Jannie Joe keeps it in the family!

Nov 9 2009 by Kenneth Speirs, Paisley Daily Express

A HARDWORKING jannie is finally hanging up his mop and bucket...at the grand old age of 85.

But dad-of-ten Joe Adam is making sure the job stays in the family – for one of his sons is being brought in as his replacement.

Joe has become a familiar and popular character at Paisley Sheriff Court during his 18-year stint as janitor there.

He was in his 60s and working for the council’s sewerage department when he retired for the first time but was soon itching to get back to work and was delighted to be offered the job at the landmark building, in St James’s Street.

But, now that he has retired for a second time, active octogenarian Joe insists he has no plans to head back to the JobCentre.

He told the Paisley Daily Express: “I don’t think I’ll look for another job. I’m going to my son’s house in Spain soon. I find the winters here hard going these days.”

Joe, who was born in the Westmarch area of Paisley and now lives in Hunterhill, began his working career more than 70 years ago at the tender age of 14.

His first job was with a cold storage firm in Renfrew Road, Paisley.

Joe said: “I worked there for about three years and then, at the age of 17-and-a-half, I joined the army with the Royal Pioneer Corps and stayed in for about three years.”

After being demobbed, Joe took up a job at the famous landmark gas works in Well Street, where he did a 12-year-stint.

Other work followed and then it was on to the sewage works for the then Paisley town council.

Joe said: “I worked there for 12 years and then I retired but I still wanted to keep busy, so I got a job as a janitor at Paisley Sheriff Court and I’ve been doing that for 18 years.

“Everyone at the court – the staff, lawyers, sheriffs – has been so nice to me.

“I even had to look after the cells at first and I used to meet some of the prisoners there. I took them as I found them.”

Joe knows he is leaving the court in good order – because he is handing over his mop and bucket to his son Duncan, who is a mere 61 years old.

Asked if his dad has offered any advice on how to perform the janitor’s role at the court building, Duncan replied: “Aye, plenty.”