Valerie Grose Reminiscences
I have read the fascinating article (that mentions Nigella). Actually her grandfather Mr
Felix Salmon was our “in-line direct director” with secretary, Miss Patterson. One of
my colleague’s father was Mr Felix’s chauffeur and when a child she played with
Vanessa, Nigella’s mother. As previously stated, other than Mr Frank Land I knew
most of the other ‘names’ (Messrs Simmons, Pinkerton, Thompson, Caminer). I
believe Mr Oliver Standingford had just left the company prior to my joining but I
knew Mr Geoffrey Mills with whom he co-wrote “Office Practice” I certainly cannot
claim to have known them well (being considerably younger) but my office was in the
same corridor so saw them all frequently. To measure their success is
difficult: obviously, as things eventually panned out I suppose wrong decisions were
made but they were surely the “brains” of the time. By way of comparison, “medical”
knowledge extended to patients having leeches set upon them to draw out blood but as
time passed with newer developments this soon become consigned to history. Mobile
phones were the size of bricks, became very small but curiously are now larger (albeit
slim and lightweight) but have the capacity to offer many more functions. Life has
changed beyond all recognition over the past half century with so many new
inventions, and all new technology in the future will surely pale into insignificance
with yet more inventions. Fax machines and music cassettes for instance, (good
inventions that were relatively short-lived). LEO though was of great significance
and I feel very privileged to have been an employee at J Lyons during those early
years. Even the style of dress of those gentlemen would not suit modern times: grey
suits, short back and sides hair, most smoked. Most certainly Miss Margery Slack,
secretary to Mr Simmons did, and Mrs Maureen Henley, secretary to TRT. When
entering their offices you could barely see them through the smoke! I recall walking
through the bakery department once with trolleys of bread rolls open to the elements;
people walking past coughing. Swiss rolls, as I recall were all rolled by hand as no
machine had been put together that could roll them without cracking. Imagine what
Health and Safety would say about that nowadays. The internal telephone exchange
was fascinating, headed by Mr Calder. Each call had to be individually
connected. The two dozen or so telephonists sat at terminals with thick flex to insert
into the connecting plug. When lifting the receiver to make a call, the telephonists
were trained to ask by name “Which number, Mr Simmons” but ‘ordinary staff’ were
greeted with ‘number please’ to which you replied ‘extension 645’. Daily office life
was very labour intensive with reports and minutes of meetings having to be typed
using carbon paper to produce extra copies. I was a very light typist, only being able
to produce about four readable reports so, if ten were required I would have to type
each set three times which was very time-consuming. How different my life would
have been with a modern computer/keyboard, email facility and the holiday
entitlement of today. Ten days only, plus Bank Holidays and New Year’s Day was a
working one at the time. Mr Samuel Salmon gave a New Year address over the
tannoy, “Hello and good morning, Cadby” and thanking all for their contribution to
this great company. It was just that at the time and I am pleased that aspects will have
historical significance. I rather suspect those in LEO had their heads down busily
engaged in developing the new machinery and knew rather less of what happened on a
day to day basis, as described above. Mr John Andrews has a file of LEO memorabilia
that, being somewhat of a hoarder, I have kept from my early days at
JL. Unfortunately I could not download this
(http://leo.settle.dtdns.net/LeoCode/LeoIIIdemo2.zip) Please forward this on and feel
free to ask any further questions you feel I may be able to assist with. Best rgds
Valerie
Dear Frank,
Having heard your name for several years (I have attended quite a few reunions (sadly
seeing Mr Caminer in a wheelchair at one) it surprises me that our paths never seem to
have crossed. Mr Simmons, to me, was the epitome of the perfect gentleman and
always addressed me as Valerie (no others did so)*. Geoffrey Mills smoked a pipe, as
you may recall, and somewhat amazingly lived less than five minutes from where my
son and daughter in law now reside. His address sounded so romantic (Beechcroft was
the name of his house) and to me it sounded so far away (Claygate, Surrey). * my own
boss of course used my Christian name and, to my total amazement, announced one
day that as he used mine, then I should use his. I found that extremely difficult. It just
was “not done”. Mr Simmons’ address. Hyde Park Gate. A quick Google now shows
today’s asking price, £13,000,000 but perhaps modest against the £40m of the
Beckhams! Holidays: one year my boss went to a Butlins Holiday camp (!) as felt
suitable for his two young children. Upon return he reported the children had loved it
whilst he and his wife grinned and bore it. My colleagues and I – Torquay, Isle of
Wight, Camber Sands. Miss Slack, secretary to Mr Simmons went to Tangier. We
considered either she, or the rest of us, were on another planet. I have no recollection
of the destinations of the LEO gentlemen. Not LEO but might amuse. Mr Mark
Bogod (non-family director?) due a new company car, invited his chauffeur, Geoffrey
to choose. “How about a Rover 90, sir?, and he chose the colour:grey. Very
insightful psychology. Clearly, Mr Bogod was not overly-bothered and presumably
felt if Geoffrey was happy he’ed give good service, often being required to work antisocial hours driving to functions and returning at midnight. Looking back over the
years, at the time everything, everyday was so normal but now seems…..yes, like life
on some other planet. Oh yes, just thought of this. We girls wore gloves to work,
even in summer! In winter, obviously for warmth but in summer, lacy decorative
items and as for being bare-legged: never. Nylon stockings with nice straight seams
and I never saw the gentlemen wearing casual clothes as on “dress down Fridays” in
offices nowadays. Grey suits, black shoes, shirt and tie was their ‘uniform’. I can
clearly picture the vast LEO and wish I had paid rather more attention. Opening my
Daily Telegraph one day, on the Obituaries page sadly was Mr Pinkerton. I recognised
him straightaway before even seeing his name. Then Mr Caminer. May they all rest
in peace after giving valuable service to that once great company but more
particularly that wonderful invention, the Lyons Electronic Office.
