My Father, Roger Lines, managed to land his dream job of working for the Forestry Commission in Edinburgh, after gaining a First Class Honours degree in Forestry from Bangor.
He wrote home after his first day at work (I will update this if I can work out when that was), to update his parents.
Atholl Hotel
Rothesay Place
Edinburgh 3.
Mon. Evening
Dear M&D,
Just a few more words to let you know how things progress.
Work. Seemingly should prove fascinating, I can pick my own field within limits, people I have to work with are most kind & helpful. They abhor red tape and no one has ever mentioned such a thing as working hours yet. They are approx 8.30 to 5.30 but no one worries. My pay should be about £635 p.a. and on my numerous trips I get 3 7/6d per day on top of my normal pay.
Car I shan’t need to buy one or use my motor bike as there is a brand new Hillman with glistening paint on tap, but I shall need to be able to drive it sometime.
I am going out tomorrow to a meeting of all the Conservators & some D.O.s of Scotland so I shall be in a unique position. Half my job at first is to get on the right side of these boss men as they can make life difficult if by annoying them you have to go through official channels.
Digs Mr Gray cannot have me, its all a big mistake as he has two chn. to look after as well. He has given me an invite to come up tho’
I shall definitely be coming down in July as we have a conference at Alice Holt then, but may possibly come down before. I don’t really know yet.
My boss M.V. Edwards has invited me to tea on Sunday. Another couple who are staying here have also invited me up their new house when they are settled in so the old charm is being brought to bear.
I have my own office with chair, table IN & OUT trays, telephone and blotter but nothing else.
Cheers Roger
Notes
Alice Holt is the Southern research institute of the Forestry Commission. My Grandparents would later move to Medstead, not far away.
There has clearly been a plan that my father would take lodgings with Mr Gray, but these seem to have fallen through, which is why he is staying at the Atholl Hotel for the time being. This hotel does not appear to be around any more, but I suspect was chosen as being available, and probably cheap.
I remember my father did ride his motor bike all round the country, visiting forests and meeting the local lairds, as Forestry was part of the governments plan to combat depopulation of the countryside by encouraging planting of forests.