Introduction
This is an account of my working life, written in case any of my relatives or friends might be interested. I certainly enjoyed writing it and you might find some of it entertaining - if not it might help if you suffer from insomnia. So far, I have written the story as far as 1986 when I moved to Lytham St. Annes. More is to follow after I have completed other projects.
I was born almost nine months to the day after my father returned from Germany at the end of WW2, so I am of the 'Baby Boomer' generation. To readers from later generations that think we have had an easy time of it I call BULLSHIT. We have lived through rationing, the Cold War, smog, 15% interest rates, the dreadful music that preceded Rock and Roll and Margaret Thatcher.
"The Good old days?". Yer 'avin a larf!
OK - I feel better after that so let's get on with it. I left school at 19 without a clue as to what to do with my life and drifted between jobs until I was in my 30s, when I finally discovered my forte. I started full-time work after leaving school and continued until a little after my 66th birthday with a three-year break at University. Most people think I have always worked in IT, but the sordid truth is revealed on these pages.
Mostly I enjoyed my time at work. Over the years I worked with hundreds of people and liked most of them. There were a few exceptions including fascists and several prize idiots - mostly senior managers. To avoid potential embarrassment or offence, I have mainly used first names in my accounts. I also interviewed many thousands of people while working for the DHSS.
The pages are arranged in chronological order with links to next/previous pages at the foot of each page but use the menu if you want to jump about. The next page has the cryptic title PADDOCK for reasons that will be explained. It describes my first full-time job as a Scientific Assistant at the Post Office Research Station at Dollis Hill in London.
Brian Watson
Date: 14 March 2026