Curious title because it is. Pelham refers to none other than one of my fave authors P.G. Wodehouse. That his career took off has something to do with an officer that gave him his first jobs at the HSBC or Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. In part because his pop (PG's not the officer's) who was a HK magistrate pulled some proverbial strings (may be they were on his robe or his hat that he wore when on the job).
The very bank at the heart of a recent price fixing/financial mumbo jumbo scandal as reported by a newspaper called the Guardian (feel good newspaper run by the Brits no less). I researched this interesting tale further and came upon published propaganda material from HSBC that goes as follows -
Wodehouse’s career with the bank was short-lived and far from glittering; and yet memorable for all concerned. In his first year he was late for work on 20 days (excluding ‘foggy mornings’, which did not count) - a number only exceeded by two of his 56 contemporaries!
Whilst working for the bank, Plum began to develop his literary career. During his time at Lombard Street he wrote short stories, articles, lyrics, poems and jokes for dozens of magazines which were then trading in London. In 1902 he decided to take the plunge, leaving the bank to become a full-time writer.
As to his daily banking work, he later admitted in a memoir for HSBC’s staff magazine that:
He came up with a number of characters during this time and went on to publish what are now famous works.
Does not rank up there with Iran Contra or Snowden but is an interesting tale nonetheless - one surely the crumpets would have devoured over tea.
The very bank at the heart of a recent price fixing/financial mumbo jumbo scandal as reported by a newspaper called the Guardian (feel good newspaper run by the Brits no less). I researched this interesting tale further and came upon published propaganda material from HSBC that goes as follows -
Wodehouse’s career with the bank was short-lived and far from glittering; and yet memorable for all concerned. In his first year he was late for work on 20 days (excluding ‘foggy mornings’, which did not count) - a number only exceeded by two of his 56 contemporaries!
Whilst working for the bank, Plum began to develop his literary career. During his time at Lombard Street he wrote short stories, articles, lyrics, poems and jokes for dozens of magazines which were then trading in London. In 1902 he decided to take the plunge, leaving the bank to become a full-time writer.
As to his daily banking work, he later admitted in a memoir for HSBC’s staff magazine that:
‘‘If there was a moment in the course of my banking career when I had the remotest notion of what it was all about, I am unable to recall it. From Fixed Deposits I drifted to Inward Bills - no use asking me what Inward Bills are, I never found out….. My total inability to grasp what was going on made me something of a legend in the place.’’
He came up with a number of characters during this time and went on to publish what are now famous works.
Does not rank up there with Iran Contra or Snowden but is an interesting tale nonetheless - one surely the crumpets would have devoured over tea.
Einstein is also supposed to have survived a mundane job- relatively speaking!
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