23 December 2016 From Norma Groom
Dear Reg, We hope that you and the few people I knew in HMSO will have a wonderful Christmas. It does not seem possible that it is 25 years since I retired from HMSO I have so many happy and funny memories of my time both in Basildon and Norwich the best of which perhaps when I went through the Blackwall Tunnel five times back and forth trying to find North Thames Gas Board. As I emerged the fifth time I sought the help of the fire brigade who were parked getting petrol. I thought they would guide me to the entrance and drive on but no they went into the entrance with me behind dying of embarrassment. What an entrance but best of all unknown to me the whole incident was being viewed by the chief buyers of North Thames Gas Board who I was due to meet. All ended well, I GOT AN ORDER FROM THEM, happy days.
Chris and I have been in South Africa now since 1999, we love our life here, the weather is super and we have made lots of friends. Fish Hoek has a big population of English folk retired like us some of whom came here to work under the £10 immigration scheme.
Well Reg have a lovely Christmas,
Best regards, Norma and Chris
Dear Norma, Lovely to hear from you. Your name only came up in conversation this week, and it is good to hear that you are doing well down there in the colonies! Nice and bright, but of course cold, in Norwich these days, with the roads full of cars and people eager to buy heaps of imports from China to keep for a couple of months before sending them to the Charity Shops. As you can tell, cynicism is alive and well here. Good to hear of your recollections of days in ‘customer care.’ There’s not much of that these days with all the electronic ordering, but there are exceptions to cheer us. Perhaps we should organise a reunion in the ‘Bullseye’ pub in Basildon in 2017? I’ll let you know if it is still standing. Which I hope we all will be throughout the coming year. With all best wishes to you and to Chris. Reg.
Buy Your Cards Right
Jeanne Southgate has reminded us that both Sue Prutton and Pauline White are involved, yet again, in the running of ‘The Original Norwich Charity Christmas Card Shop’ at The Royal Arcade, Norwich.
The shop is open Monday-Saturday, 10–5 until 16 December 2016.
18 November 2016 – A Christmas Competition from Keith Batchelor
Hi Reg, I have put together this photo of HMSO/SO items that I have found over the years, for a Christmas competition. Winner donates £5 to the RNLI. All the Golden Oldies – oops! HMSO Oldies have to do is identify the code for each item.
Regards, Keith
Hello Keith, What a fine hoard of history you have harvested! I can see the clamour for out-of-print copies of the Stock Average Rate List on Amazon and Ebay now. Must confess I haven’t got a code list, and it would be cheating to put in aid the services of the Welch of the Stock Code, KJ Coleman (who, as you can imagine, thinks that the Abacus is beyond the pail, let alone the Computer). If only we had one of the old Signing-in Boards. Best wishes, Reg
John Nash adds: Keith has certainly set a teaser but his selection really is a bumper collection of ‘old faithfuls’. A number of these items were purchased by S4D, as Bob Barnard will also recall. I have already searched eBay for a Stock List without success and my representatives in Norwich are unable to help either! You may recall my earlier mention about inkwell sets(s) which have cropped up in our local Antique & Collectable Fairs. And indeed our Paper weights often find their way on the displays, and I myself have purchased the grey plastic pen and paperclip tray for a knock-down price – sitting on my desk as I type this message. I also meant to ask if you can reveal the identity of Code 51–11 mentioned in one of your earlier messages, or was it a “spoof” ?
Kind regards, John
Hello John, I knew that this would bring some old S4 staff out of the shadows! As you say, the items are still around, but the Stock Lists have obviously been bought up by an eccentric collector. Wonder if there are any lurking in the Charlie Lloyd-Bill Lewington-Norman Parker-David Roberts Memorial Library? A couple of young stalwarts – Duncan Dawdry and Alan Low – have responded to our Facebook mention of this quiz, and I’m sure that Eason won’t keep quiet for long. Just as well that Coleman and Cole aren’t connected to the electricity yet. As for 51–11: how could you forget? Photo below – you might also be able to read the stock code.
Best wishes, and keep warm down there. Reg.
9 November 2016 – From Mike Trigg
Good morning Reg. I hope you are keeping well – it’s that time of year again and a few of the Publications and Bookshop old guard are meeting to discuss their latest medical predicaments and procedures. Everyone is welcome to join us if they find themselves in London on Friday 25 November from midday in The Wellington pub in Waterloo Road opposite Waterloo Station. We already have a few confirmed attendees, including Derek Croft, Peter Fudge, Peter Gutteridge, and Bill Baggs.
Best regards, Mike
Hello Mike. Good to hear from you, and to hear that you are still organising the annual meeting. I have copied to various ex Publications worthies for their consideration. Would you like a word or two added to the HMSOldies Facebook page, or might this attract undesirables – eg people like me who were part of ITW? I don’t think that Charlie Denman, Bill Mannering or Bill England are still around. It’s been a while since I was in The Wellington – only wish I could make it. One day, perhaps. All the best – and please let HMSOldies have any photos, the more indiscreet the better. Reg.
8 November 2016 – Front Line (1940–1941) from Norman Armstrong
Reg. It is some time since I sent you any news, although I do keep abreast of your valuable contribution to HMSOldies. This about a World War II, publication by Her Majesty’s Stationery Office 1942 which I picked up in a local antique shop for 20p – original price 2s 0d. It tells the story of the Civil Defence coping with the horrendous events unfolding in the Blitz on cities and provinces throughout the British Isles – including Belfast which suffered up to 1,000 fatalities. The black and white photos graphically communicate the suffering,
In the many personal anecdotes about the bombings this is an extract by a young Messenger which caught my notice:
‘Particular praise is given by wardens to several boys who frankly confessed themselves frightened, but still did not hesitate to go out on long and hazardous journeys, not even when flat tyres could have been used as an excuse. Among the messengers was a small pale boy who begged to be allowed to take a message, but the Chief Warden, feeling that danger was too great for him, put him off time after time with various excuses, finally being that he had no bicycle. “Please sir”, said the lad eagerly “Billy will lend me his bicycle.”
After some hesitation the Chief Warden finally sent him off. After a long time he returned breathless, wild-eyed and bleeding, and covered with dirt. He asked to speak to the Chief Warden privately. “Glad to see you back boy”, said the Chief Warden as he bent down to listen to the lad’s agitated whisper. “I daren’t tell Billy, sir, but I’ve lost his bloody bicycle. I was blown off it, and when I got up I could only find the front wheel”.’
Best regards to you and PP colleagues, especially Roy.
Norman
Hello Norman, Excellent to hear from you – especially with a timely and thoughtful story, which should give us all time for refection. I have copied to Roy Plackett (who I saw last week) and Terry McCrum, who I saw today. In fact, we mentioned various Belfast Print and Bookshop worthies – yourself of course, Brian Watt, Messrs Lavery, Straghan and many more. Also Peter McAuley, from whom we have heard nothing for some years. Anyway, you never know, we might be up for a visit to the Six Counties – but not in this weather: some of us are getting soft! Best wishes, Reg.
6 November 2016 – From Jean Hamdorff
Hi Reg, I thought I would pass this photo on to you. I inherited it from my dear friend Connie Hollis. Connie worked for many years with Mr Lewis in the Warehouse office at Harrow Press. This picture was taken just before HMSO Harrow closed in 1982. From left to right the people are: Nora, Tony Hancock, Connie (in the front) Marie Wall, Lilly Banks and Joan Catherine. I believe they all worked in the wages department at Harrow. Connie sadly passed away about 3 years ago.
Hope this is of interest to you, regards Jean
Hello Jean. How very good of you to think of us. Brings back memories for me: in 1975 I spent some time on a ‘Payroll Project’ working, with Denley Moss, from Norwich and visiting various Presses etc. When I went to Harrow, I clearly remember Tony Hancock (Charles Thomas Hancock, as I see from my limited Staff List, who joined HMSO in 1946). I seem to remember that Derek Wintle was the Works Manager, and Ken Lowe was around at the time). You may recognise some names from this HMSOldies article. I have copied to old friends who know far more about Harrow than I do (although my Uncle Harry lived in Rayners Lane and worked for a while at the ‘Radio Times’). The Staff List shows that Arnold Lewis was the Grade II Overseer, and joined HMSO in 1924, Lillie Banks was Clerical Assistant, joining in 1966, Joan Catharine (CO) in 1959. I don’t have details for others. I know that we all have selective memories, but it is good to be reminded of days when things were more straightforward – thank you for that. Best wishes, Reg.
