In 1936 I was twenty-three and Claire was twenty. We wanted to get married, so I went to R C Thorne the Director of our Marine Section at Heaths and asked for a raise. I was then getting £110 per Annum. He asked why, so I told him. He said it was stupid to get married! The answer was “No”, but if I stayed at Heath’s for 40 years I would get quite a good pension!
I’m afraid I was a little rude, because I said “Because (he) was unhappily married, it didn’t mean that I would be”. So at that stage I left his office and thought it advisable to offer my resignation before I got the sack! This I did, and for the period of my Notice I was transferred to the Enquiries Department at the front of the Office. It was an interesting job because anyone coming in had to be interviewed, state their business and wait to be seen by the person who dealt with the problem in question.
One day a gentleman in a top hat with button-hole and umbrella arrived. He did not come to the Counter but started through the door without stating his business. I naturally went to stop him and we became involved in a struggle – I said, “Where are you going?” He said he was going to see Lord de Vesci. I said “No you are not!” He said “Yes I am! I am taking him to lunch!” I said, “Wait here and I will tell him”. By this time we had struggled towards the Viscount’s door, past the Fire Dept., and he had partly opened the “Vicar’s” door (we called the Viscount “The Vicar”). I said, “You’ll get me the sack!”. He said, “If you get the sack, I’ll give you a job!”.
I let him go in and went back to the Counter. A few minutes later they came out and as he was passing I said, “Did you mean what you said about a job?”. He said, “Yes”. I said, “I am leaving here at the end of the month”. He said, “Come and see me at 11.00 tomorrow morning”.
By this time the whole of the fifth floor, about a hundred of them, were on their feet staring. Several of them came round saying, “Do you know who that was?”. I of course, hadn’t a clue! “That was Klamborowski, the Boss of the Provident Mutual Life Assurance Association”. I told them he had offered me a job. “You lucky Bugger!”, they said.
I was at Provident Mutual’s Offices at 11.00 next morning and had an interview with “Klambo” as we called him. He was a lovely man. He made the Eagle Star and British Dominion Assurance what it was, and of course, is to this day. And after The War, he built up Lambert Bros. into a thriving company. (These latter companies are still going strong today and have a web/internet presence. Sadly, Provident Mutual was dissolved in 2003, although “Aviva” includes it’s history as part of it’s heritage – Ed). Well, after my interview I was told to come back the next day for a medical examination – which I did. I passed, and on the first of the month (December), I started work in the Agency Department, at more than double my previous salary – in fact £250 per Annum .
The Provident Mutual was a pure Life Assurance association, no mucking about. All Pensions’ Schemes are covered by Assurance Companies whose Actuaries work out what premiums are required, by working out the “Mutuality tables”. We had Life and Endowment Assurance Schemes with every Transport company in Great Britain except three, i.e. “Thames Valley”, “Hants & Dorset” and “Wilts & Somerset”. We covered the “Post Office”, Railways, everything including several Banks. The Country was split up. London was Head Office. I was in “London South” and covered the area south of the Thames, west to Swindon, down to and including the Isle of Wight, and east to Kent, to Dover and south to the English Channel. I covered the area with a chap called Claude Frost and our boss who sat in the office, but came out occasionally. He was a chap named Johns. Then there was London north of the River and two other chaps covered that area. The rest of Britain was covered by offices at Bristol, Nottingham, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Carlisle, Newcastle, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow & Aberdeen. They had their own areas with Branch Managers.
In our area we had sub-agents in Railways, Post Offices, Bus Depots; who explained the Schemes to the Staff and recruited members. They got a small commission. But the beauty of the Scheme was that all premiums were deducted from Pay through the Company Payrolls. My job was to go round my area and jog the sub-agents who got a bit slack sometimes, and to talk to groups and answer questions at meetings. We were salaried and did not get commission, but our expenses were liberal and we only stayed in the best hotels. I was away from home quite a bit, but that was my job and I became very interested and happy to travel and see new places. Payment of claims were made to the Branch Manager concerned who in turn paid the money to the Claimant, but one of the managers decided to make his own arrangements once he had received the money from HQ. This resulted, eventually, in claimants complaining to HQ that they had not been paid. So much to the Manager’s surprise he was taken to Court and got 6 months and the sack!
