Secretarial skills

Southampton Row was Pitman's flagship college

London life down the Pit

I guess nowadays you'd try to get on reality TV or take off to warmer climes for a few gap years, but when London-RIP was growing up, the default option for girls without an obvious career path was a bit more prosaic - you became a secretary.

For this, you needed to learn shorthand and typing and the most established place to do so in London was Pitman's Secretarial College in Southampton Row. The Pitman organisation had other colleges both in London and outside, but this was its flagship, housing its admin as well as classrooms for the likes of us.

Stairway to secretarial skills

The building, which is in the next block from the Hotel Russell, looks pretty impressive from the outside. I went there circa 1980, and remember a rambling structure, about five storeys high with our classrooms at the top of a series of winding staircases - and no lift. As the lifts at Russell Square Tube station were often broken, mornings were pretty breathless affairs.

Home for Solanes

The secretarial students themsleves were an odd assortment of Sloaney types yah-ing their way through every course in London, girls filling in time before they went to college and a few people who actually wanted to be secretaries. The only man present was an ancient court stenographer who came in occasionally to demostrate his customised hieroglyphics to an audience who received his wisdom with varying degrees of interest.

We learned shorthand (2000), office skills, which we thought we were far too clever to benefit from, and touch typing (on nightmare, hair-trigger electric machines). I brushed up on the latter at Sight and Sound in Tottehnam Court Road, where they taught audio typing, and which is also long gone.

Dawning of a new era

Pitman closed the Southampton Row centre circa 1990, although the now-franchised training organisation has an outlet in High Holborn. It still teaches shorthand - as well as spreadsheets, IT etc, but I think the days of long, leisurely secretarial courses are gone, and I certainly don't come across many people who can do 2000 or New Era - it's all Teeline (pah!).

Myself, I was a lousy secretary but I can still touch type and do shorthand, which have, as my mother annoyingly predicted, come in incredibly useful. So those days toiling down the Pit weren't entirely wasted.

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Messages

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Message:	18/18
Date and time:	03/01/2010 at 20:26:48
Sender:	Chris W

I went to Pitman's College (Southampton Row) from September '57 until December '59 when Mr. M. Crehan was principal. At 14 years of age I had a 1-1/2 hour commute each way. I still remember most of my shorthand, although some of the short forms elude me. I emigrated to the USA in 1961 and worked as a nanny for a couple of years before obtaining a job as a secretary in Manhattan. I held that job for 5 years before getting married and moving to upstate New York. To this day, I still hold my palms above my fingers when typing on the computer. Old habits die hard, I guess. I wonder if that great Italian restaurant around the corner still exists. We had some great lunches there.

Message:	17/18
Date and time:	29/10/2009 at 07:55:51
Sender:	Pam ex M

I went there in 1948/49 and it was exactly the same. I was expected to become a secretary - get married - and produce grandchildren. All of which I did - except I married an Australian and moved to Australia. Again - my mother was right about one thing - my typing skills have come in very handy but when I found I only got 50c per hour more in the 60's/70's I told prospective bosses I could only type. I couldn't read the shorthand back anyway and why have a headache for the sake of an extra 50c per hour?

Message:	16/18
Date and time:	03/09/2009 at 01:58:26
Sender:	cj

I went to pitmans college london england form 1970 -1973. I would like to speak with anyone who when to college at that time. My english teacher was Mr. Gallerger also remember a Mrs. Morgan. send email to colmaxjes@hotmail.com

Message:	15/18
Date and time:	11/08/2009 at 13:26:00
Sender:	Yvonne

I learned secretarial skills (along with English A level and Principles of Law O level) at Tech College nearly 40 years ago(!). Although there isn't much call nowadays for shorthand, I do still choose to use it when minuting meetings. I still remember the outlines and I learnt Pitman "New Era", the best there ever was. Oh and I learnt touch typing on a manual typewriter or "steam" as it's not-so-fondly recalled.

Message:	14/18
Date and time:	23/07/2009 at 16:57:31
Sender:	LAN

I also went to Sight & Sound (1979 for 4 months) and got a job straight after 'graduating'. I taught myself Pitman Shorthand. After 30 years, I can still remember some of it and feel I want to pick it up again.

Message:	13/18
Date and time:	07/05/2009 at 16:26:14
Sender:	valerie ford

I went to Pitmans College in Ealing from 1952-1954 when a Pitman's training meant something to employers. Because I started there at only 13 I needed to continue with the 'grammar' course of general subjects, introducing me to Miss Manya Lichtenberg, the most wonderful English teacher who pushed a shy girl, me, to understand that I had something to say and do. I wonder if anyone out there remembers her. Shorthand was taught by Mr Shuker who liked to write his name in shorthand alongside the outline for 'sugar' - quaint. I have to say, I have never been out of a job in my life!

Message:	12/18
Date and time:	24/04/2009 at 02:35:38
Sender:	Did you see Susan Boyle?

pretentiously see sorrowful if the announce in the amiss improper but did you see Susan Boyle blow the whistle? OMG!!! the score with SIMON was in bowl over! This lady is wonderful! God extol her!!

Message:	11/18
Date and time:	22/04/2009 at 13:05:23
Sender:	Did you see that talent?

Did you see Simons cow on Brtiatn got flair when Susan Boyle stareted to blow the whistle? That was a eye-openerer for each! I v seen it hundred times already! lol

Message:	10/18
Date and time:	16/12/2008 at 13:16:54
Sender:	Grace Avuva,

Hi, i just wanted to know how i could obtain my degree in secretarial course online and am from africa i really want to upgrade myself online and i don't know how. Contact me through this e-mail address: bupe_mwalwanda@yahoo.com

Message:	9/18
Date and time:	06/06/2008 at 12:25:50
Sender:	Maryam Salemi

Well, for some reason I decided to google Pitman College and see if it still exists. My education at Pitman gave me a head start in the business world. leaving Iran in 1986, lived in California for 22 years made a great real estate business and now in New York City, having a great life, I do think about my Pitman's training that provided me with a great sense of ladylikeNESS! I often think about Ms. Mc Guire who taught at Pitman College sponsored by Chamber of Commerce in Tehran, Iran in late 70s! You can reach me at maryam@dickeyNYC.com