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jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
I believe I have written about my experiences learning shorthand and typing at Underwood's Secretarial College on Albert Street across and down a bit from The Beehive. They taught Pitman's shorthand and I went to night school at age 14 since I had persuaded my Mom to let me leave Pitman's College and attend Fentham Road School. That was ok as long as I went to learn shorthand and typing in the evenings. I did really well with the shorthand and it served me very well on my travels jobwise. The typing took longer as Jayell said in her typing lessons the keys were covered over. That was my downfall as there really wasn't a teacher in the room per se and everyone in the class was at a different level. I am a fast typist but not truly a touch typist because of this. Mom had to borrow a typewriter from her office, Sun Cycles, in order for me to practice. It all worked out in the end. I went to a Saturday morning class in a large house off Gravelly Hill and that's where I met the wonderful Olympia66 typewriter. We learned how to clean the machine and most of those machines came with their own cleaning kits. My typing really speeded up after these lessons. I used one of those at John Wilson's (Wholesale Grocers) on New John Street.
I have used many different typewriters over the years. Royal, Remington,German models, Selectric, etc. This was my first one at New Street Station. It was a fast machine I remember. https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/underwood5.jpg My last one was a Smith Corona with a daisy wheel which I bought to use at home and which I gave away when I
bought my first computer in 1995.
I have used many different typewriters over the years. Royal, Remington,German models, Selectric, etc. This was my first one at New Street Station. It was a fast machine I remember. https://site.xavier.edu/polt/typewriters/underwood5.jpg My last one was a Smith Corona with a daisy wheel which I bought to use at home and which I gave away when I
bought my first computer in 1995.
Talking about ladies in the 60's Lyn, I had a telephone call from Fleet Street telling me that Mandy-Rice Davies and Christine Keeler were about to arrive at New Street station, so I shouted the news over my shoulder. You've never seen an office empty so quickly. Within a few seconds I was the only one left in the building....
Hi Miriam,
I bet the ribbon on the Imperial 66 has pretty well dried up by now.
Don't be tempted to throw the old ribbon away and then try and buy a new one. They are on special spools which you can't get any more. All is not lost though, as you can still buy a Group 1 ribbon which fits Olympias
and many other typewriters, and transfer it onto the Imperial spools. A bit
messy though, and if you ever have to do this make sure you note which spool is which, as they are left and right handed (and usually marked L and R.)
Good luck,
Kind regards Dave
M
mike-g
Guest
Yes, we had them in Police stations. When on office duty on nights I had to send the daily crime stats.of to H.Q. never did learn to type, used to make a mess of the tapes.
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hi Maggs: I remember the telex machines...In 1960 I worked for Kosset Carpets...remember the white kitten on the carpet ads around that time.
Their carpets were sold from sample books in department stores and carpet shops around Brum. Their offices and showroom was on the first floor of Queen's College Chambers in Paradise Street.
The salesmen would bring in the orders and I had to telex them to the mill in Brighouse, Yorkshire. Imagine if you got the measurements wrong when transmitting them on the telex machine. No one checked my telexing and I had to check the orders many times to make sure the sizes and type of carpet was correct. It was very nerve wracking at times. I also remember that the time on the Telex was the 24 hour clock. I still use the
24 hour clock at times remembering how I memorized the time from the Telex.
Their carpets were sold from sample books in department stores and carpet shops around Brum. Their offices and showroom was on the first floor of Queen's College Chambers in Paradise Street.
The salesmen would bring in the orders and I had to telex them to the mill in Brighouse, Yorkshire. Imagine if you got the measurements wrong when transmitting them on the telex machine. No one checked my telexing and I had to check the orders many times to make sure the sizes and type of carpet was correct. It was very nerve wracking at times. I also remember that the time on the Telex was the 24 hour clock. I still use the
24 hour clock at times remembering how I memorized the time from the Telex.
Jayell
master brummie
Word processors/computers have been a godsend. I have spent hours correcting/editing documents when now it would have taken me just a few minutes!
And as you say Maggs, correcting those carbon copies with little bits of paper stuck in between was a nightmare, and always looked a mess.
Judy
And as you say Maggs, correcting those carbon copies with little bits of paper stuck in between was a nightmare, and always looked a mess.
Judy
jennyann
Gone but not forgotten. R.I.P.
Hi Maggs: Yes,Kosset Carpets is still in business but not in the same way. Their mill is in Yorkshire as well as their offices. I remember they had a Head Office in Mayfair. I'm not sure if they had any other provincial offices like the one in Brum in the l960's. I think the only reason I applied for the job was because of the cats. You could get a display fluffy cat but I never did. Kosset Carpets was "floated" by five large British carpet companies back in l954 when people in Britain started to spend money on their homes after a dry spell through the war and for a several years afterwards. Broadloom, as it was called was extremely popular over area rugs, which now have made a return due to the popularity of wood floors.
Kosset had several grades and colours and were fine if you paid more, not much as changed in that respect these days I think.
Their advertising in the cinemas was always linked with promotions in the shops that carried their sample books. Guess who had to type out
all the letters advising of the advertising at the cinemas. They had to be first copies! No Guestetner or Banda in that office. Once again I had to check carefully to make sure I had the right store and the right cinema in each
letter! Must have been over 40 letters counting area just outside Brum. Here's the lovely chinchilla kitty logo https://www.pawsonline.net/cats in advertising/kosset carpets.htm
The Advertising Manager at that time was well known for a few slogans one of them being Drinkapintamilkaday.
Kosset had several grades and colours and were fine if you paid more, not much as changed in that respect these days I think.
