From Naval Ship Diver to Ace with a Screwdriver: Meet Mark Pugh, veteran submariner and Holdsworth House handyman.
There’s an exciting life story lurking beneath the tool-laden vest of Mark Pugh, handyman of Holdsworth House Hotel. Monday to Friday, Mark can be found fixing and repairing, straightening and DIY-ing so that Holdsworth House remains shipshape. But Mark’s past career was spent vastly out of sight, amid the deep seas aboard Royal Navy submarines.
Whilst his past career is super exciting (he’s quite possibly one of the coolest people we know), it shows that hospitality is a fantastic industry that welcomes a wide variety of skills and experience at every stage of life. Read Mark’s amazing story to discover why we’re honoured to have him work at Holdsworth House.
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Mark’s Story:
“By the age of 7, I knew I wanted to join the Royal Navy after watching a fast patrol boat enter Whitby harbour.
“In 1977, I joined the Huddersfield Sea Cadets to gain experience before joining the Royal Navy in 1982, aged 17. After training as a Marine Electrical Engineer, I served on Type 22 frigate HMS Brazen for 19 months and HMS Brilliant for 30 months, and completed my Leading Rate course [the senior of the two most junior ranks in the Royal Navy]. I later transferred to the Submarine Service, serving on HMS Repulse [now decommissioned] for over five years as part of the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent, patrolling our waters ready to respond to extreme threats.
“My time on HMS Repulse was cut short after a road accident injured my leg, ending my Naval Ships Diver career. However, after two years of recovery I returned to operational service at sea, serving on nuclear-powered fleet submarine HMS Spartan for over six years, eventually becoming Chief Petty Officer and Electrical Wrecker.
“During my time in the Navy, I was heavily involved in fundraising and charity work, particularly with the Apple Tree Nursery in Rothesay near where we were based on the Isle of Bute. Here, I led projects to build a sensory garden and groundworks and have since been honoured at civic events in both London and Rothesay.
“I finished my Navy career in 2005 at RNAD Coulport where I was Deck Supervisor at the Explosives Handling Jetty. I continued to volunteer with the Sea Cadets, eventually becoming Chairman of the Board of Trustees. Today, I’m President of the West Riding Branch of the Submariners Association; we recently celebrated our 40th anniversary and presented the Lord Mayor of Bradford with the HMS Ceres shield and the Submariners’ Association plaque to celebrate our links with Bradford.
“Since the Navy, I’ve put my engineering skills to good use in civilian jobs but left work in 2019 to care for my mother following my sister’s stroke, and for my grandson Ben who was born very prematurely and is non communicative and unable to walk. When my mother required full-time care and my grandson entered a specialist nursery, I returned to work as a handyman, joining Holdsworth House in 2022.
“In my time here so far, I have fallen in love with the place. The team here from the top to the bottom are a fantastic crew. They have supported me in my continued charity fundraising and Royal Navy Veterans support. I find the challenges of the job satisfy my need to keep busy and learn new skills.”
[Feature image courtesy of Mark Pugh and the West Riding Branch of the Submariners Association]
