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« on: Thursday 27 November 08 21:45 GMT (UK) »
Hi all
The letter is dated 10 years after my grandad retired, so he kept his skills. He was a committee clerk for the local authority, and took the minutes of council meetings. I guess there still are people who do that, so shorthand should not be dead quite yet.
I have his school reference which said he had studied 'on the commercial side,' gave his shorthand speed (age around 16) as 'nearly one hundred words a minute.' Is that fast? It also said that he had a rudimentary knowledge of the typewriter. I was intrigued that this was taught to boys in about 1905. I thought it would be the prerogative of girls - but I guess that came later.
He was called up for World War 1 and seems to have come home early in 1919. However, he was then sent back to France and not discharged until 1920, so I am guessing that his skills were required, perhaps in the clerical side of clearing things up in Europe.
I will certainly keep the letter , and its translation. It has made me think about a few things, even though it is superficially uninteresting.
Thanks again
Harlemswife