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When Malcolm Wright left university more than 50 years ago, he was frustrated that he could not find a decent second-hand bookshop in Medway.
So he solved the problem by opening one of his own.
At the age of 70 and 44 years later, Malcolm is retiring to spend more time with wife, Sue, and concentrate on writing history articles.
He has run several shops across the Towns, mostly in Rochester, and he is calling it a day at his current business, Roadmaster Books in the High Street.
Books have played an important part in Malcolm’s life since childhood. He shares his mutual love of reading with Sue, who he has been married to for more than 30 years.
He took on art student Godfrey George, who went on to run Baggins Book Bazaar a few doors away, which is hailed as “the second biggest book shop in England”.
In the run-up to Roadmaster Books’ closure at the end of April all items, including books, CDs, cassettes and vinyl, are being sold at 50p each.
The former Rainham Mark Grammar Pupil and Oxford University student specialises in writing nostalgia and history pieces for magazines and other publications.
He said: “I have seen many changes in Rochester over the years, but there is still a demand for second hand books and I think I’m the only one in the area selling CDs. But these days you need to run a business with the internet.
“I shall miss meeting and talking to people and it’s a nice feeling when somebody comes in asking from something they have been trying to find for some time and you find it for them.”
The couple, who have two daughters and five grandchildren, live in Walderslade where he writes in his office.
In their spare time they enjoy reading detective novels.
For 10 years he was head of geography at Hayesbrook Schoool, Tonbridge and was also secretary of the Kent Geography Teachers’ Association.
Roadmaster Books, which he opened in May 2012, is named after a Dinky toy bus which Malcolm used to collect in his younger days. The shop specialises in history and transport books and is usually open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The premises is owned by the French Hospital, La Providence, and will now be used as steward’s accommodation.
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