If you are looking for an example of an individual with a good work ethic, look no further than Osdel “Lumbley” Carl Darrell Burgess, 87.

For the last 70 years Carl “Lumbley” Burgess has been showing up for work on time at Belmont Hills Golf Resort and Spa. In the last three decades he has only had two days off sick. They retired him, not once, but twice, and he still comes to work.

When Newstead Belmont Hills Golf Resort & Spa went into receivership in 2011 the resort could no longer officially keep Mr Burgess on staff. Other staff members at Belmont including Mr Burgess’ much younger supervisor Joe Benevides, Belmont Hills Golf Course Superintendent, got together to help Mr Burgess, financially. Their help included signing him up for social assistance. So technically, he is now a volunteer at Belmont.

“When he went to fill out the paperwork, the lady at Social Assistance said ‘how much do you spend on medicine each week, Mr Burgess’,” said Mr Benevides. “He said ‘nothing’.”

Mr Benevides said in the 33 years he has worked with Mr Burgess, Mr Burgess had only called in sick on two occasions. He works part time now, making 7am on Saturdays, and 9.30am on other days and knocking off after lunch.

“I started here when I was about 14 or 15 years old,” said Mr Burgess. He helps out on the golf course, picking up trash or transporting water or ice. He likes to play a little golf himself, on occasion.

He grew up at the foot of Knapton Hill in Smith Parish.

“I can remember eating mussels from Harrington Sound,” he said. He has now been living in Warwick now for many, (many) years.

“I was retired in 1995,” said Mr Burgess, “then I was retired again.”

“He kept coming back,” said Mr Benevides with a smile.

“There was nothing to do at home,” said Mr Burgess, “I don’t like knocking around the streets.”

Mr Burgess thinks young people today have it pretty easy. When he first started things like lawnmowers were a lot more cumbersome and took more effort to work.

“It wasn’t really work,” he said. “You get used to things.”

The lake on the 13th hole has been named ‘Lumbley’s Lake’ in his honour. When asked what he likes most about Belmont Hill, he said: “I have a nice boss up here” meaning Mr Benevides. Mr Benevides recently took Mr Burgess on a trip to the Azores.

“A lot of people say you can’t do this and you can’t do that. I don’t really listen to that,” said Mr Burgess.

When asked how he stays so healthy and young, he says with a wink: “a bit of Coxspur Rum, now and then”. Of course, he never drinks on the job.

“I remember when we had Hurricane Emily,” said Mr Benevides, “we were trying to shore up the place, and along he came on his bike, same time as usual. There was no staying home for him.”