1 November 2016 – Canadian Capers: News from Barry Palmer via Derek New
Hi Derek, it’s me again, sorry for the time it took to get back to you but it has been a traumatic year for all of us over here and it seems likely to continue like this for the next year as well. Please pass a copy of this letter to Reg at HMSOldies if possible.
We are all in good health (apart from myself as I had to have my eyes operated on as I was starting to lose my sight.) It took most of the year and operations on both eyes but I can see much better now but I have not tried driving too much yet although the doctor who operated said I would be able to. My arm is still not fully recovered after my car accident two years ago so my wife is doing all of the driving (Mother Trucker).
Our three daughters are working in the movie industry and although it is not the steadiest of employment they are loving it and although they work for different companies they spend hours talking about it. Andrea the, oldest, is doing the manual work for producing the sets, Jeanine the next one down, is working on costumes and Vanessa is a make-up artist. They each bought their own cars so that they can get to work without public transit and they have friends all over the place now so we only see time with them when things slow down or their parts in the movies are finished.
My wife (who works at the hospital) is at the present time having to upgrade as they are merging three into one and she is not liking it too much so I don’t think it will be too long before she quits. She will be able to retire next year if she likes. We are planning a trip into the States again when she retires, she still has a cousin down there. It is nice to visit family members and he is unable to come here.
Anyway gotta go as we have to get supper – two daughters home, wife and one more still to come.
Bye till we respond again, Barry, Bonnie and family
Thank you Derek. Good to hear from Barry – it’s been a while. All the best, Reg.
27 October 2016 – From Les Birch
Dear Reg, During our recent trip to Normandy we called into the Tourist Office in Arromanches where the girls are really kind to us veterans. One of them asked Hilary if she could send her some early photos of me and as a result she sent Mathilde the following complication, which you and some of the OBs might find of interest.
Les Birch the young solider, a still from the television from a BBC film about the building of the Mulberry Harbour, Les after the war, Les with Bill Evans (now deceased) honouring them both in Asnelles, Les in Préfecture, Caen, receiving the Légion d’honneur on 5 June 2014, unveiling of the Espace in Asnelles in June 2015 (with his grandson, Oliver Lawson) and with the children of Asnelles in June 2016
I had a note from Tom Harris’s daughter, Elinor, about the celebration of the life of his widow, Hazel, on Saturday but she knows that I will not be able to make it. We are hoping to meet up for coffee or something in the near future – she lives in Bristol but spends some days each week in Cardiff.
Best wishes, Les
Hello Les, Wonderful photos – thank you for cheering a gloomy day! Thank you also for the News update – not least the fact that you are back from yet another French tour. Best wishes – and it is appropriate that this weekend ‘we put the clocks back’ as that is what HMSOldies does all the time . . . Best wishes, Reg.
13 October 2016 – From Fred Stubbs
I am in occasional touch with John Westwood and he, recently, reached the great age of 97; also, he and his wife Margaret celebrated their 70th wedding (platinum). They are both frail but are well-looked after with twenty-four hour on-call carers in their own home. John was Head of Layout/Graphic Design from 1960 to 1978, when he retired. In 1988 he founded International Meccanoman magazine, which is now read in 29 countries. He is no longer Editor but still has a lively interest in the magazine and makes the occasional contribution (above).
Regards, Fred Stubbs
12 October 2016 – Jack Keating’s Hurricane ‘Matthew’ update
Friday 7 October, 6am: I woke up at 5.50 this morning to the sound of howling winds. I could hear sounds of banging as branches, etc. were being blown around. I turned on the television to get the latest. For the last twenty-four hours there has been no news on the television other than ‘Matthew’. The eye of the hurricane was located about ninety miles south of here. Winds were being recorded at over 100 miles an hour. There is a small consolation as the hurricane is staying slightly out to sea so should not make landfall. It has also been downgraded to a category three. Having said this, wind speeds for a category three are between 111 and 129 miles an hour. We are expecting it to be offshore here at around late morning. Wave heights at Daytona Beach are at 20 feet. Rainfall so far is 1.87 inches with more to come.
Since 6 am the electricity has been off five times, albeit for only a couple of seconds. The last time it was off for around five seconds. In between it is also flickering. Just south of us the power is out for 120,000 customers which is about 40 per cent of Florida Power and Light’s customers in that area. It is now 8.44am and our power has just gone off and looks like it will stay off. It is now 2.10pm and the electricity is still off.
At present the eye of the hurricane is about 25 miles offshore and some 40 miles north of here. Having never been in a hurricane I had visions of what could be expected from one and they have not materialised. The forecast the day before was for widespread flooding from torrential rain and wind speeds of up to 140 miles an hour with sustained wind speeds of around 100 miles an hour. I expected to see the roads under inches of water but to date this has not materialised. Having said this I hear that some roads a couple of miles away are under a couple of inches of water. I have sustained some damage to my house and the fence at the back. I ventured out and tried to shore up my leaning fence and clear up some of the debris that was being blown around. A number of large branches have been blown off two trees in my back garden. When this is all over I intend to have these two trees taken down as they are pretty rotten. One of them, which is about thirty feet tall, is so rotten that I had a red-bellied woodpecker nest in it and bring up a youngster. It was nice to see her digging out the hole, laying her egg, hatching it and then flying back and forth every few minutes to feed her youngster. I have a room at the back of the house (Kate uses it as her sewing room) that has a metal roof and a few panels are flapping around and making a hell of a racket. I should have had a new roof fitted about a month ago instead of just renewing a couple of panels. It is not over yet but I am confident that we have come out of this a lot better than thousands of other people. One person has died (this number has now risen to 36) here but in Haiti the number of people who have been killed runs into the hundreds. In total 1,027 have died as a result of the hurricane.
Kate was told by a neighbour that the street signs on the corner of my front garden were blown down. Her husband saw them being blown across my garden towards my cars and he ran out to retrieve them. He was also one of the guys who helped me take down my gazebo yesterday. What a nice guy.
Sunday 9 October: It is 8.22am as I write this and we have been without electricity for two days. It shows what creatures of habit we are; when I walk into the bathroom I still try to turn on the light. Kate is getting low on oxygen because I can’t refill her bottles. Having said that we have a large bottle on a metal stand in the garage which should last for quite a while. I had a telephone message from the electricity company yesterday saying they hope to have it on today if not yesterday. We live in hope.
I spent most of yesterday clearing up the garden back and front. I have a few bags of leaves and small twigs and two large piles of branches and large tree limbs. I have moved most of the garden and patio furniture back in their usual place. We took a drive over one of the bridges that connect the mainland with beachside and drove up highway A1A which runs up the coast of eastern America. There is more damage over there due, no doubt, to the fact that they were closer to the hurricane. We saw two petrol stations that were flattened; the canopies that cover the pumps were lying mangled on top of them. Lots of shop and attraction signs were smashed and lying at odd angles on the ground. Road signs at major intersections were all missing. These are usually encased in glass and lighted. Electricity and telephone cables are lying dangerously over roads, some just supported by fallen trees. Quite a number of buildings had damage to their roofs and sides. The overwhelming sign that something has happened is the amount of trees felled, branches and twigs, bushes and plants lying all over the place; on the roads, at the side of the roads and in gardens. In fact there is not a foot of roadway anywhere, and I mean anywhere, that does not have garden debris lying on it or at the side of it.
Our reason for taking a drive in the car was twofold: the temperature is still in the eighties Fahrenheit and without electricity we have no air conditioning but the car does; and to get out of the house for a while. There is only so much reading you can do and you can only do it during daylight hours. You can play games on your computer and telephone but they are losing, or have lost, power rapidly. Both our fridges have defrosted, consequently we will have to throw out most of the deteriorating food in them. I have been using our gas grill to at least have a little hot food. I went out yesterday morning on my own to look for somewhere open that served hot food, i.e. Macdonald’s, Burger King, etc. but due to damage and the widespread electricity failure I couldn’t find one that was open.