Well, that altered my life as well because it was decided to make an internal audit of Branches every three months, and I was given the job. More travel, fresh places to visit, all by road – a wonderful job! I travelled with the Agency (Assistant) Manager, J.M. Robertson, and not only did I visit Branch Offices but depots in towns all over England, Scotland and parts of Wales. It was not all work. For instance, to visit the Scottish Offices took ten days, and the work involved about 10 hours in all!
On one of our Scottish visits I tasted Haggis for the first time. The Edinburgh Manager, named Menzies (pronounced “Mingis”) was a member of the “Royal Burgess (Golf) Club”, whose President at that time was the Prince of Wales. He took us there to lunch and we had Haggis, mashed Turnips, or “Neaps” as the Scots call them, and Whisky (not “Whiskey” – that’s how the Irish spell it!). We also went to the “Royal and Ancient”(Golf Club) at St Andrews on the way up to Aberdeen. In Aberdeen I was introduced to the owner of the “S.M.T. Bus Co.”, a Mr H.T. Alexander. He introduced me to real Whisky – he carried a bottle in his car. It looked like water, but tasted like the very Fire of Hell – about 90% Proof!
One day coming from Aberdeen back to Edinburgh we took the inland road along the “Royal Deeside”, past Braemar over the bridge where you can watch the Salmon leaping; and Balmoral, with the Castle on the right, down the road to the “Devil’s Elbow” (The Cairnwell Pass is on the A93 between Glen Shee and Braemar and is the highest main road in the UK. A mile south of the summit is the Devil’s Elbow, a notorious double-hairpin bend climbing at a gradient of 33 percent (1 in 3). The modern road bypasses the hairpin bends, but the old road still exists – Ed). On the road coming towards us was a Ghillie (Scots term for an attendant on a Hunting or Fishing trip – Ed) leading a Mule with a huge Stag across its back. Walking in front were two chaps wearing kilts and carrying crooks. We stopped, stood on the seats with our heads out of the sunshine roof and said Good Afternoon. I said “Good God! It’s the King!” It was too! Walking back to the Castle with the Duke of Gloucester after a day’s shooting.
Life was certainly not humdrum in those days. There was always someone new and interesting to see. We would leave London and stop at “The Bell” Public House at Eton to talk to a chap named Clutterbuck, who was the Secretary of “The London Brick Company” at Biggleswade – we were always after new business.
It was in Edinburgh that I met Duncan Macrae. He was busy at St Andrew’s University training to be a Doctor. He played Rugby for Scotland. We met originally in the bar of Fairley’s Restuarant in downtown Edinburgh. He introduced me to a Captain Robertson who was M.O. (Medical Officer) at the Castle. We used to be able to get a drink any time of the night in The Waverley Hotel because Robertson knew the Night Waiter who was a retired WO (Warrant Officer). We met up quite often. I don’t remember what we talked about, but we enjoyed one another’s company. Robertson went off to Abbysinia with the Red Cross. The Italians had invaded the place. (this crisis increased the tension in Europe in the years prior to WW2 – if you are interested – see the link in my Blogroll -Ed)
The Provident Mutual being concerned with almost all the Transport Companies in the UK, it was customary to go to the Commercial Motor Shows at Earls Court. All of the Stands had tents where they served drinks. We met an old friend, a chap called Dawson, who owned the Bus company “Enterprise and Silver Dawn”, who later amalgamated with the “Lincolnshire Road Car Company” (in 1950-Ed). A very good time was had by all, and Dawson ended up buying some DEC (I think!-Ed) Bus Chassis for his company. He had to cancel the order later of course, when he got back to Scunthorpe and realised what he had done. However, the thing rebounded!
