Law Society’s Gazette, March 1950

H. Nevil Smart, C.M.G., O.B.E, J.P, President of the Law Society, reminiscing to students at the Society’s school of law.‘Another thing which may amuse you is that in those days [1902] the telephone was a comparatively recent innovation, and I felt very superior when, after I had been articled for a year, two articled clerks came to the office with university degrees, but neither of them had the faintest idea how to make a call on the telephone, which in those days was installed in the general office and partners had to go there to speak on the telephone, which they rarely did. I think our number was City 394.

‘Practically all our letters were written by hand, and there was no female staff of any kind. The male staff, as they grew older, used to slip out about 11am, and on their return it was quite evident that they had not been out for a morning cup of tea – and here I sympathise – but for a half-pint of beer which in those days had a far greater alcoholic strength than it has today. Also the cost was quite different… If I remember rightly, the cost of a haircut was sixpence [two and a half of today’s pennies], and you could get a shave for twopence [less than one modern penny].’