Traffic lights are all out but I have to say that there was considerable politeness from the vast majority of drivers. Even at junctions that have no traffic lights, drivers were slowing and stopping to let others cross. Believe me it is not like this during normal times; I find that the majority of drivers are discourteous, crazy, chance-takers, lane-changers and give them an inch and they will jump into it.
We finally got our electricity back some time on Sunday afternoon. It total we lost power for fifty-five hours. But I was still not able to send or receive e-mails because our Internet provider was affected by the electricity failure. We finally got it back last night. Neighbours across the street did not get their power back on until Monday night. My neighbour Ken had a generator which, when we got power, he loaned to a young couple across the street from me. When their power came back they thanked Ken and said that all they used it for was to charge up their phones! One idiot in Daytona took the generator into his home overnight. His nine-year-old son died of carbon monoxide poisoning and the father is in a coma in a local hospital.
All in all I believe that we were very lucky compared to other places. The hurricane stayed slightly offshore, the winds, although strong mostly brought down trees and the rainfall was not as high as was predicted.
Just north of us in Flagler Beach half a mile of the coast road was washed away.
Best wishes, Jack
Hello Jack, Good grief – yet again you teach me that I haven’t got anything worth complaining about over here! Much more vivid and personal than the news reports – which have, inevitably, subsided over here in favour of important stories about soap operas, dancing and cooking programmes. All I can say is that the fingers are stilled crossed for you all to come out the other side. Best wishes, Reg.
8 October 2016 – From Adrienne May
Dear Reg, People may be interested. Novels and other works by me under my pen name Adrienne Nash all published on Amazon and Kindle.
Regards, Adrienne
Thank you Adrienne. We don’t have many published authors in the list of HMSOldies, and your old colleagues will be suitably impressed!
6 October 2016 – Jack Keating on Hurricane ‘Matthew’
Well, I am only a few hours away from experiencing my first hurricane since being in America. At first, I mean a few days ago, I was a little blasé about it but now I am taking it seriously. According to the news around nineteen people have so far been killed by this hurricane. I have just this minute had an update saying that over a hundred people have been killed in Haiti alone and this figure is expected to rise. A couple of months ago I installed a hot tub and erected a gazebo over it, complete with two sets of curtains to give you privacy. It took me and two neighbours a good while to put it up. Guess what – I, along with the same two neighbours, have just taken the damn thing down. Everything in both the front and back gardens that could move and become a potential projectile has been moved into the garage. The more you look the more you find!
The bridges that cross the intracoastal waterway linking the mainland with what is known as beachside will be closed at 6 o’clock tonight and once that happens you will not be allowed to cross them until the hurricane has passed. As the crow flies my house in South Daytona is one and a half miles from the coast. At the moment, 3 pm Thursday, the eye of the hurricane is forecast to either make landfall in Daytona Beach or be just offshore at around eight o’clock tomorrow morning. Wind speeds will be 100-plus miles an hour, possibly reaching 140 miles an hour at times, and between nine and twelve inches of rain is expected to fall. On top of this there will be storm surges of between seven and eleven feet pushed on shore by the strong winds.
The power WILL fail during this time and be out for anything from a day or so up to a week or more. Neighbours told me that it went out some years ago for ten days and this was only during a weaker hurricane. This hurricane, Matthew, is going to be at least a category four. According to Weather.com: ‘The eyewall may deliver the strongest, most destructive winds anyone in parts of the northeast and east-central Florida coast have seen in their lifetime. The last, and only, Category 4 hurricane to make landfall anywhere in northeast Florida or the Georgia coast was an 1898 hurricane south of St Simons Island, Georgia.’ So, yes, I am now taking it very seriously.
I went out this morning and got more oxygen bottles for my wife Kate. Once the electricity goes out and her oxygen concentrator stops she will have to depend on these bottles to help with her breathing. A lot of people have evacuated their homes and gone to safer areas farther west. Quite a few have boarded up their windows and placed sandbags around their doors and garage. We have decided to stay, sit it out and pray.
Once Matthew arrives I will update you as much as I can with what is going on with us.
Best wishes, Jack
Hello Jack, You are a mind-reader: I have just been watching the 7 am news and said to my wife ‘I wonder how Jack is faring out there.’ Switched on the computer, and there you are, up for it as ever. Your story will encourage our readers, who think the weather has got a bit nippy, to count their blessings. Fingers and toes crossed. Best wishes, Reg.
4 October 2016 – Where are they now?
A note from Keith Hewitt, who is enquiring about old HMSO workmates, prompted us to consider how many ex HMSO people, at some stage of the day, think ‘I wonder what happened to . . .’ For example, a large Bentley with a West Ham slogan parked on our road yesterday immediately put me in mind of Allan Davies (the London printer, not the Accountant) who had both Bentley and West Ham Season Ticket. But it was probably a local drug dealer looking for the Earlham Road.
Anyway, Keith joined HMSO Manor Farm Press in 1966, then Harrow in 1975, leaving as WO3 in the TD Press in 1982. Unfortunately, four of the people he mentions are no longer with us (Alan Whitehead, Peter Fairall, Peter Mahoney, Vic Barnett). He is still trying to track down John Smith, who joined the Bookshop.
We don’t intend to make a feature of this, as there are doubtless people out there who don’t want it known that they were employed by HMSO – still maintaining their previous existence as MI6 operative, backing vocalist for Lita Rosa, porn film stunt man, or brain surgeon.
But if you remember Keith, we are sure that he would be pleased to hear from you – via the Editor. He is currently living in Stow on the Wold. A far cry from Manor Farm.
25 September 2016 – HMSOldies London Annual Lunch
Hi all, Sorry for the delay in sending these pics, been a bit busy cooking curried chicken!, amongst other things. (Thanks John). Anyway here is my photographic selection, hope it’s OK. I particularly liked the shot of Ken Dustan and Bob Allder together as they have been responsible for organising all the annual get-togethers for as long as I can remember. The photo of Geoff Hooper, Grace Ware and Ron Reddick looking at a document is because it’s Dave Burchell’s ‘Parly Press’ retirement vellum, Dave being the last one employed of assembled company. He said he had to bring it to the reunion for signatures because ‘there was no-one left at the Press who knew him’. End of another era.
All the best to my ex-colleagues in Norwich.
Regards, Bob Avery
Thank you Bob. Lovely stuff! I like the pre-match face-off between those two famous boxers Jovial John Eveson and Tornado Trevor Priddle, with Bruiser Barker as referee! All the best, Reg.
19 September 2016 – From Martin Evans of Mollie’s Loft Books
Reg, I have just purchased a copy of Hugh Williamson’s Methods of Book Design, OUP 1956, which has a collection of signatures on the FEP, most of whom appear to have belonged to HMSO in the 1950s – I wonder if this is of interest to you?
Although I have nothing to do with HMSO, I find your site most interesting, incidentally!
Kindest regards,
Martin Evans
Hello Martin, It is very thoughtful of you to forward this most interesting ‘signature page.’ I recognise three signatures: John Pitson (born July 1918), David Napthtine (born November 1913) and Sidney Stead (born January 1894). They all worked in the HMSO ‘Layout’ Section (later to become Graphic Design). Sidney Stead was graded ‘Leading Illustrator.’ Best wishes, and thanks again. Reg Walker
Philip Marriage adds: Wow! What a fascinating find and who would have expected it to turn up on HMSOldies a half-century later. Hugh Williamson’s Methods of Book Design was a classic of its time and respected by all book designers offering sound guidance in an easy style. I wonder to whom it was presented and when? Martin reckons it was the 1950s but I think it might be just a little later. Fortunately, we have From Layout to Graphic Design to help us.
Alan Dodson was Head of the studio from 1954–9 before moving to South Africa, then John Westwood came down from Carlisle to take over in Jan 1960. John Pitson stayed as Deputy for a while before moving to Printing & Binding Division (as it was in those days) then became the first Director of Typography in the Australian Government Printing Service (HMSO’s equivalent) in Canberra – collecting an MBE on the way. Jeffrey Tabberner was one of John Westwood’s first appointments in 1960 and Nic Robinson joined a year later before moving to Collins in 1962. Peter Sheen also joined in 1961 then moved onto Dryads in Leicester in 1964. Brian Slinn was the clerical officer who moved to Newcastle also in 1962, so I guess the date must have been sometime in 1961–2.
