A HAIRDRESSING supremo who lives in Neston was made an OBE in the New Year Honours list.
Peter Gerald Collinge, the 84-year-old chairman of Andrew Collinge Hairdressers, was made an OBE for services to hairdressing.
Mr Collinge, of Parkgate House Court, The Parade, celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary to wife Hazel in 2010.
The honour marks an illustrious 42-year career that started in 1942 when he was just 14.
Mr Collinge followed the path first tread by his father, Wilfred, in a Southport barbers in 1910.
“Dad sent me to a wig shop on Richmond Street in Liverpool in 1942. He sent me to do it with a friend of his as an apprentice at 14, mostly repairing wigs.”
He then became a ladies’ hairdresser on board the Mauritania, a troop carrier taking servicemen and women around the world, and carried on working on the ship when it became a cruise liner.
“Passenger work was boring,” he recalls. “Everybody had their hair cut or permed for the holiday.”
In 1948, he returned to Liverpool where he became one of Europe’s best known and most successful competition hairdressers, winning numerous awards and prizes for his work.
In 1952, he opened his own barbers on Church Street in Liverpool before moving to St John’s Precinct when it opened in 1970.
About 20 years ago, the name of the barbers was changed to that of son Andrew Collinge.
Mr Collinge said: “Anything in the fashion business can be around too long.”
He was president of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing, whose members have included the legendary Vidal Sassoon, and has been a member for 62 years.
His passion is for training apprentices and watching them progress.
He proudly states: “I must have trained thousands of youngsters in my time.”
While he no longer cuts hair in the salons, Mr Collinge still pops in to see the staff and collect the charity boxes he insists on having in each.
“It’s marvellous to get the award, and it’d be lovely to go to the palace. It’s nice for the hairdressing trade as well.
“We’ve got about 150 staff and they’ll be very pleased and so proud.
“My wife is very pleased. Hazel has always been great behind me and the business.”