Their advertising in the cinemas was always linked with promotions in the shops that carried their sample books. Guess who had to type out
all the letters advising of the advertising at the cinemas. They had to be first copies! No Guestetner or Banda in that office. Once again I had to check carefully to make sure I had the right store and the right cinema in each
letter! Must have been over 40 letters counting area just outside Brum. Here's the lovely chinchilla kitty logo https://www.pawsonline.net/cats in advertising/kosset carpets.htm
The Advertising Manager at that time was well known for a few slogans one of them being Drinkapintamilkaday.
S
superdad3
Guest
Meteor Garage was taken over by Bristol St Motors about 8 yrs ago. Last yr they moved to Kings Norton & sold site. Current owner hoping to get planning approval to redevelop site with a Tescos on ground floor, medical centre above & apartments on top floor. Parking would be a nightmare!
Roy
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Hi Beamish
I went to Pitmans College, it was in Corporation Street above the shoe shop until about 1960 when it moved to Norfolk House on Smallbrook Ringway. I eventually took shorthand and typing there, but things must have advanced since your day as we had a metal shield over our hands so we could not look at our fingers! We used to type to the Shadows mostly and I became so fed up with 'Foot tapper' that I gave my copy to the teacher. I worked at St Chad's Hospital part time until I finished all my exams and then went to Frank Hawker's 'in the Jewellery Quarter. Happy days!
I went to Pitmans College, it was in Corporation Street above the shoe shop until about 1960 when it moved to Norfolk House on Smallbrook Ringway. I eventually took shorthand and typing there, but things must have advanced since your day as we had a metal shield over our hands so we could not look at our fingers! We used to type to the Shadows mostly and I became so fed up with 'Foot tapper' that I gave my copy to the teacher. I worked at St Chad's Hospital part time until I finished all my exams and then went to Frank Hawker's 'in the Jewellery Quarter. Happy days!
B
BernardR
Guest
My first wife ran a Secretarial College in Harborne - she used Tippex to obliterate the letters on the keys.
My first job was at Dennison Watch Case on the Soho Road. What I had to do as an office junior, girls of today wouldnt stand for it - fetching the account managers shopping. Not easy when you walk down villa road cobbles in your stilletos and tight skirt. Next job was Swallow Raincoats - a different world where they had a juke box and for 3d you could play some great Bobby Vee or Dion records and have a jive. Practicing ready for the The Plaza Handsworth on Friday night. Learned typing at Perry Barr Comp' and shorthand at Sign and Sound in city centre. Still use my shorthand now.
Bernard67Arnold
master brummie
All these young girls and not one photo, my late wife Enid hard at work,
EMEB Derby Bernard
EMEB Derby Bernard
Hi can I join in
I never was an office junior, having gone to university I went straight into Admin for Motor Racing at Fort Dunlop BUT my Gt aunt who was a secretary to one of the directors of GEC (dont ask me who George somebody)she taught me Pitmans Shorthand and typing as she thought it might be useful - how right she was.
My late husband had his own business selling Racehorses and also had a TV programme here in NZ. I used to do all his pedigrees and type his scripts on a Golfball machine - we used the BIG font for the scripts as he was as blind as a bat but would not wear his glasses on TV (vanity!!)
I do remember the Gestetners my Mum used to type up the local Darts Club results on a portable at home and Dad would take them to work and get them run off (I wonder if ICI knew!!) I still do shorthand and you should see the look on the faces of some of the people I work on committees with when they see my notes!! its a foreign language to them. I still have and use my Watermans shorthand ink filled pen (its nearly 50 years old now) though ink is becoming harder to get - thank heavens we live in a small town which is famous for its antiques you would be suprised what they get and I frequently get a call to say they have a full bottle of Parker Ink and I am off.
Loved reading about your experiences - I remember one of our office juniors being sent out to get a "lefthanded" cup for one of the bosses and also she was told to file something in File13 (waste paper bin) poor thing went through all the filing cabinets looking for File 13. Those men had something to answer for.......
Dyan
I never was an office junior, having gone to university I went straight into Admin for Motor Racing at Fort Dunlop BUT my Gt aunt who was a secretary to one of the directors of GEC (dont ask me who George somebody)she taught me Pitmans Shorthand and typing as she thought it might be useful - how right she was.
My late husband had his own business selling Racehorses and also had a TV programme here in NZ. I used to do all his pedigrees and type his scripts on a Golfball machine - we used the BIG font for the scripts as he was as blind as a bat but would not wear his glasses on TV (vanity!!)
I do remember the Gestetners my Mum used to type up the local Darts Club results on a portable at home and Dad would take them to work and get them run off (I wonder if ICI knew!!) I still do shorthand and you should see the look on the faces of some of the people I work on committees with when they see my notes!! its a foreign language to them. I still have and use my Watermans shorthand ink filled pen (its nearly 50 years old now) though ink is becoming harder to get - thank heavens we live in a small town which is famous for its antiques you would be suprised what they get and I frequently get a call to say they have a full bottle of Parker Ink and I am off.
Loved reading about your experiences - I remember one of our office juniors being sent out to get a "lefthanded" cup for one of the bosses and also she was told to file something in File13 (waste paper bin) poor thing went through all the filing cabinets looking for File 13. Those men had something to answer for.......
Dyan
hi dyan..welcome and of course you may join in...thats what we are here for....must say i really enjoyed reading your post...wish i could still remember the shorthand..dear sir is all i can write now...what a shame for that young office junior but it was and still is a part of being a newbie in a firm...i remember my brother telling me at one of his first jobs he was sent out to fetch a left handed spanner lol...there is plenty of posts on erdington on here...just use the search engine at the top of the page..if you need any help please ask as we are more than willing to help out....
thanks again..
lyn
thanks again..
lyn
