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I remember typing pools...

Steve Bridger

I remember my first day at work. The summer of 1981. County Hall. The smell of polished corridors and trolleys laden three-feet high with leaver arch files and buff folders. I opened a door and there it was: The Typing Pool. Page 3 of The Sun were always plastered on the walls of the printing unit whenever I was asked to make errands. We still had a few discussion threads on that topic in the early days here - in 2004!


And I've seen Made in Dagenham, the movie!


I only mention this as the CIPD published a report called Work Audit today, a fascinating look at how the world of work has changed
in Britain since 1952.


I thought we could share our own compelling vignettes of social history comparing changes in the way we work.


What do you reckon?


Steve

Parents

  • Hi,


    Just thought of another piece of equipment I was trained to use when I started straight from school - the Council switchboard.  It was one of those with holes that 'eyeballs' would flick down to let you know that someone had picked a phone up, then you had 20 pairs of lines that one you plugged into the incoming call and the other into the extension they required, and that was for both external  and internal calls. On a busy day you had lines crossing over and going in all directions and felt like you were tying yourself  in knots.  Quite daunting for a green 16 year old.


     I also had to dial out all external calls, the staff weren't able to dial out themselves, and keep a note of the number and duration of any personal calls they made so they could be charged at the end of the month. 


    Ah, isn't technology a wonderful thing.


    Viv

Reply

  • Hi,


    Just thought of another piece of equipment I was trained to use when I started straight from school - the Council switchboard.  It was one of those with holes that 'eyeballs' would flick down to let you know that someone had picked a phone up, then you had 20 pairs of lines that one you plugged into the incoming call and the other into the extension they required, and that was for both external  and internal calls. On a busy day you had lines crossing over and going in all directions and felt like you were tying yourself  in knots.  Quite daunting for a green 16 year old.


     I also had to dial out all external calls, the staff weren't able to dial out themselves, and keep a note of the number and duration of any personal calls they made so they could be charged at the end of the month. 


    Ah, isn't technology a wonderful thing.


    Viv

Children
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