To whom was it presented? That’s more difficult to say (unless Martin can find a clue). It’s strange that John Pitson signed but John Westwood’s signature is absent. It’s possible it was for Albert Hyde, a popular and exuberant member of the original studio under Harry Carter, or maybe Ron Clarke who joined in the late 1950s before becoming manager at Collins.
I joined the studio in 1964 by which time Nic Robinson, Peter Sheen, John Pitson, John Marsh and Syd Stead had all departed for pastures new or retired. I met Nic once – at a dinner in 1988 in Oxford arranged by Alan Dodson for John Pitson on one of his rare visits back to Blighty (below). Peter Sheen was apparently a lively character and many tales were told about his escapades. I met John Pitson again at his home in Broulee NSW when I visited Australia in 2009. I only remember Syd Stead from his occasional flying visits to Atlantic House dropping-in to see old colleagues. A red-faced rotund figure with a large nose who always seemed to have a smile on his face. As you say Reg he was graded a ‘Leading Illustrator’ which meant he dealt with much of the official heraldry. I was told (by Peter Branfield who took over from Syd after he retired in 1962) that Syd invariably incorporated his personal monogram ‘SS’ into the decoration in items such as the Royal Arms.
Arthur Phillips, one of the earliest members of the studio told an interesting story of Syd and the printing for the 1953 Coronation: ‘Most of this design work was handled by David Napthine who was meticulous in the application of consistently good design principles to all these items. There were five kinds of Invitation Card with ornate decorative border engraved by Joan Hassall with the wording in Bell roman and a line of italic capitals. The wording was set and proofed and pasted-up with a pull of the engraved border. One very good thing about the Layout Section was that there was virtually no jealousy in the allocation of praise to its various members of staff; but recognition for the Invitation Card did cause some amusement. H G Hyde pasted up the wording set by Laytons, but it was given some further treatment by Syd Stead in extending swash characters. Syd took the finished artwork to the College of Heralds and arrived at the same time as a Press Conference was in progress. As a result he got the credit with Joan Hassall for the design and dashed out to buy a quire of Evening Standard’s which included the relevant paragraph.’
David Napthine of course was another leading member of the studio when it was first established in 1946 by Harry Carter and respected by us all for his gentle manner and sound advice. George Sewell, like Syd, was another Illustrator whose skill with a sable brush was unsurpassed hunched over a drawing board just inches from the artwork with a cigarette constantly dangling from his lips. Norman Akehurst was another smoker – though he more elegantly used a cigarette holder – and remembered as regularly putting his coat on saying he was ‘Going to the House’ with nobody quite sure which he meant!
‘Layabouts Reunion’ Oxford, Oct 1988, John Marsh, Jeffrey Tabberner and Nick Robinson all designers from the 1960s
John Marsh left HMSO in 1963 to join the prestigious group Fletcher Forbes & Gill, probably the leading team of designers in 1960s London. Jeffrey Tabberner left HMSO in 1965 and subsequently worked for Longmans, Routledge, UNESCO and finally Oxford University Press where he became Educational Design Manager and he – together with John Saville, Fred Stubbs, Mike Smith and myself – still meet occasionally for a chance to catch-up.
Martin Evans adds: Good afternoon gentlemen – It’s good to see that my little find has stirred some interest. As for dating, the book is dated 1956 on the title page, with no further editions or reprints stated – but as we know, OUP might have sold this any time after that date – I have heard stories telling of the possibility of buying the odd title ‘new’ from OUP printed – and dated – in the 17th century. No presentation nor any other inscription to give us a clue as to its owner, unfortunately – this page of signatures is all we have. The only possible clue – and I think it’s pretty tenuous – is that this book was bought as one of a collection of books on typography, several of them having been signed by K L Budd and one is inscribed “Kenneth Budd 1966” Since Harry Carter’s signature is a notable absence I wonder if it was his copy originally?
Excellent to see what can still be generated by the printed and written word – in this case a page of signatures. I did not work in Atlantic House until 1965, and had little to do with Graphic Design, but the names still hold memories for me – as I am sure they will to other HMSOldies. No obvious clue as to ‘KL Budd.’ Thank you for cheering the autumnal Norwich day! Best wishes, Reg.
Philip Marriage adds: You’ve cracked it Martin! Kenneth Budd spent six months in the studio in 1960. Other than that we have no further information. Maybe, like me, he spent the last six months of his Compositor apprenticeship in the studio and his parting gift was this book to help him in his future career.
13 September 2016 – HMSO Remembered
Dear Reg, I attended a commemoration event in Brighton last Sunday for a friend and colleague (not HMSO) who passed away a few months ago. Carol Tullo and her husband also attended.
Carol mentioned to me that to mark Remembrance Day last November The National Archives arranged for the actor Stephen McGann, who appears in ‘Call the Midwife’ to read out the roll call of names of those servicemen and women and former employees of HMSO and the Public Record Office who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars. Carol, in her capacity as Controller of HMSO and TNA Director, and Jeff James, TNA’s Chief Executive, laid wreaths by the two memorials. This was followed by a trumpeter playing The Last Post and a minute’s silence. It was apparently a very moving occasion.
On 1 July, TNA marked the centenary of the Battle of the Somme and again laid a wreath to mark the sacrifice made by HMSO and PRO colleagues. TNA also sent a wreath to the Thiepval Memorial for the Somme commemoration ceremony, an event that was widely covered in the media. The wreath acknowledged the sacrifice of the fallen from HMSO and the PRO and said they would never be forgotten. The wreath appears in the photo above.
I thought you might wish to share this with former HMSO colleagues.
Jim Wretham
2 September 2016 – HMSOldies London Annual Lunch
Hi Reg, Here’s the booking form for the HMSOldies London Annual Lunch. If you would be so kind as to post this I would be most obliged.
With kind regards, Bob Allder
A PDF of the booking form can be downloaded here.
Hello Bob, That time of year again. We have some good photos from last year’s event and hope for the same in 2016! Best wishes, Reg.
28 July 2016 – Cambridge University Historic Printing Room
Hi Reg, When I visited the excellent ‘Lines of Thought’ exhibition at Cambridge University Library (see below – 28 April 2016) I noticed a sign for the ‘Historic Printing Room’ and as our Australian friends Adrian (ex HMSO) and Audrey Young was staying with us for a week in July I made enquiries. Although there were no events or workshops happening until the Autumn the Head of the Reference Department, Colin Clarkson, most generously offered to show us around.
The Room itself is relatively compact (smaller than the John Jarrold Printing Museum here in Norwich) but full of type cases and interesting pieces of equipment including several hand presses one of which – much to my surprise – was operated by James Freemantle who wrote to HMSOldies last year (see below – 8 September 2015) regarding printing on vellum. James is a keen amateur printer when he can escape from his day-job as a Solicitor and when we walked in he was proofing a Shakespeare sonnet set in Golden Cockerel type designed by Eric Gill with an illustration by the engraver Lettice Sandford taken from a brass-block used by the Golden Cockerel Press in 1936. It was good to smell printing ink again.
We spent a fascinating hour chatting with James and then exploring the type cases – some quite special with those lovely names and type sizes that I remember from my apprenticeship days as a Compositor over fifty years ago, like Diamond and Long Primer, Two Line Bourgeois Uncial Greek Caps, Double Pica and Brevier Beza, Greek and Latin, Dawks’ 4-n English Scriptorial, 2-nick Pica Chaucer, Two-line Pearl and most special of all the Golden Cockerel private press founts cast by the Caslon Foundry in 1929.
We then moved on to the Fitzwilliam Museum and dinner in Browns opposite, then it all went wrong. Our 19.25 train back to Norwich reached Brandon and we were told there was a signalling problem on the line so we’d be delayed. After an hour the Guard told us that a coach had been ordered to drive us instead. Once on the coach we went a hundred yards before coming to a halt as the driver had an issue with a baby-seat and refused to go any further, turned off all the lights in the coach and strode off. More delay until the Rail Guard finally resolved the problem by transferring the young family to a taxi. At Attleborough a passenger became ‘travel-sick’ and had to be taken off. At Wymondham the coach stopped again and more negotiations took place ending with us decanting to another coach as there was another party of passengers heading for Cambridge who’d been ‘abandoned’ at the station earlier and ‘our’ driver had been delegated to rescue them and take them back. We finally reached Norwich at 23.15!
