Keyboard Memories

I was at a meeting in the Citizen M Hotel in the centre of Glasgow, and amongst the various items of decor were two collections of items that brought back memories - film projectors and typewriters.

I recall using this lightweight type of machine on several occasions , though who had it I can't recall.   My extra photo shows a more substantial portable version and my father owned  one just like it, which I borrowed when I went to University, having been taught to type in my last year at school (1969) , which was one of the most useful skills I ever acquired given the  prevalence of computers as I grew older. 

Strangely  at that time only a minority of young people  got the chance to learn that skill as "commercial" as it was called was usually only  a subject available to those who were going on to be secretaries and typists, as they were called though some people who wanted to be journalists also took it.   I got the chance because I had a spare slot in my sixth year timetable at Marr College and my father, who was also a touch typist , persuaded me that it would be invaluable.  He was right. 

It seems bizarre now but as late as the early 80s I worked with someone in a management role in an organisation who refused to countenance having a computer on her desk, as she was "not  going to become a typist, thank you very much!"