Bob Olsen photos #1 - Telex Department

Those who worked in Beagle House in London may remember Bob Olsen, a Senior Telecoms Analyst in the Computing & Telecommunications Department. Bob is sadly no longer with us, but his son Neil recently posted a number of his father's photographs on Facebook. Neil has very kindly given his permission for us to use these photographs here, on the PONL Heritage website. The first batch of photographs that we will look at show some of Bob's colleagues who were key to our ability to communicate with our ships and offices areound the world...

Stan Chalk was Bob's manager. Stan has taken a look at Neil's photographs and provided the following text to go with them, along with a number of names:

"Before the advent of email, and its forerunner, all global written electronic communication was by Telex (TELegraph EXchange). Telex also had legal status, tested in law. One of the first few employees of the fledgling OCL was a Telex Operator.

The Telex Department was situated on BH4. It was for many years in Office Services until Telecommunications was merged with Computer Services Division (CSD) which was re-named Computing and Telecommunications Division (CTD).

The Telex Department was continually manned from midnight on Sundays till midday on Saturdays by four shifts of six staff - each shift comprised of one Supervisor, one Shift Leader and four Operators. There were also some day staff. The department was managed by the Telex Controller. At the time of these pictures this position was held by myself, Stan Chalk (later Telecommunications Manager of an enlarged department which now included Telephonists and Voice Services; later still General Manager, European Hub and subsequently General Manager IT Procurement)."

Photograph 1: Peter Brockwell (Telecoms Analyst).

Photograph 2: Debbie (surname TBC) - notable as the first female Shift Leader.

Photograph 3: Clockwise from back left: Lester Burke, Shift Leader; Paul Lydon, Telecoms Analyst; Yvonne Cumberbatch, Telex Operator and Debbie (surname TBC), Shift Leader.

Photograph 4: Clockwise from back left: Chas Bonnici, Shift Leader (Later a Supervisor); TBC1; Paul Lydon; Wendy Carr; Jean Lebonne, Shift Supervisor, Bill (surname TBC) Telex Operator; Debbie (surname TBC) Shift Leader2

Photograph 5: Bill (surname TBC), Telex Operator; Pauline Hodge, Telex Operator.

Stan Chalk

Can you help with any of the missing names? If you can then please send an email to ponlheritage@gmail.com.

Many thanks to Neil for giving his kind permission to use his father's photographs, and to Stan for his text.