However it had been a full and memorable day.
Philip Marriage
Philip, Well I’m blowed – small world (cf James the Vellum). Also: saw Rod Durkin yesterday (Friday). He said that he had been at Fenner’s for Cambridge Cricket the day before, with G Mickleburgh, and swears he saw you – somewhere around the place. Bet you are glad to be home for a rest. Reg.
21 July 2016 – Norwich Visitors
This photograph shows John Hutchinson – J&S Honorary Secretary – Tony Nightingale, John Rumball and John Mathews. The occasion was the visit Tony made in July 2016 to the John Jarrold Printing Museum in Norwich, where John Rumball is a volunteer.
Tony is a ‘Friend of National Printing Trust’ and a member of the Stockport Historical Society. He worked for HMSO Print in London between 1963 and 1967, and John Mathews was Best Man at his wedding.
Heartening to see that the camaraderie of Print is alive and well.
27 June 2016 – John Mooney’s Memories of HMSO Belfast
I worked as the Clerical Assistant in the Print Ordering section during the early 1970s. I was seated at a nest of three desks with Tony Lindsay who was designated TO1 as I recall, and Dan Connor. Both were very nice guys. Dan was originally from Coleraine but lived in Bangor. Tony was air crew in WW2.
TO2 was Ron Reddick. That group of four desks included a clerical worker, Winnie, who retired through ill health during my two years there. The other Printing Officers were Norman Glenn, Ivan Grainger (who was promoted and moved to Norwich) and Terry Brown. I think Brian Watt replaced Ivan. He ran a disco called “Showattywatty” which was his nickname. At some point Bob Avery joined us from England.
TO3 was Norman Armstrong. The POs were John Straghan and Eddie Nolan. Eddie was a very nice man and his duties included editing the weekly Belfast Gazette. It included bankruptcy decisions and also ‘Honours List’. I used to proof read this with Eddie and memorably on one occasion I read out ‘Edward Gerard Nolan BEM – that’s you Eddie!’ and he whispered ‘Ssssh’ as it was still embargoed. Maura Fitzpatrick was a Clerical Officer.
The Supply Section was separated from us by filing cabinets. I don’t remember many names – Cathy Carnduff, Joanne Rogan, Kate Dornan, Jim Chapman and I think Roy Dubois was transferred there. He had been in the Reprographic Unit.
I cant recall the Director’s name but he retired and was replaced by Frank Sheppard from Cumbria, as I recall. The Deputy was another Englishman John Hirst and I think John’s wife Kirsten might have worked in the Bookshop. Phil Collins was also there – Personnel or Deputy Director.
There was a Wages Office – Tim Williams (Welsh), Jeannie Eastwood and Margaret Anderson who later was Bookshop Manager. The clerical people in the Bookshop were Pearse Linden and Margaret Cavanagh who later married each other. I was actually talking to Pearse last month. There were a few booksellers but the only one I can recall by name is Billy Stevenson.
Reprographic Unit was Michael Blair, and as I recall the afore-mentioned Roy Dubois. The Unit was officially HMSO, but the girls who worked in a very large room with several photo-copiers etc were actually employed by the Northern Ireland Finance Dept. There was a typing section – but this was also under Finance (as I recall).
As I recall two warehousemen worked in HMSO – Lofty and Ray (a darts champion) – and they did the packaging. There was a warehouse at Newtownards and/or Gilnahirk but we never actually saw the staff except the Manager (Malcolm ? – a very tall man).
I joined in Sept 1975. HMSO was, along with Inland Revenue and MOD, often described as ‘Imperial Civil Service’ ie employed via London rather than Stormont. From a clerical perspective career within HMSO was difficult as there was a relatively small number of staff and few vacancies for promotion prospects. In late 1977, I sat the Clerical Officer exam and I became a Tax Officer in the Revenue. I retired through ill health in 2005.
As an aside we occasionally got on courses and on both occasions I went with Kate Dornan from Supply. The first was to Chadderton, near Manchester and I went a few days early so I could see Manchester United (late 1975). The second trip was to Holborn in London (May 1976) and the last day of that course was actually at Somerset House – and a research facility. Several pens were being tested on machines and we saw ‘golf ball typewriters’ – and introduced to the newest thing, electronic CALCULATORS! We were each handed a calculator (they were all made by different firms and very large) and shown how to do a fairly complicated calculation and we all got different answers, partly because it was complicated and partly because we had never used a calculator. Seemingly the big problem that HMSO Research were having was that there was no standardisation between these calculators and were still unreliable. But we were told that someday there would be calculators in every government office – which at the time seemed like some kind of miracle.
Happy Days, one of the best jobs I ever had. I was of course very young and immature for my age and they were difficult times. But I met a lot of very decent people.
John
Hello John. What a fine reminiscence – and what a good memory! I am sure that many people with Belfast connections will have their memories jogged, and I will leave it to them to add any more names. I spent some time in HMSO Office Machinery, dealing with calculators, IBM Golf-ball typewriters etc. And one of our largest customers was Inland Revenue at Somerset House. Many’s the lunchtime I spent with their Reprographics Manager, Fred Bagley, in Henekey’s in the Strand. All the best, Reg.
John Mooney adds: Just to add some other names: Doreen Green, a secretary, Tom McCann, a bookseller, Sheila Hendron/Herring?, reprographic. We also had a table tennis table in a room that was actually much too small. There was no space to actually swing a bat. It was a lunch-time retreat – and we had a record player. Mostly I was a glorified message boy which was kinda OK ‘cos most of my messages involved going to the Typing Pool/Reprographic Unit and I was only male person actually allowed in.
John, My word, your grey cells are certainly on overtime! I know what you mean about being an innocent lad in the company of hordes of young ladies – memories of Cornwall House, 1963 in my case! Reg.
Brian Watt adds: Memories, John, but I was not running a disco. I played in a wee group who did ‘covers’ hence the name Showattywatty! Good to hear from you.
Robert Stutely adds: Hi Reg, I only visited NI twice during my career with HMSO, once for a conference and once to visit the office. My memories are hazy but I do remember Dan Connor quite clearly who looked after me when I visited the Office and I agree he is a very nice guy. Other names (and some faces) I remember from John Mooney’s piece are: Ron Reddick, Norman Glenn, Ivan Grainger, Brian Watt, Norman Armstrong, John Straghan and Frank Shepherd. Some I dealt with on the phone and others from their days in Norwich. I also remember the introduction of IMB golf ball type writers and the early giant electronic calculators. Before the latter, I remember the mechanical calculators where you had to wind the handle one way for some calculations and the opposite way for others.
Thanks Robert, Just what I like to see: somebody puts up an HMSOldies entry, and readers are stimulated to add their thoughts. I always remember a visitor commenting on an ‘innovative’ calculator being used by a CO in Finance, late 1960s – said CO said under his breath ‘damned thing cost more than my annual salary.’ He was exaggerating, but not by much. All the best, Reg.
22 June 2016 – HMSOldies at The Eagle, Norwich
Some 30 HMSOldies braved the iffy weather to attend The Eagle today. Pictured are, from the top, Barbara Cockram in mid-chip, Alan Pawsey, Jean Whitefield, Janice Pawsey, Mike Woodhouse, Carol and Phil Bullock.
Brian Blackmore was up from Devon for the week and Alan Crabtree seems to have gone full Colonel Sanders. Phill Brooks was one of the two tie-wearers. Mike Eastwood auditioning for the Bill Nighy part. Julie Jermy, Jane Burgis, Terry McCrum, Rod Durkin’s ear, Jim McGregor and George Rokahr weighing up whether to go out and get their bagpipes.
Then there was Ann Clancy, Alan Cole, Mike Burroughs, a thoughtful Brian Cockram, Brian McCrum, Anita Ragan, Alan and Janice Pawsey, some old bloke in a tie, and Bob and Valerie Barnard.
Drew Taylor, Brian Whitefield, Kevin White and Sue Whitaker all successfully dodged the second-string camera operator. Must do better next year.
