It was a career which took Joe Hazard from the streets of London’s East End to the corridors of power at Westminster.

For more than 40 years he worked for the Government Car Service, driving political figureheads such as Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson.

But his role as a chauffeur was more than just a job.

It led to a lasting friendship with former Labour prime minister James Callaghan, as well as being awarded the British Empire Medal and being made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his loyal service.

The medals are just a small part of the memorabilia which tells the amazing story of how Mr Hazard went from growing up in Stepney to enjoying worldwide trips, including a flight on Concorde to an international economic summit meeting in Puerto Rico.

The collection also includes newspaper cuttings of Mr Hazard beside the prime minister outside 10 Downing Street as well as photographs of the car enthusiast cleaning the official ministerial vehicle at the time, a Ford Granada Minster.

Sadly, Mr Hazard, who lived in The Oaks, Swanley, died from cancer earlier this month at the age of 90.

But his own pride and joy, a red Rover P6 which he owned for 32 years, will take centre stage in the funeral cortege to Eltham Crematorium on Friday, May 8, appropriately the day after the general election.

His son, Mark Hazard, said of his dad’s almost rags-to-riches lifestyle: “Here was dad driving for prime ministers and his half-brother was a scrap metal dealer.

“It was always the story that dad was the posh boy in the family by being the chauffeur while his brother dealt in scrap.”

Mr Hazard was born on January 30, 1925, and was one of three boys. Sadly, both his brothers were killed in a fire at one of the second-hand shops run by their mum.

He left school at 15 and joined the Royal Navy at 17. He served in Burma and the Far East during the Second World War and was awarded seven service medals, including the Burma Star.

On leaving the Navy, Mr Hazard, who already held a passion for cars, joined the Government Car Service in September 1946.

He also met and married his wife, Elsie, a telephonist, and they lived together in Kidbrooke before moving to Lee Green and having Mark.

Mr Hazard was first employed as a government despatch rider before becoming a chauffeur, driving Humbas, Wolseleys, Rover P5s and then Granada Minsters.

His passengers included Labour prime ministers Clement Attlee and Harold Wilson, as well as Wilson’s foreign secretary, Michael Stewart.

But it was driving for Callaghan which led to a loyal and lasting friendship.

“It was more than just a job; they were friends as well,” said Mark, 50, of College Road, Hextable.

“Dad drove Callaghan when he was foreign secretary, prime minister, leader of the Labour Party and then Lord Callaghan.

“Dad once had the chance to drive for Margaret Thatcher but Lord Callaghan said jokingly: ‘No way. You are staying with me’, and he did for a total of 13-and-a-half years.”

His job as Lord Callaghan’s chauffeur meant not only driving him round the country but also accompanying him on foreign trips, including the one on Concorde in 1976.

“He went, not to drive him abroad, but as a baggage boy, to help out,” said Mark, whose collection includes two original leather Concorde passport holders given to his dad on that flight.

Other perks included taking Mark to school in ministerial cars, although the Granada Minster used by Callaghan was deliberately ordinary-looking and two-tone so as to be inconspicuous at the time, as well as weekend trips to the Callaghan family farm in Sussex.

Mr Hazard’s job paid £400 to £500 a week, a large sum for that time, and he was also entrusted with the important task of taking Lady Callaghan shopping.

Mark, who is a site manager at Oasis Academy in Hextable, is convinced his dad’s close friendship with Lord Callaghan would have made him privy to political gossip.

But the staunch Labour voter, who even helped load Callaghan’s possessions from Number 10 into his car following a motion of no confidence and subsequent loss in the general election to Thatcher in 1979, never told.

Mr Hazard was awarded the BEM that same year in Callaghan’s Resignation Honours List. The MBE followed and was presented to him by the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

His friendship with the Labour politician continued even after his retirement at the age of 65 in 1990.

“Dad had a triple bypass at the age of 70 and Lord Callaghan went to visit him in Guy’s Hospital,” said Mark. “They were more like buddies than chauffeur and boss.”