JMR and I went up to Scunthorpe sometime later to talk to him about a Pension Scheme for the staff. Initially that area was very productive in those days. The Steelworks there turned out one seventh of the total World output of Steel, there was no unemployment, Bus Conductors were earning 10/2 (ten shillings and twopence) per 4 hour shift and they were doing 2 shifts a day. That was a lot of money in those days. Anyway, believe it or not, JMR and I left there two days later and we had not once talked about pensions! We had to stop in the middle of Lincoln, on the bridge over the River Witham, to be ill! (sounds like alcohol poisioning, or was it just the late night kebab!-Ed)!
One morning I was staying at the “Railway Hotel” in the Centre, by the Level Crossing (where else?-Ed) when a man jumped off the top of the Cathedral! A good hotel; I used to go there for their great Roast Lamb and Pickled Walnuts.
Birmingham was an awkward place to get about in. They had a one-way system. It was like a bloody maze! Our office was in the centre. The only time I stayed there the place was packed out. Some chap with an umbrella was there with a party, and when I got to the Hotel I found that they had made up a bed for me in a bath! The chap’s name was Neville Chamberlain (for you youngsters, he was a British Conservative Prime Minister 1937 -1940, best remembered these days for his appeasement foreign policy, signing the Munich Agreement with Hitler, and ultimately leading Britain into the Second World War. Plenty on him and events of his time on Wikipedia (follow my Blogroll link)-Ed)
I was interested in joining the TA again, but the Provident Mutual was not very enthusiastic. They were not members of Lloyds and so did not give the additional leave for Training Camp.
I can’t really pass over this period without mentioning some of the other Branch Offices I visited while with the Provident Mutual. Bristol I enjoyed. The “Life” Inspector there and I would travel round the area in his car and visit Exeter, Torquay, Okehampton, Plymouth…. the place I liked best was Barnstaple, where we stayed at The Imperial Hotel. Four days travelling round the West Country every Quarter was quite a holiday! Then there was Cardiff, Swansea, Newport…and no Severn Bridge to use, so it meant going through Gloucester (the first bridge was not opened until 1966 – Ed). There was a nice hotel there, I can’t remember the name. I’ve already said all I want to say about Birmingham. The Potteries was quite a good spot. I used to stay in Hanley and visited Stoke, Stafford & Newcastle-Under-Lyme.
Nottingham was good – stayed at the “County” or “Black Boy”(The Black Boy – an inn had stood on the site for many years when it was rebuilt in 1887-88. With its massive central tower with dark wooden gables and a Bavarian balcony with a dark wood balustrade, it was a major landmark in Nottingham city centre until its demolition in the late 1960s – Ed) The England and Australian Test teams used to stay at the Black Boy Hotel. There is an inn under Nottingham Castle called “The Trip to Jerusalem”, where King Richard used to assemble his men on the way to the Crusades. “Trip” is the old English word for “Halt”… so the “Halt on the way to Jerusalem”. You could actually buy a “yard of ale” at the inn, and there was a speaking tube from the Bar up to the Castle – seven hundred feet long! In the old days the inn was the cellar for the Castle, and orders for supplies were shouted down the tube. The cricketers used to use the inn a lot. (This is a fascinating pub, purported to be the oldest in England, dating back to 1189AD. See the website link on my Blogroll-Ed) I was in Nottingham the week of King George VI’s Coronation (12 May 1937. He was the one with the stammer, and subject of the 2011 film “The King’s Speech”-Ed) It was well lit up! Sherwood Forest was worth a visit and you could drive through it to the Great North Road (a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh, and now in part the A1-Ed).
Next came Manchester. I used to stay at the Midland Hotel, but ate at the Astoria Bar across the way. They had a huge Saloon grill – the steaks were magnificent (you chose your own), but the pride of the place was their Lancashire Hotpot – served in dishes with whole Lamb Chops and covered with pickled Red Cabbage. People used to go to the Cocktail Bar in the Midland to watch the Barman shake cocktails. He won the British Empire Cocktail Shaking Championship in Australia, and could shake and pour about six drinks without a spot of liquor under or over (?-Ed).
