucks Old People's Welfare Committee,
At the age of 65 in 1965 he retired from these positions. But the very next day he was re-engaged as Superintendent Registrar on a part-time basis for the district which includes the Borough of Aylesbury and Aylesbury and Wing Rural Districts.

GROUND AND AIR
During the first world war Mr. White enlisted as an infantryman, but was soon transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. As an observer he served with the 48 Squadron. During his service on the Continent he was awarded the Belgian Medaile Militaire and the Croix de Guerre and palm.
After the first world war had ended Mr. White continued serving in the R.A.F. As an observer in the third Afghan war.
After his service career ended in 1919, Mr. White went to work at Buckingham where he was concerned with the administration of the Poor Law. In 1926 he joined the Special Constabulary, later becoming Chief Inspector for the Aylesbury Division during the second world war. Altogether he served for 25 years.

WORK FOR M.I.5
In the first two years of the war, in addition to his normal work and his commitments in the Special Constabulary, Mr. White took on another activity – this time for M.I.5
With his own wireless equipment converted he acted as a voluntary wireless interceptor engaged in trying to locate transmissions of any enemy agents who might be in the area.
“It's a varied and interesting life I've had,” says Mr. White who is married and has a son and daughter.
For 14 years from 1932 he was secretary to the Aylesbury branch of the British Legion, during which time the membership rose to over 1,000.
while living at Steeple Claydon in the late 1920's he formed a troop of Scouts, and a highlight of that time was when he played in band before Queen Mary when she visited Stowe School near Buckingham.
Now that he will have more free time Mr. White hopes to be able to devote more attention to his garden and to his other activities which include serving as a sidesman at Holy Trinity Church, Walton, and acting as secretary of the Parochial Church Council and secretary of the Churchman's Guild.
Mr. White's committee work will continue as a member of Bucks Old People's Welfare Committee and a member of Aylesbury Old People's Welfare Committee.