Biography of Malcolm Archbald SMITH
[Ref. S.1]
| George Wimpey & Co |  |
Dinner Dances |
Biography of Malcolm Archbald SMITH
[Ref. S.1]
| George Wimpey & Co | |
Dinner Dances |
When Malcolm joined Wimpey, Hamish Thew, an office colleague, was tasked with guiding him in the procedures of the office until he found his feet. The two became firm friends and would often meet up after work. They did not have enough money to go to the pub too often so they would meet once a week at Malcolm's digs at 9 Beverley Gardens in Barnes to play chess. They would drink stout and cider mixed in a teapot, being the largest vessel available - a bit like a speakeasy. On other occasions, Malcolm would meet Hamish and his girlfriend Priscilla at his flat in South Kensington and they would go out for a drink.
When he had been with Winpeys for a year, Malcolm volunteered to represent the company in a friendly rugby match. It was played at the London Irish ground and Malcolm suddenly found out how unfit he had become since leaving school.
Malcolm moved digs to Elm Bank Gardens near to Barnes railway bridge but was not there long. He fell out with the landlady when he invited a work colleague to sleep on the floor after thay had been put for a drink and he did not want to ride his motorbike. Malcolm then took digs jointly with Hamish in Clanricard Gardens in Notting Hill Gate. It ws a cul-de-sac of high buildings so it tended to be noisy. However, Malcolm was only there a few months before returning home when he started work for Department 18 on the building sites
The company held an annual dinner dance and Malcolm attended each year.
Having moved to the Southampton office in 1965, Malcolm made new friends of whom the principal was Dave Johnson. The two get on really well and they and their wives used to visit each other regularly and also go on holiday together.
There was a habit of card playing at lunchtime in the office which became almost compulsive. On occasions they would adjourn to a pub a play there. Malcolm also played chess with Dave Veal who sat next to him in the office and they would even play during working hours with the chess set secreted in a drawer.
The Southampton started a golf league which recognised beginners by allowing the handicap to start at 27. Malcolm used his grandfathers clubs and started playing regularly each Thursday at the Southampton Municipal course with the two Daves and one other. They were all equally as bad as each other so they had a well balanced game, however, one of their number started to improve and subsequently ceased playing with the group. Malcolm and Dave Johnson played on a clifftop course in Carlyon Bay in Cornwall whilst on holiday but had to give up before the end as they had lost all their balls.
There was a great camaradarie in the office and practical jokes were not uncommon. One lunchtime, Dave Johnson was called away having just started his lunch and having taken one bite out of the corner of a pie. Malcolm cut a piece of cardboard to fit under the crust inside the pie, witnessed by others in the office. When Dave came back and took another bite, he found the cardboard and everyone in the office expressed their amazement and disgust then encouraged him to send it back to the manufacturer. He agreed enthusiastically and wrapped it up with a letter of complaint. It was only when he was about to take the parcel to the post room that Malcolm gave the remainder of the cardboard and showed him where a piece had been cut out. Dave took it very well.
The Southampton office also had an annual dinner which was held in a local venue. These were always well attended and generally good fun.
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