RESPONSIBILITY

Security and such

I have been reading a book about code cracking at Bletchley Park and has reminded me of my time there when it had been taken over by the Post Office and subsequently British Telecom and used for Staff Training. Unlike subsequently when with PC’s where software is stored on the PC on your desk. Software was stored centrally and accessed via telephone lines. An instructor had been flown in from America! All very iconic when we realised that the first computer had been invented at Bletchley Park by British people.

Way back in the 1960’s Computers were big. Aircraft hanger size in most cases. BT had such a one at Portsmouth where all the telephone bills were calculated and despatched for the whole of the South East. It wasn’t called “colossus” like the one invented at Bletchley Park but “Leo” (short for Lyons the tea Company who had used it first). I had been transferred from the Land Commission to BT Regional Office at Brighton and given the title of Computer Billing liaison Officer. This was one of many occasions when I was asked to take over a job without any form of previous experience. I had none; much much less than the junior clerks who answered the ‘phone when the public queried their bills. At the same time I was to carry out audits at the local offices where they worked. It was typical of the Civil Service and one of many occasions in the past and subsequently.Amateurs all. Professional Qualifications were never sought. However there were courses which I was privileged to attend and this was one of them which came only when I had learned “on the job”.

My course was held in the Bletchley Park Manor house but there were many other wooden buildings in the grounds where the codes were cracked and the collusus was built. These were where the various engineering skills were taught.

Learning “On the Job”

Throughout my career as a poorly educated person there were many instances of being asked , or ordered, to do work which might be considered to beyond my ability. Training, such as it was, consisted of accompanying someone, who had done the job before, for no longer than a week. Often less! Post Office, Police, I/C Officers Mess, National Assistance Board, and etc. were similar only in the Ministry of Agricultural where there were professional qualified staff. I, as a clerk, would check the accounts of Market Auctioneers and abattoirs.. When I joined the the Land Commission it was newly set up so we all decided to teach each other. I, like the others, spent months researching at the Public Library preparing a lecture that we could teach others! I have written more on other pages of the “Fredsmemories” site.