Here’s a bit of trivia for you: the hubster’s workplace had a tea lady right up until June 30 this year.
That’s right – 2017!
I’m thinking that his was possibly the last workplace in the country to have one – certainly the ABC thought the last tea lady retired in 2015!
These days, Miss 20 also works for a government department in the city, just like her Mama did 30 years ago. And yet her experiences would be very different. My office memories include things like …
- The tea lady and her tea trolley. Each morning and afternoon, around 10am and 3pm, she would do the rounds delivering your cuppa of choice and even biscuits (did anybody have an office tea *man*?!). Oh, and the tea lady was usually not as young and attractive as the one in the pic above!
- We were paid in cash. Every fortnight two staff would do the walk through, handing out envelopes with actual cash in them. We used to have a lucky $2 competition – you’d write down the serial number of the $2 note you put in, and if yours was drawn from the hat, you got to keep half of the takings while the other half went to the social club.
- Typewriters. Sometimes I feel a bit nostalgic for the clack of typewriters, and the ping of the carriage return! Computer keyboards are much much quieter. (I’ve been told I type way too hard on my keyboard – a leftover from my typewriter days perhaps!).
- No computers. In a section of 10 people there would be only one computer. And not only that, it wasn’t a PC, but rather, a “dumb” terminal. If we wanted information from the computer database, we would put in a request and that afternoon or the next day a print out (from a dot matrix printer) would arrive at our desk.
- Respecting your elders. Bosses and management were called “Mr”, “Miss” or “Mrs” – never by their first names.
- Smoking in the workplace. If you were unfortunate enough to sit next to a smoker, you just had to put up with it. Gross.
- Mail call. Much of our work was generated by snail mail, delivered daily, rather than email. It was date stamped, and any business letters and memos were written by hand, before being passed on to the typist.
- No ID tag/access cards. Security? What security?! You just came and went from your workplace freely; you could even invite your partner or a friend in to visit your desk and meet your colleagues!
Does anybody else remember the tea lady, or any of these other office memories?
I grew up in South Africa and when I started work in 1983 we had a tea man! We used to look forward to the rattle of the tea trolley and he always served everyone with a smile and a chat?. I also remember one of my jobs was to work the telex machine! Really giving my age away now??
Haha yes and I remember using an old fashioned switch board at the firm where I did work experience!
Wish I had a tea lady to deliver me treats lol!
Not good for the waistline though as I’m sure your dad would agree!
Wow, I’m loving this insight into a time gone by (sorry – not trying to make you feel old haha).
It seriously feels like yesterday to me. Can’t believe it’s 30 odd years ago now!
interesting isn’t it to think back on how things were. I don’t think there was ever a tea lady in any of the places I worked. My first job I did have to deliver the mail to everyone around a 6 story building though, and pick up and distribute mail from their in and out trays. No email in those days!
Have a fabulous week and thank you for stopping by my blog last week.
Yes I remember doing that too Jill!