A York woman who worked for The Press for more than six decades has died at the age of 96.

Bertha Hardcastle was a 14-year-old school-leaver when she was recruited in 1927 by the then Yorkshire Evening Press. For the rest of her life she kept, in pristine condition, the letter telling her that she could start work as a junior assistant at a wage of ten shillings a week.

Bertha began her career on the switchboard but, during her varied working life, she worked in almost every department in the newspaper, holding positions including company typist and secretary to the circulation manager.

She retired in 1972 after 20 years as the company’s librarian. Within three weeks she was invited back to work two days a week as a relief switchboard operator in tiny third-floor offices overlooking the tourists in Coney Street, the newspaper’s then base.

On Saturdays, Bertha would work until 5.30pm until all the results had been received for the paper’s sports edition. She would get a lift home in a newspaper van, because the last run of the day would go along Lawrence Street, a convenient drop for her. Often she could be found sitting on piles of newspapers, if the van was full.

When she notched up a remarkable 60 years at the paper, she took the opportunity to look back on her working life.

“Everything has changed so much since I started,” she told the paper. “I remember the Gazette & Herald (The Press’s Ryedale weekly sister publication) used to be a daily in those days.”

Bertha retired for the second and final time at the age of 76, after 62 years in the same workplace. Friends and colleagues raised one of the biggest collections ever taken at the company, buying her a gold watch, a bouquet and a suitcase – she enjoyed travel.

“I shall miss it,” she told a reporter on her last day at work. “I have worked with such nice people. I have enjoyed working here.”

Soon after her retirement, Bertha was a VIP guest for the opening of the newspaper’s £10 million new offices in Walmgate, York.

Bertha was born in Lansdowne Terrace, York, and lived there for 91 of her 96 years. In 2004 she moved to Willow House, in Walmgate, near to the Press’s new offices. She died on February 17.

She never married, but made firm friends with colleagues at The Press, including Pat Dennis, who joined the paper’s switchboard in 1979 and who will be among the mourners at Bertha’s funeral at York Crematorium tomorrow at noon.

“I shall miss Bertha terribly. I have been a visitor to her every week since she has been in a home and she will be sadly missed by all her friends and colleagues,” said Pat.

“I will always remember her for being so smartly dressed. She was a lady to the end. Right up to the end, she was always putting her powder and lipstick on.”

Steve Hughes, managing editor of The Press, said: “I never knew Bertha personally, but her years of dedicated service are impressive.

“She will be missed by many of her former colleagues.”