And are you being served?
IT WAS with interest that I read in TC 17/8, of Pigott & Co reunion to be held August 31.
In December 1951, I became an indentured apprentice (junior shop assistant) to the trade of “General Draper” at Pigott & Co Toowoomba, and commenced work in the “boys wear” section under instruction from my cousin, senior sales person Tommy Karl. In that pre-plastic bag era, one soon gained practical experience in parcelling purchased goods in wrapping paper secured with string. The apprenticeship included theory examinations in salesmanship, display, economic geography and applied psychology. Tuition and examinations were conducted by correspondence.
Looking back, one can liken 1950s Pigott & Co to the television series Are you being served. Floorwalkers, Mr Jack Gaynor and Mr Herbie Monks were ably represented by Captain Peacock; Mr FJ (Frank) Pigott (who took over the firm in 1927) in 1950 had a shock of white hair, and greeted staff as a much more sprightly “young Mr Grace”.
Daily staff attendance was recorded by their “punching the bundy”, by rotating centrally pivoted arm in a circular frame to locate a pin into a designated (staff number) hole and pushing/punching it to record the time and staff number on paper fixed to a cylindrical drum inside a glass paned wooden cabinet. This was later replaced by a card in slot system.
Sales dockets were dispatched to central accounting section via Lampson pneumatic tubes, monthly account dockets secured by spring clip, cheques requiring change in closed containers. The introduction of Pigotts Budget Accounts (PBA credit system) resulted in printing of the firm’s own currency.
In 15 years, I progressed through soft furnishings, under direction of another cousin, Mr Reg Taylor (Pigotts sewing room made window curtains to measure, and also undertook clothing alteration), floor coverings and men’s needs.
In 1966, I left Pigott & Co employment for what I considered a better chance of personal advancement in the public service.
JOHN LARKIN, Toowoomba