Then to the Queen’s Hotel in Leeds. When it opened in about 1937 it was the most modern hotel in Europe. It was part of the Railway Station Complex. Believe it or not it was only 8/6 Bed and Breakfast; 12/6 if you had dinner (that was really good value, as using the Retail Price Index to compare relative worth, that equates today to only about £20 (30 quid with dinner) . B&B (with dinner) at the Queen’s today would set you back £90 (£110). If you are interested in comparative worth – check out the “Measuring Worth” website – linked to my Blogroll – Ed). JMR and I, the Leeds Manager and the owner of a Clothing Factory used to go the Angel at Ilkley, which was an infamous pub; and then go for Fish and Chips at the supposedly most famous Fish and Chip restaurant in Britain. (Dad means, of course”Harry Ramsden’s”) (I think that the Angel Inn is actually at Hetton – near Ilkley Moor – can anyone tell me why it was “infamous”?-Ed)
Did you ever do any work Harries?
Now to Liverpool, with the Liver Building. The Mersey Tunnel had just been opened. JMR used to stay at the Adelphi, and I stayed at a Hotel called the Exchange. It sounds dull and probably was. I can remember one occasion, it was the time of the Victoria Cup – you know, for Coursing. The hotel was packed out with Irish Priests over for the Cup. I don’t know what we played; it was played with heaps of pennies like “Pitch and Toss”. We drank Guiness and sent out for loads of pigs trotters.
Chester, a lovely town! The city was all old buildings with dark beams – marvellous! The green sward down to the River Dee was close-cut and all along the river were coloured fairy lights. Can’t remember doing much work there. We must have just called in passing to visit a firm or an agent. The trip was the same time as the Coronation (George VI in 1937. Dad was also in Nottngham this week- Ed). It was a particularly festive visit.
Whenever we went to Newcastle we usually went there from Birmingham. We had no fixed route as our visits were supposed to be unexpected so that the accounts could not be “cooked” for our arrival; not that they ever were! Newcastle can be quite an interesting place to visit – two bridges over the River Tyne, a busy port, Eldon Square where our office was situated, Grainger Street and the Railway Station (Grainger Street or Grainger Town is the historic centre of Newcastle-Ed) – I sometimes stayed at the Station Hotel (the Royal Station Hotel -Ed); the posh area down to Whitley Bay; Moor Green – part of the town on the way to Blaydon Races. I remember arriving one afternoon at 3 p.m. The office was closed. They had all gone home because the Chief Clerk was playing Rugby Football. I remember one visit in 1936. It was dreadful! The streets of Gateshead were lined with men in dark suits and cloth caps. They were unemployed. A terrible year! It was the same in other towns south of Newcastle – a large mining area.
I used to visit Sunderland to see the Traction Company there. In fact I played football at Sunderland Football ground (Roker Park-Ed) for the Army, and with Raich Carter, the Sunderland Captain who was in the RAF (Horatio Stratton “Raich” Carter; admired by the great Stanley Matthews no less – check him out on Wikipedia-Ed). I’ll tell you about that later if I get to it.
Well now we are leaving Newcastle and going West instead of South. Going along Hadrian’s Wall to Carlisle. I was always intrigued by the signpost out of Newcastle which read “Heddon on the Wall”(Wikipedia again if interested-Ed). Robbie and I usually left in time to fit in a meal at the Inn at Chollerford Bridge on the River Tyne. The cooking was marvellous and the views out of this World! Arriving at Carlisle, the hotel we stayed at was the Grosvenor.
Its not easy to remember all the details of those days. Remember, I joined the Provident Mutual on 1st December 1936 and put my uniform on, on the 27th August 1939. Not long really, and so much had happened: married, got a lovely Wife and a magnificent Son and heir; not done too badly in business life. Had it not been for the War I think I might have got on well at the P.M. I had, after only a few months, a pretty responsible job. I had overtaken other members of the Agency Department and in fact had been introduced to the “Sheriff of London Club” off Queen Victoria Street, by R B Glasborough the Agency Manager. I was being accepted by Management. What a boastful old – or young – egotist you are Josh Harries!
Well, after all the Branches to visit every Quarter, and not only the Branches, I got to know many people in many other towns and cities, who did, after-all, take a reasonably important part in the running of local services. And in fact I was involved quite considerably in the prosperity and success of a very important Life Assurance Society.