Reg Walker
Editor, HMSOldies
18 June 2016 – From Dennis Farrington
Dear Reg, I only recently came upon your website and was sorry to hear of the passing of some of my former colleagues in HMSO. I was only working for HMSO (Atlantic/Sovereign Houses) for about 3 years 1978–1981, mainly in IP Division under Archie Foote and with Derek Wintle followed by a very short stay in OS. However I do remember it as the most pleasant working environment I have experienced, despite the challenges of dealing with some very determined trades union officers. Although I do not feature in any of your articles or photographs, I do recall some of the friendly faces and treasure my leaving tankard. My best regards to anyone who remembers me.
[A biographical note: After HMSO, based largely on my experience in IP Division, I worked in HR for five years and later changed to general administration for the Universities of Hull and Stirling, taking early retirement in 2004. However, since 1993 I have also been a consultant in higher education for the Council of Europe and other international organisations, in many places including recently Kosovo, Ukraine and currently in Armenia. After I left Stirling I worked full-time for a while in the Republic of Macedonia , then part-time, and as I’ve just been reappointed to a part-time position in Macedonia for four more years at almost 69, I’m not retiring yet.]
Very best wishes, Dennis Farrington
Hello Dennis, What a pleasant surprise! Believe it or not, I was in conversation with Glyn Jones last week, recalling the old IP days with Dave Ware, Graham Boulter, Malcolm McNeill, George James and many more – we mentioned you in the list of Directors, along with Dave Forbes (still living in Surrey) and Derek Wintle (whose obituary you may have seen in HMSOldies). Other contemporaries are still around and in occasional contact: Messrs Rutherford, Alec Smith, John Balls, Don Ray, McKendrick, Lynn, Alan Davies, Penn, Rae, Southgate, Macdonald, Cole and Bell to name several. Many of us remember the 1970s-early 90s as the good times. As you know, we were privatised in 1996, so I have been ‘retired’ for 20 years. Subsequently, I undertook a sales job with a printing firm for as long as they could stand it. You certainly seem to have made the most of your time since HMSO, and it is heartening to read that you remember it with affection. Please keep reading – and we hope that there will be more welcome news like your own, and fewer obituaries. Best wishes, Reg.
William Byrd Choir, Gunton, Norfolk Concert on 30 July 2016
Gavin Turner, who manages the William Byrd Choir, has forwarded the following Notice:
Please see below the poster and detailed programme for our forthcoming concert at Gunton. With songs and readings as well as choral items, it is a more varied programme than our usual all-choir concerts, and we hope you will find it attractive.
As with many other events this year, the concert is programmed to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. Lute songs from the plays will be sung by individual members of the ensemble who are all young soloists in their own right, and the readings will mainly explore the role of music in Shakespeare’s plays and the way in which musical imagery is used in his verse. The verse will be read by a RADA-trained young actor, Luke Courtier, who has done Shakespeare under the direction amongst others of Sir Peter Hall, but who also does a nice line in slightly edgy comedy gigs, samples of which you can find on Youtube.
If you have friends who might be interested, feel free to forward this email. The Robert Adam designed church is an intimate venue in a beautiful setting, but with only a limited capacity of 120 seats, early ordering of tickets is advised.
13 June 2016 – Art Exhibition at Cley from 7 July to 7 August
Jackie Amies, nee Holt, lately of HMSO Finance and Publications Divisions, is exhibiting this year at Cley16.
The curator has asked Jackie to make a frontal piece for the altar, the piece is called ‘Impressions of the Soul’ based on Holkham. Jackie has won international awards for her textile work, she has completed commissions and had her work in a Guild calendar.
11 June 2016 – From Philip Jinman
Just watching BBC news. An old Dutch Philips factory is being used to produce vegetables and fertilizer. Could have been a use for Sovereign House.
Philip.
Excxellent! We produced enough fertilizer over the years to feed enough crops to feed the country! All the best, Reg.
31 May 2016 – From Bob Simpson in Edinburgh
Hi Reg, Bobby Nelson had a few days last week here in Edinburgh, and Eddie Hendry and myself had arranged to have a round of golf with him. However, no golf was played, as the weather was terrible – a thick mist covered the course, reducing visibility at times to less than 20 yards.
So, as one does, lunch instead of golf. Bobby said that it was the first time since he relocated to Norwich that he had met up with Eddie, so they had nearly 40 years to catch up with and a lot to talk about. Lunch lasted a long time and – as they were both driving – lubricated with soft drinks only. I was not driving, so a Merlot was my choice. Although we were in the Golf Club for a long time, with both of them with a lot to talk about, time passed very quickly. Eddie remarked that the jokes never changed, and at times the Smart Phones were tuned into the HMSOldies website.
Looking at these photographs make me think about ‘The Last of the Summer Wine’ but who can we cast as Compo? Certainly not Eddie, as he is always immaculate: he even plays golf wearing a tie.
Nothing much of note on the Edinburgh front. I shall be out of action from 6 June when my left knee will be replaced with metal. Doing well on that score – two metal hips, now a knee. Eddie keeps asking when the brain replacement is due. On occasions we meet up with Derek Jackson. He is usually leaving the locker room on the way to the first tee when we are coming in after our round. Malcolm Steven does not play on the same day as us. I have sometimes met him on a day he plays and I have gone to the Golf Club to collect the car should I need it when my wife is playing with the Ladies or she has required me to meet at the clubhouse when she needs a trolley pusher later in the day.
Regards, Bob Simpson
Hello Bob. Thank you for reassuring us that The Good Life is alive and well and being conducted in Edinburgh – and that Bobby N is still persona grata in the fine city! You will not be surprised to hear that the weather down here is no better. 31 May, as I write, and Norwich is looking and feeling like November. No doubt when the schools go back all will be well. Good luck with the operation. Sounds like you have a season ticket so they might get you to do it yourself, the way things are these days. Best wishes, Reg.
25 May 2016 – From Philip Jinman
Not sure whether this qualifies for HMSOldies but it might be of interest, especially if you could find out what happened to Lincoln House which HMSO occupied for a short time to serve COI. The Park Plaza London Waterloo hotel opens Summer 2016.
Hello Philip. Thank you. This will be interesting to those many ex HMSO people who dealt with ‘Print London’s biggest customer.’ I used to go in there in the 1990s – days when Alex McLeod, John Barker, Allan Davies, Les Pettet, Don Mabbutt, Derek Eke were around. I remember having to go to a meeting chaired by a somewhat autocratic Scotsman at COI and give him some news he didn’t want to hear. I was asked to leave the meeting and spent a pleasant lunchtime in a nearby pub – The Pineapple, would it have been? Happy days, some of them. Hope all is well with you. All the best, Reg.
David Burchell adds: Regarding Phil Jinman’s question about Lincoln House – it is still there next to the church but has had an extensive make-over. The last time I passed, it was offices for the London Borough of Lambeth, although these things change quickly. I will have a gander next time I am passing.
The COI building round in Hercules Road is being transformed into a top-end hotel and you would not recognise Nine Elms Lane. The Macaulay Press site is now luxury apartments, Publications Centre and its surrounds are a massive development for the American Embassy and other luxury apartments. When London Print Services moved out of Hansard Press they had a small site at Nine Elms on Wandsworth Road which is now being developed into a luxury circular Tower Block.
Properties in Battersea and Vauxhall have rocketed in price as a result. Former council houses in good locations are now approaching £1m. Now I have retired I will pop up there sometime and take some photos and send them to you.
Hello Dave. Thank you for the update. As you say, the London we knew is very much a place of the past. John Barker wrote in similar vein recently, and said that Lincoln House is now a school – or, at least it was when he last looked. Reg.
25 May 2016 – Drury Lane Press: From Rod Janes
Good morning Mr Walker. I did get in touch some years ago and I may repeat myself regarding certain details. I started at Drury Lane August 12th 1957 as an Engineering apprentice. Harry Kent was my immediate Boss and Mr Teesdale was the Chief Engineer. The engineers I was apprenticed to were George Munnery, George Baker, Jimmy Mitchell and Ray Jackson and when he left the Army after ‘Call Up’, Alf Spearing. A great bunch of blokes! Also in the adjoining workshop was Fred Poulton the Press Carpenter. It was a filthy place ‘hot metal’ is dirty by nature, but I loved it!
