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Family-run Business
"I started working as a
Sales Representative
for John Glendinning & Sons,
plumbers' merchants,
in 1973 just before the beginning of Value Added Tax (VAT)."
The company
was
a family-run
business. They were exclusive agents
for Twyfords sanitary ware and had good sales of Elizabeth Ann
kitchens.
5 York
Place
"The
business was based at 5 York Place, formerly
St George's Episcopal Church
and now The Stand Comedy Club. It
was an amazing building inside with a large showroom
displaying both
bathrooms and kitchens.
Walking through from the front
to the back of the building led into the Trade Counter,
the best place in Edinburgh for hard-to-get
spare parts.
Leading out the back door took
you to the bottom of the bus
station where we were still able to park
- until the wardens arrived,
then it was a mad dash to get the cars away for a while."
The Crypts
"Being
a former church it was quite popular with tourists who would just
come in and wander around.
The upstairs
was not particularly interesting
to me. It contained stock and there
were offices. There was a
plaque or a window or something historic for the
tourists to look at. I have
no idea what bits they were interested in,
but they should have gone downstairs into the crypts.
We
were always fascinated by the layout
down there. The crypts were used for
storing heavy cast iron baths and other sanitary appliances.
There was a circular passageway and
another internal circular chamber.
We had to take the baths down
in the old lift and then 'walk' them into
the inner chamber leaving them upright until needed. By God,
they were heavy brutes!"
My Boss
"My
boss was very much 'old
school'. He was a bit stuck in his ways
but, to be fair he gave me a good
grounding for the rest if my career.
Edinburgh Branch Closed
"Glendinnings
eventually closed their Edinburgh Branch,
but continued to trade in Glasgow
for many years."
Sandy Sievwright, Penicuik,
Midlothian, Scotland: June 11, 2012" |