Richard Nelson adds new material 17 August 2023.
Hello Reg, A couple of happy things turned up in my “memories folder” from my time with HMSO and TSO.
Almost at the start of my HMSO employment in 1978, in the St Crispins studio I am proudly sporting the paper star award for I know not what! Dennis Greeno in the background. One of the pointing arms belong to Steve Heardman, not sure of the other.
Then from my almost last day with TSO on 22 December 2005 I found the bar tab for my leaving do at the King’s Head. I put a generous £225 behind the bar when the celebrations started at lunchtime. Next day I called in for my change and found I owed another £48. After a retirement of 18 years and counting, I regard it as money well spent.
Best wishes, Richard
Hello Richard, Good to read some happy memories – thank you. I have copied to others who may well have retained skills as regards recognition of pointing arms. The Book informs us that you joined HMSO on 6 November 1978. Always a good idea to get Guy Fawkes’ night out of the way before starting something else. Seems that a standard pint would have been about £2.40 in 2005. Double that these days, of course.
Best wishes, Reg.
Nodge Carnegie adds: Dear Reg, A belated thanks for including me in this enjoyable pause down Memory Lane, especially welcome after recent more sad reports. As to forearm recognition . . . There’s a good chance the one included (beneath that of Steve Heardman – as identified by Richard) could belong to Ian Dobson. The hand and arm appear free of wrinkles AND a wedding ring is clearly visible on the appropriate finger. (A year or two earlier, Ian had married Jo Belloni, one of our younger friends in Pubns.)
Another anatomical clues: the forearm is solid and sturdy. Five months or so before the likely date of Richard’s photo, Steve, Ian and I were among the GD coxed-fours crew which “competed” in a very enjoyable friendly regatta on the River Lea, close to Clapton Common. It was our second such effort in ten months. So, without meaning (or wishing) to, we all saw quite a lot of forearms, as well as knees knobbly or otherwise. We survived the experiences. Great fun was had by GD All-Sorts Afloat . . . if by nobody else.
Richard’s star – double star: yellow on white – must have been for something special. One possibility is that it was awarded by Fred Stubbs, then Studio Manager. Fred ran a “Points System” for studio members: the more miserable or downhearted (etc) anyone was, the more points went his or her way.
If the star is from Fred, it was before Richard began to “blot his copybook” and attract adverse “marks”. Those penalties, in Fred’s view, were for “too much boasting and bragging about fishing on various rivers in Norfolk”. The aforementioned Steve and Ian had regular “de-merit” points, mostly for “being too enthusiastic about everything”. Most of us managed middle-range markings by being acceptably glum. Another colleague, Caroline Smith, was awarded “penalty points” almost from the time she joined the studio (July 1978). In my archive is a copy of one of Fred’s Studio Reports. In it, Caroline came in for serious criticism because of (in Fred’s memorable verdict) “being TOO happy AND for SINGING AND WHISTLING” (heinous crimes!). Fred’s blue shirt and (for him) sedate tie are visible in the background.
Also in the background can be seen some of Richard’s instant-graphic handiwork, a name-sign. Many of our colleagues in Norwich, mostly from Pubns or P and B (later PP) didn’t know us newcomers from Adam or Eve. Somebody suggested that it would be useful to show a name on or over the desk/work-space of each member of GD. The thinking was that it would help all concerned. A further plea came from Barbara and her tea-trolley team. Again, we were “new” to them. As several of the studio members placed orders “first thing” for later collection from the trolley, the names would make identification easier. Everyone agreed . . . but somebody (possibly Richard) decided that simple signs containing forenames and surnames was a bit obvious. Hence, there appeared anagrams, most of them from Richard and most of them ingenious! They stayed up for years. (Some of us marvelled at such inventiveness!)
Hope this raises a smile. Thanks again for prodding the memory cell.
Best wishes, Nodge
Hello Nodge, Arms and The Man: Thank you for your fine reminiscence from when we all were young – and some were even beautiful. As you know, we are always looking for something ‘armless for HMSOldies. You also spoke of name anagrams. Which do you prefer personally: Bartering Encore or A Cornering Beret? Others are available.
Yours most sincerely, Warlike Dangler (from Bingo Octet).
Richard Nelson adds: Reg and Nodge, More anagram memories. It is amazing what surfaces up when you turn out the loft. Here is a GD Studio ‘Get Well’ Card sent to me when I had a hernia op in the spring of 1979.
Anagrams were everywhere, including the sentiment expressed on the front of the card. I remember opening it, laughing out loud and instantly regretting it!
There are some great names here.
Fred Stubbs: Bud F Brests
John Saville: Jo Nashville
Nodge Carnegie: Ogden Rinecage
Lynda Sullivan: Dylis van Ullna
Dee Smallridge: Esmirelda Geld
George reminded me of my alter ego: Sir Arnold Chen
Cannot work out some of the others. Nodge?
Great stuff, Richard. Anagrams are the source of endless hidden truths about ourselves, though I am not sure about my own – Warlike Dangler. My rusty memory suggests that Ogden Rinecage got a wider distribution at the time. I’m sure that HMSOldies readers would appreciate the opportunity to flex their analytic skills. Best wishes, Reg.