BUREAUCRACY

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Stanley
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BUREAUCRACY

Post by Stanley »

BUREAUCRACY

I have a lot of sympathy for anyone who has a run-in with a 'jobsworth'. Usually a minor official massaging his own ego (it's usually a man....) by sticking to the letter of the law when enforcing a regulation and at times being quite wrong in his interpretation. By extension this antipathy is often transferred to bureaucracy in general and the Civil Service in particular. I think this is unfair and have a healthy respect for the arms of government I have had to do business with in the past in my conservation work, indeed some of them are still my friends. Given the freedom to act independently with no political interference they can be very helpful partners if you are reading from the same hymn sheet as them.
As soon as WW2 started it was realised that in order to survive the government had to take control of everything that affected society and industry to make sure that the country functioned as efficiently as possible and this involved taking actions that in time of peace would have been unthinkable. In other words, what could have been a Jobsworth's Charter! The miracle was that the country accepted this because it was seen as common sense and as time went on, onerous though wartime regulations were, they were very fair and efficient. One area I came across was what they did when they realised that the enemy knew where our main defence industries were located and would target them by bombing. The solution was to move the industries out of range to secret locations. We didn't realise it at the time but some very important decisions were to be made which altered the course of history for Barlick and Earby.
By mid 1940 the Rover Company were acting as contractors to the Ministry of Aircraft Production (MAP). One of their main jobs was reconditioning aero engines. Rovers was controlled by two brothers, Spencer Wilks who was managing director and Maurice Wilks who was Chief Engineer. They recognised the fact that the Luftwaffe knew where the Coventry factory was and it was only a matter of time before they were plastered. In September 1940 Spencer reported to the board at Rover that he had met the MAP and they agreed that Rover had to set up shadow factories immediately in premises which they would find and MAP would requisition for the duration of the war.
Bernard Smith was appointed buyer and Stores controller for Rover Shadow Factories and he started his search in Lancaster. Having no luck there he cast his eyes over NE Lancashire and on 12 September 1940 put an advert in the Manchester Guardian which read: Factory Premises wanted. Ground floor area 300,000 square feet or thereabouts. Enquiries to A B Smith, c/o The County Hotel, Lancaster. He moved headquarters to the Black Horse in Skipton.
And there as usual I have run out of space. I'll tell you exactly what happened next week, it's a good story!

Image

A Sabre engine as rebuilt by Rover.
Stanley Challenger Graham
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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Whyperion
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Re: BUREAUCRACY

Post by Whyperion »

On Jobsworths
Nowadays (mainly in London) Officials from African Nations - particulary Ghana - seem to have the no-negiotiation streak as a cultural inheritance.
And Women (and Doctors Receptionists - all genders), can be likewise ( well certain temprements - eg There Is no Alternative, The Lady's Not for Turning).

I'm no Areo engine expert , but was not one of the UK problems that Carburation Aspiration and fuel feed systems were used, whereas German engines became designed to use fuel injection systems - which gave higher altitudes, higher speeds and flying inverted/climbing easier?
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Stanley
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Re: BUREAUCRACY

Post by Stanley »

Bumped. At a time when we are relying totally on the Civil Service to keep the country going while the Tories have their internal squabble and Leader election this becomes topical even though it describes what happened over 80 years ago.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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Stanley
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Re: BUREAUCRACY

Post by Stanley »

Worth reading again. The government is not a lot of use at the moment, everything they touch turns into a squabble!
Stanley Challenger Graham
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"Beware of certitude" (Jimmy Reid)
The floggings will continue until morale improves!
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