Monday, February 21, 2011

Letters From Abroad - Settling in

Nov 24th 1967 Friday
Mr. & Mrs. P Schultz                                    Mrs. G Wrightson
72 Derwent St                                               186 London RD
Island Bay                                                     Twickenham
Wellington NZ                                               Middlesex UK

Dear Sandy and Pete

Do hope you can read this but I’ve tried to fit everything in.

Just received your letter, I’ve only just got home from work..It's 10 TO 6. Bit different that about 5 at home.
First day at work in new Glad Rags

I have now completed 2 weeks at Unilever and so everything seems to be going all right. Lab staff the same as home. All young and Colin would have a fit. We spend all day talking. Research is different than analytical.
You do something and have to wait a couple of hours till it is finished.
So you spend those 2 hours talking. So Colin should find he’s really well off with this hardworking Petone Staff.
Here are those Hard working Petone Staff

The Hardworking Staff also put on their Costumes and entertained the Children of the Staff at Xmas
Sandy and yours truly taking samples

Honestly talk about over employment. In my first week I don’t think I did more than about a total of 2 hours work. And guess who’s famous and is now a film star.
Of course, your hero. I spent the morning filming with only me and the Instron, which is an instrument for breaking strains on hair.
Unfortunately it won’t be going into cinemas. It is a Unilever film.
Who knows when the product we are dealing with comes into New Zealand you might see me. Boy it’s hard work though.
Hot lights, and repeating the same sequence, several times.
We finished about 12.30 and went to the local pub for a shout for someone who left today so we stayed till about 2.10 and slowly went back to work. Great even had my lunch paid for and all my drinks. This pub isn’t like the one I wrote to you about.
We do have a pub in the firm. There are clubrooms where you can buy pies, sausage rolls, play table tennis, snooker, darts, listen to music or play cards (bridge mind you) and just sit and relax.
I never bother to drink alcohol for lunch it’s not worth it, but you can if you want, I think I mentioned before that I work in the Shampoo and Skin section, which employs about 10 grads and 10 assistants.
The rest of the place is nearly all labs and they deal with basic research, Radio chemistry, dental care, biochemistry and anything dealing with Toilet Preps. Oh I forgot, there is also a canteen where you buy (oh I just burnt the bacon, I forgot it was in) a cooked meal either 1/9 or 2/6.
Scotch Eggs 1/9, grilled lamb chops and tomatoes 2/6.
Chips or boiled potatoes every day, Very satisfactory,
We are having a competition at the club on Tuesday night with the Organic Lab, I am in the Tiddley Winks team. 2/6 each and bangers and Baked Potatoes for supper, quite good. The crowd is good. Quite mad and we have a lot of fun.
The Fun Staff at Unilever Isleworth

Next week I hope I have a project to do on hair conditioners so it should keep me busy. I hope so as the day goes slow when you haven’t any work to do.
Dale’s work is quite good but I don’t think he is very happy there.
All very pompous and ex public school;. You can imagine it. He should be home soon. Hey guess what, my first day I arrived late. Got on the wrong train ended up miles from anywhere. Finally arrived about 9.30, not a bad start!
Well all your plans for Auckland seemed great. I don’t envy you moving though. What a job. I hate the thought of us coming home.
Boy you will end up nuttier, working on your own. I bet you are looking forward to going though.
You’ll be so much closer to relatives.
I know about Jackie, Jan wrote me. Also Glenys said Graeme Martin is getting married in March. It is shame about Jackie but I think it is for the best.
Funnily enough I was going to write to Colin and tell him about my job,
but seeing as I got your letter I thought I’d tell you. Tell him I will write in a couple of weeks when I’ve got something different to say.
Send my love to everyone, Bruce, Dave Williams, Roy, Owen etc.
Also send my regards to Miss Forbes.
We had a fabulous night last Saturday. The Ships Reunion.
Over 100 turned up. We took over a Pub by Kings Cross Station. Everyone got boozed. A real NZ Party. Loud.
Haven’t seen Tim for a couple of weeks. We haven’t got a car now but we intend buying a mini very shortly. So we can’t visit anyone at the moment. Oh they are just showing the All Blacks playing the French, we were going to see them in Paris tomorrow but we changed our minds
It was going to cost us about £20 for one day and we wouldn’t be able to see anything so we though we’d go over for a weekend with Rikki and Terry, (this couple we’re friendly with), in a couple of weeks.

We are thinking of spending a week in Austria in January. The weather here has been good the last 2 weeks. NO RAIN but fairly cold. All Blacks won of course. Haven’t lost a game yet. Fabulous team We are very proud.
Things are getting tougher here what with devaluation etc. How’s it at home? Well you two, best of luck for moving, send us your address soon as possible. Hope I haven’t told you things I’ve said before but I write so many letters I don’t know who knows what
Love Gillian and Dale

PS
We have to work New Years Day too. No holidays here only Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

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