When we moved to Pocock St, we also absorbed Abbey Orchard St and the War Office press in a ‘secure’ department. I was up in London recently and went and had a look at the building on the old press site, so I was very pleased to see the photographs of the building I started work in.
Sincerely, Rod Janes
Hello Rod, Good to hear from you. Time certainly flies: I see that when you wrote to us last it was on 17 December 2006. In your 2006 note you mentioned Devon Williams, to whom I have copied this note. I saw him recently in Norwich at the pre-retirement of Dave Burchell – also a London Presses man. You will have seen the various posts from retired HMSO people on the HMSOldies site. Always interesting to me that there are more contacts, proportionally, from ex Press people than from the Clerical/Executive side. More of a community, I suppose. Best wishes, and thank you for making contact. Reg
David Burchell adds: I remember George Munnery and Ray Jackson from SSPP and Alf Spearing was at SSPP and later the engineer at Hansard Press. As far as Gateshead Press is concerned, that was very early in my career but I remember a warehouse overseer called Jim Shiels who was transferred down to SSPP and also Ken Morgan who was at SSPP when I first went there, was also transferred up to Gateshead as Production Director I think. Regards, Dave.
Thanks Dave. Quick and efficient as ever! I have copied to Rod, and to John Eveson, who also replied, remembering both George Munnery (sports-car owner from Brighton) and Ray Jackson, from Sidcup, with affection. My 1973 Staff List shows a Jim Sheil, Gd IV Overseer at Harrow, born 1939 – also Ken Morgan as TO in P&B, born 1936. At the time, Ron Kearsey was Grade II at SSPP, born 1916. Must put the book away – making me feel young! All the best. Reg.
23 May 2016 – From Peter Stoessel
Dear Reg,
I came across your website by total chance as I am trying to find out more about where my late father Paul Stoessel and my late Granddad Fred Stoessel had worked within HMSO. I was wondering if any of your readers have any information of interest or any photos of my Dad or Granddad whilst working for HMSO? I did see a picture of my Granddad in your archive page but just wondering if there are any more?
This is the presentation printing plate given to my late Dad when he left HMSO Hansard Press, with the names of the managers who worked with him. My Dad was deputy print and plate making manager at Hansard between 1980–1986 coming from Manchester Press which was the only press that I never visited. I have been to Gateshead Press when I was a small child in the late seventies and Hansard quite a few times in the early eighties.
Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Many thanks and kindest regards.
Peter Stoessel
Hello Peter. Good to hear from you. The photo you mention, on HMSOldies, was sent by Dave Crank, who worked at Gateshead, and unfortunately I do not have any email details for him – if anyone else has more information, I would be grateful. We will see if there is anything available in the dusty cupboards (and dustier memories!) of HMSOldies readers. As you can imagine, there are fewer of us every year, and it is 20 years since HMSO was privatised.
The only Staff List I have which is of any help is dated 1972 which lists the following:
‘Frederick Alexander Stoessel, Grade III Overseer (Machines) Gateshead Press, born 31 August 1924, Established 16 March 1972, Joined HMSO 17 February 1969.’
Other Group III overseers at Gateshead at the time were Messrs Pollard, Gordon, Smith, Thomson, Ashton, Manders, Westbourne and Biddle were Group IIs. I used to visit Manchester in the days of Messrs Ling, Mackie, Richardson and others. Not much help yet, but we will see what we can do.
Best wishes, Reg Walker
13 May 2016 – Prints of Old London
Kevin Thwaite has lived in Canada for some years now, but in the good old days he worked for SSPP as an apprentice 1972–1977 and later Macaulay Press. He’s recently written to HMSOldies expressing an interest in another HMSO Press – at 55 Drury Lane as he knew Arthur Day, Head Reader, and two copyholders Roy and Don Munt (all now deceased) who worked there. He also remembers Compositors Barry Palmer and Mike Harrington.
Drury Lane is still a famous London thoroughfare, at one time well known for prostitution and for a profusion of gin palaces. Not, we hasten to add, in the time of Manager Charlie Walker (no relation), JJ McGarry and many other sober celibates.
Dave Martin and Philip Marriage both began their HMSO careers at Drury Lane and John Eveson recalled that the Drury Lane Press was often talked about by the late Bob Manders and Tony Ford. SSPP was the result of merging Drury Lane Press with Abbey Orchard Street Press thereby bringing the Vote and Hansard etc under one roof and opened in 1981.
Delving into the archive we’ve found these photos, taken in 1985, of the old building.
Anyone out there with memories of the place?
The entrance for the ‘workers’ (as opposed to the ‘office’) was actually in Martlett Court, just around the corner.
28 April 2016 – Lines of Thought
Many HMSOldies with an interest in books may wish to be aware of an exhibition being held in Cambridge. The University Library is celebrating its 600th anniversary with a display of some of the most iconic items from its collection in an exhibition entitled ‘Lines of Thought: Discoveries that Changed the World’ from clay tablet to Twitter. I visited a couple of weeks back and found it fascinating.
The items on display range from a second-century AD fragment of Homer’s Odyssey, The Gutenberg Bible, Darwin’s copy of ‘Origin’s’, Tyndale’s Bible, Shakespeare’s First Folio, William Morris’ ‘Beowulf’, Newton’s own copy of ‘Principia’, books by Galileo and Halley plus the manuscript for ‘A Brief History of Time’ from Stephen Hawking and many other interesting things including 20th century Penguin paperbacks and even our own London Gazette.
Lines of Thought: Discoveries that Changed the World is open to the public and runs until Friday 30 September 2016. Entry is free.
Philip Marriage
Robert Stutely adds: Your mention Philip of the Gutenberg Bible reminds me of a study tour that Watford College printing students made to Europe in 1968. It spanned a glorious Easter when the temperatures were in the seventies. When we were in Mainz, we visited the Gutenberg Museum where we were greeted by the Oberbürgermeister (or Lord Mayor) and then, amongst other items, saw their copy of the Gutenberg Bible.
After we left the museum, we were invited by the Oberbürgermeister for refreshments. I cannot remember any eats but we were each served with a one-third litre of wine. One of my friends did not like wine so he passed his half-full jug to me. But then we received a second jug and then a third. Bearing in mind that we had little to eat so far that day, a very merry party of students made their way back to the coach. Oddly, I cannot remember what we did in the afternoon.
HMSOldies Lunchtime Wednesday 22 June 2016
There is always a trigger, and this time it was pulled by Bryan Blackmore, who sent a note saying that he would be in the Norwich area during late June and was there a chance of a lunchtime meeting at The Eagle Public House, Newmarket Road?
A word with the most accommodating landlord, James Linder, and the bar/garden is non-exclusively reserved for an informal gathering of HMSOldies for Wednesday 22 June, 1200 hours onward. You will be most welcome if you can make it. Bring a friend if you wish. Or even a relative.
I know that some of you luckily still employed may have difficulties, and we will work out a separate event to suit your circumstances. Those of you living in Canada, France, Spain, South Africa, Australia, London, Edinburgh, Bristol and far-distant Oldham might well decide to organise their own event. George Rokahr might even be persuaded to go along and not play his bagpipes.
Meanwhile, those who have not accessed the HMSOldies website (there is also an HMSOldies Facebook page) may wish to read past the obituaries:
https://www.hmsoldies.org.uk/Whats_New.html
We are a bit behind with the obits – still finishing off pieces on David Bowie, Prince, Ronnie Corbett and Victoria Wood: remember when they all worked with Len Capper in P5c? What a miserable lot they were. Just as well Joan Quilter and Laurie Andrew were there to cheer them up, and Barbara Went to give them a song or two.
I’ll get my hat.
Reg Walker
Editor, HMSOldies
25 April 2016 – Twenty Years On
Twenty years ago this very day – Jayne Ward’s xxth birthday as it happens – on 25 April 1996 Her Majesty’s Stationery Office generously agreed to – nay, insisted upon – the early retirement of the whole of Customer Care Division as a precursor to the privatisation of the entire organisation.
As you can see from this photograph taken at the Wake held at The Saint Andrew’s Tavern, Norwich, we handled this premature ejaculation bravely.
