The 11B receiving teleprinters also known as the Creed 47 were the main receivers
until our move in 1964. It received on 3/8 inch narrow gummed tape.
The operator either used scissors to cut the tape or the special gumming
thimble.
Thimble method.
Place thimble on one's left index finger.
Weave the beginning of tape through twin rollers either side of the water
wheel.
With the tape suitably dampened, grab hold of the tape with the left thumb
and second finger, pul out 6 inches or so, press the beginning of the tape
at the proper position on the form, cut a suitable length with the thimble
and align the tape horizontal, stick and smooth down with the thimble. A
messy job - after 2 hours rostered on that position, one's fingers had 1/4"
of hardened gum caked on them.
Scissor method.
Use both hands to thread the tape into and through the water wheel wetter,
now gently grab the tape with your scissors causing the minutest of nicks
in the side of the tape, pulling it through and placing it in position on
the form. Holding down the start of tape with your left thumb, align horizontal
as you slide the scissors along the length, cut where appropriate and smooth
down.
Some operators did not use the thimble, but used scissors. I remember one
operator who loved her food and the office kitchen was a few steps away from
the gumming position. Whenever the scissors went missing from the position,
the cry went up:
"I bet Philomena's using the gumming scissors to cut her bacon again!".
On the 3 direct incoming LN-BM channels designated CBM, DBM, VBM with a fourth
if needed, we received on a Creed 7E with a reperforator in parallel producing
a duplicate in chadded 5-unit slip. For telegrams to be telexed, the slip
was wound up and paper-clipped to the paper copy. We wound slip in
figure-of-eight fashion. This was done by clamping the start of the slip
between first and second finger of left hand threading it over the thumb
and down between the third and fourth fingers, round back of the fourth and
up between the thumb and first fingers infinitum.
Telegrams not on telex would be placed on the conveyor belt for the tracing
position to search: Firstly determine the rate of telegram - letter telegrams
were delivered the day after handing-in so would be posted. Secondly, scan
the phone book. Thirdly is it within our catchment area to be hand-delivered.
Fourthly to be 'tassed' to the nearest inland telegraph office for local
hand-delivery. All telephoned telegrams, except TT offices, were despatched
by post as confirmatory copies in buff envelopes. All 'live' telegrams were
posted in white envelopes.
Amongst the commodity businesses of our customers were the competitive leather
and tea industries. Telegrams from India to Northampton and Leicester each
day contained their buying and selling prices of leather hide.
Telegrams from India and Srilanka contained the daily prices obtained for
tealeaf.
But we couldn't read a single word. They were in Bentley's 5 letter code.
Explicit instructions from the Manager in 1954 that only senior or experienced
operators were allowed to deliver these by phone to the addressee. In later
years, this instruction was withdrawn.
I recall an amusing episode which became a much discussed topic over a pint
or several. The saga lasted quite a few months. Umpteen cables a day originating
in East Berlin (before the wall came down) were addressed to a gentleman
in Llandrindod Wells. They were always signed Ursula and contained various
mundane phrases such as: "I love you very much". "Want to see you again."
"Think of me". "I am waiting for you dearest" ...etc. The poor postmaster
at that little Welsh sub PO where we had to phone them was very philosophical
as he steadfastly and dutifully wrote them out for hand-delivery. Was there
a hidden KGB meaning behind them? Was it a casual acquaintance gone serious?
Only the addressee would know.
I was tearing off and checking messages on the CBM channel one morning and
as I was counting the words in one, it's text stuck out. The sender was cabling
someone telling them that so-and-so was 'reaching on 24th' and they were
to tell the immigration authorities that the new arrival was his brother.
I handed this one up to my supervisor who made a phone call.
Department EH, part of the War Department in WWII and later merged with SOE
was where traffic census duties were carried out. E.H. was conveniently situated
close to the Chancery system in Holborn and speculation was that it was connected
to E.H. through the underground part of the sub-basement. This was quite
an erie place being below river level with watertight doors every so often.
One telegram messenger lad was given a P18 (Please explain) note by the
supervisor as to why he took so long to deliver a telegram. His reply was
that he was only told 'to hurry back' and not to hurry
there!
On our 3 direct outgoing teleprinter channels designated BMC, BMD, BMV and
a fourth which I can't remember, we punched the traffic on 7P's, known to
us as by the Creed designation, the Perforator 45.
The racket half a dozen of these in full swansong was almost unbearable to
instrument room visitors. Conversing with your fellow operator on the adjacent
channel was nigh-on impossible except for getting out of one's seat, walking
over and shouting into his ear.
We fed the 5-unit chadless slip straight into the rubbish bins, no messing
about with us, otherwise folk milling around would tread on it, creasing
or breaking it causing the operator untold grief later with attempts to splice
together the ripped halves.
