Nelson Reunion
1999/188 Nelson workers’ reunion, held at Napier University on 15 December 1999, chaired by Heather Holmes and David Finkelstein
000 Introduction of SAPPHIRE members; organisation of SAPPHIRE
078 Festivities and rites of passage; observance of Christmas
092 Working on Christmas day
101 Holiday at New Year
107 Presents of oranges
113 Christmas lunch in the Institute; buying food for Christmas lunch
124 Welfare and looking after women; house at Penicuik
130 Playing of sports activities in canteen; institute; clubs
143 Size of canteen; concerts and dances; food and prices
153 Christmas dance; nature; location; tickets
170 Ronnie Nelson at dances; drink; size of Christmas dance
189 Whist drives on a Friday night
197 Holidays at New Year
213 No events to celebrate Hogmanay; long term service; giving of long term service awards; one woman did not want to reveal her age
229 Drinking at Hogmanay
239 Office got Christmas day off; Mr Nelson came around office staff
252 Ronnie Nelson; his clothing; interest in trains
260 Royal visit to Nelsons and presentation of Buchan book to her
271 Royal visit; folklore; workers jockeying for good positions
293 Willie Allison losing his fingers
308 Accidents; cutting off fingers
315 Royal visit; cleaning up factory
338 Visits around the factory; visit by Roy Thomson
342 Thomson and asset stripping of firm
349 Printers’ Gala; location; sports league
361 Sports facilities
369 Willie Allison in folklore; work after his accident
391 Development of machines in Nelsons; work career of Willie Allison after his accident
409 Work history; age of old workers; physical activities of old people
434 Rotaries; washing up; development of washing up facilities for rotaries; opinion of workers
446 Development of Nelsons own machinery; invention of a rotary
453 Nelsons technologically advanced; printing methods
456 Invention of platemaking in foundry; staff names and positions in foundry
468 Printing of Revised Standard Version of the Bible; printing
474 Invention of Nelson bed; description of bed; use of bed
483 Difficulties in printing the Bible; running speed
493 Early printing machine located in South Hall; location
503 Printing of Bible; monotony; distribution; printing of books in Swahili
516 Technological developments in the bindery; development of pressing unit; operation of sig machine
532 Level of technology in nelsons and comparison with other firms; comparison with Morrison and Gibb; demand for labour in bookbinding department
541 Nelsons visited Preston Street School to get prospective employees; demonstrated bookbinding; reputation of Nelson’s work; history of one worker; could not start new apprentices during the war
555 Nelson workers went to Morrison and Gibb
556 War time employment; non-starting of new apprentices
558 Move between Nelsons and other firms; comparison of different firms
560 No female compositors; female compositors in other firms; women and invalids could finish work early
573 Working late; supply of buses and a bus service
580 Insurance money
588 Work hours and holidays
596 National insurance money; pension scheme
608 Sick scheme in litho department; payment and payout
613 Payment of wages during sickness
619 1959 strike; picketing
635 Lunch supervision; canteen supervision; fly in soup
648 Attitudes towards office and factory floor workers
653 Wage levels of printers
651 Distinction between journeymen and labourers; distinction; status of labourers; own chapel
671 Treatment of labourers in bindery; separate chapel outings
677 Nelson shop, selling of sweets; ordering of sweets, cakes and shortbread
694 Auxiliary section; collection of money
704 Summer trip
708 Distinction between the apprentices and journeymen; relations and discontent; mixing between the two groups; noted journeymen; social mixing; social activities from chapel funds; drinking bouts
757 Chapel outings; dispersal of chapel money
762 Funds and subscriptions
775 Socialising between office and factory floor; situations and effects; summer trip
789 Summer trip; location; continuation
798 Apprentices encouraged to join bowling club; borrowing money from journeymen; social activities
822 Subscriptions for people getting married; chapping in a woman; customs; hen nights; noted subscriptions; Christmas subscription box by youngest apprentice; sharing of contributions
866 Method of payment of wages; distribution of wages; wage tins; secrecy of wages between husband and wife
887 Distribution of wages; method
898 Time for holding chapel meetings; collection of union dues
911 Extent of union membership; recording of overtime; attendance at branch meetings; fining for non-attendance
914 Level of attendance at chapel meetings; importance of attendance
918 Chapel meetings; location; rate of payment; raising of dues
937 Decline in printing industry; 1959 strike
944 Strike of 1959; activities during strike
956 Impact of strike of 1959; newspaper production during strike; nature of strike; effect of strike on workers
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