5 April 2016 – From Stuart McLaren
Hi Reg, I met up with my former boss, Philip Glover, on a flying visit to Norwich up at the airport cafe today. We spent a happy couple of hours catching up on what we had been up to in the intervening 20 years since he left HMSO Publications to start a new career in teaching. He is now nearing retirement as a primary school teacher and head, having worked in different parts of Scotland: on the beautiful isles of Harris and Skye, in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and latterly in Ayrshire, where he and Linda have (he hopes) finally settled to be closer to the children and first grandchild (above). Philip sent his best wishes to all his old colleagues before boarding his plane to Bonny Scotia.
Best wishes, Stuart McLaren
Thank you Stuart, I see that Philip joined HMSO as Senior Information Officer in October 1983. Time flies. We will add to HMSOldies as a good news story. Speaking of good news, I encountered our next Mayor of Norwich yesterday: Marion Maxwell is excited by the prospect, and good for her! All the best, Reg.
Stuart McLaren adds: Yes, Philip mentioned 1983. He left in 1995 to train to become a primary school teacher then worked in Norwich for about five years before taking up a teaching post on the Isle of Harris. His background was in academic publishing (SAGE Publications) before joining HMSO. His wife is a successful novelist, writing under the name Linda Gillard. Philip ran P4 (P4A and P4B), generally known as the ‘pretty books’ section, which I inherited for a couple of years until the Men in Black wisely decided I was surplus to requirement.
29 March 2016 – From John Patterson
Dear Reg, I worked at HMSO Harrow from 8 January 1962 till 1969 and then from 1970 for a further three years before going on to Waterlow & Sons (Radio Times) and finally ending up at the Daily Telegraph in Fleet Street, but alas all that came to an end, since then I’ve been a Black Cab driver for forty years, and still going strong. My father was Den Patterson, my brothers Terry and Colin all sadly deceased, also my grandfather worked there as well, so in ending the Patterson family was an integral part of HMSO Harrow history. Regards John.
Dear John, Many thanks for your most interesting note, which we publish here to see if there is anyone out there who remembers you from Harrow. I have also copied to a few of our ex HMSO Press contacts for their interest. Coming from the non-technical side I did not visit Harrow very often (although my late Uncle Harry Wakely lived in Rayner’s Lane and worked at the Radio Times). Those were the days when Derek Wintle and Ken Lowe were managing. Good to hear of a ‘family dynasty’ and that you are still doing a valuable service on the Black Cabs. Many is the time when they have been a life-saver with a smooth journey from Victoria to Liverpool Street, and all the latest London news: you never know, we may have met! All the best, Reg.
Robert Stutely adds: I was at Harrow Press in ‘S’ department for a few months in the early seventies. At the time, Dennis Patterson was a machine room overseer, I guess that is the same Den Patterson. I don’t recall Dennis having sons at that time or even a wife.
18 March 2016 – The Glory Days Of HMSO Parliamentary Print, and beyond
We are indebted to John Rumball for passing over a fine ‘bundle of memorabilia’ to HMSOldies. The documents range from a set of black and white photos taken from the top of Jarrold’s Mill in the 1960s – the foundry at SSPP in 1987 – a set of Ken Dustan’s classic annual Parliamentary Press Dinner programmes (sample above from 1989) – and similar from Bob Allder – also blank certificates used in connection with the Norwich-based ‘Longest Day Walk’ to the Berney Arms.
Meanwhile readers may wish to see the photograph (below), taken in 1986, of various Print and Publications notables. Anyone able to name them all?
18 March 2016 – The Wearing of the Green
St Patrick wasn’t forgotten this 17 March in the Norwich Evening News – and good to spot John Gardiner and Rory Quinn representing HMSO.
17 March 2016 – From Doozoot To Grey Suit
Who would have thought that the shy, unassuming young lad who joined HMSO Supplies Division in January 1972 was destined to become a full-page feature by Derek James in the Eastern Daily Press, forty-four years later, on 12 March 2016? Step forward Harry Currie from Cowdenbeath. Spellcheck wants me to change ‘Cowdenbeath’ to ‘Downbeat.’ How inappropriate.
Bet you wish you had saved some of those H. Currie signatures on SP16s to sell on Ebay.
7 February 2016 – From Brian Cockram
Hola, Another picture for your collection. Hopefully, demonstrating that we are still all alive and resisting the loss of little grey cells. I speak personally of course. Incidentally, Ian was again asked if his organ was hand pumped. I leave you to imagine who posed the question. Linda distributed her annual Charity Quiz (Against Breast Cancer). One hundred questions for the very reasonable donation of £1. Slightly less difficult than the recent GCHQ effort. This year’s theme is place names in GB and N Ireland. For example ‘a fictional pilot crosses a river’ Mrs C has solved a number of questions with minimal help from me. Mickleburgh was ‘going great guns’ but apparently as in previous years has not submitted the results for audit.
Adios me amigo. Brian
Hello Brian, Thank you for the splendid photo, which people can judge just how far tempus has fugitted among you ex HMSO Paper Procurers since the last event. Durkin and Mickleburgh look every bit ‘The Management’ about to take on some poor unsuspecting Supplier – Maurice is doing his Beardless Corbyn act, and you look as though you are about to throttle the jolly Ms Blake (I knew her as Miss Bartram, you know, an innocent girl from Worstead thrust among the tyrants of Supplies Registry – Baptiste, Jacks, Taylor, Gardiner, Hatfield). And as for Ian Dougall – are you sure that’s him? Looks like a young Peter Macdonald (if there ever had been such a person). All the best, and good luck with the quiz. If you get stuck, Anne Eason is hiring out John’s brain at reasonable rates. The downside is that you have to take, and feed, the accompanying body. Reg.
Brian Cockram adds: Whilst looking for a picture of a late aunt I came across this photo from 1991. A lot of hair in those days! Taken in the Briton Arms. Maurice retired the following year!
Hello Brian, My word, what a group of Bright Young Things. I see that Warman had pre-empted the Corbyn Beard. All the best. Reg
3 February 2016 – From Stuart McLaren
Hi Reg, Just come across this marvellous image of HMSO staff at the Government Forms Office at Salford during World War I. It’s on a Gov.uk website about women in the Civil Service. One for the album?
Best wishes, Stuart
Great old photo. I like the way in which they are all well dressed – suits, white shirts, ties, blouses, headgear. I don’t think that any of our readers feature, but perhaps a parent or grandparent. Thank you for passing this on. Reg.
Les Birch adds: Although impossible to identify her on the photo I feel reasonably certain that one of the girls there would be a Miss Elizabeth (Betty) Brimelow. As a Clerical Assistant she was my ‘staff’ when I joined as a Clerical Officer in 1939 – I was quite chuffed that as a young lad of 17 I had this lady under my charge. I think she joined in 1916 and probably retired during the war. I cannot imagine that you have any records going back that far. Best wishes, Les.
Dear Les, Good to hear from you, and to hear that your infallible memory is still on top form. You are right – my oldest Staff List is dated 1954, so no Miss Brimelow. We will see if any HMSOldies reader has any record. Coincidentally your name was mentioned in a pub (where else?) this lunchtime. Alan Cole is just back from South Africa where he encountered a lively ‘tourist’ full of tales and bonhomie. He was only 93. Possibly a relation? All the very best, Reg.
18 January 2016 – Caught on camera: Norfolk EDP magazine Christmas Edition
Dear Reg, I thought you might like this item of news. It was taken in the teeth of a gale and it felt as though I would be blown over the cliff – but worth it in the end.
Regards, Mike Taylor
Congratulations to Rosie Taylor who sent this picture of her husband Mike taken recently when the couple visited Norway for a holiday. Rosie says “he is an avid reader of the EDP Norfolk Magazine and took this month’s copy with him with the sole purpose of having his picture taken with it at the most northerly point of Europe”. Rosie wins a £25 voucher courtesy of Urban Jewellers of Burnham Market.
Hello Mike, What an excellent adventure: thank you for letting us know. I missed this in the EDP. Looks a wonderful place – see Wikipedia. No doubt you took your golf clubs with you and hit a straight shot into the distance! Unadventurous soul that I am, this year we have confined ourselves to the highest point in Norfolk – Cromer again.
Best wishes, and thanks again. Reg.