Family Firm Sold After 70 Years

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31864, 17 December 1968, Page 3

Family Firm Sold After 70 Years

When Mr Angus Donaldson started a public typewriting and duplicating business in Christchurch 70 years ago, he little dreamed that it would be carried on after his death, largely through the efforts of his daughter.

But now the business has been sold, and Miss May Donaldson, who has worked in it for 40 years, will retire at the end of the year. Mr Donaldson started the business when he was studying to be a law clerk. He had graduated from writing documents with a quill pen tensing a typewriter, and did public typing in his spare time. Soon he went into business full-time, in two small rooms in Chancery Lane. Typing and duplicating services were so mueh in demand that Mr Donaldson soon employed a girl to help him. His two daughters eventually joined him, but one later married. Miss May Donaldson has stayed with the business since she left school, and has managed it for about 25 years. Her father died 10 years ago, at the age of 88. The offices were moved from Chancery Lane when the business expanded. They were in the National Airways Corporation's former building, and then in the Regent Theatre building. A year ago, they were moved back to four rooms in the old N.A.C. headquarters in Gloucester Street The business had grown enormously, Miss Donaldson said yesterday. The staff in-

creased to three full-time and one part-time employees. “It has always been a family concern. Everyone has to help out when we are very busy. My mother, who is 83, has been helping with checking and folding for years," said Miss Donaldson. Looking back, she does not think she would ever take on the work again. “It is always such a rush. People bring work in to us when they are too busy to cope themselves, and want it back in a hurry. But it has been fun in many ways." Miss Donaldson was able to do 160 words a minute in Pitman’s shorthand when she

first started work for her father. Typing at high speed came easily. Shorthand was rarely in demand these days, she said. The staff now used a tape recorder or took dictation on a typewriter. Miss Donaldson visited England and Europe a few years ago. After her retirement, she hopes to have more time for golf and bridge. The Angus Donaldson typewriting, duplicating and addressing business will retain its name when the new owners take over next year. The picture shows Miss Donaldson at work yesterday.