Wednesday 8th December 1937

"John Davidson” bought some Paripan paint at a Chelmsford ironmongers but alas! Credit for the order did not go to Stephen Dawson the ambitious representative for East Essex (but not, apparently, Chelmsford).

Reported by a polite P.C. in Chelmsford, for causing obstruction. Warned by another polite P.C. in Witham for the same thing. The law is hard on poor travellers, nowadays.

Another cosy port of call on my list now – The Commercial Café, Kelvedon – on the Witham-Colchester Road. A lorry drivers place. Very warm. Very cold on the road today, and very wet. Beastly draughty in the rattling Zephyr.

Peculiar interview with the Secretary of Wrights (Colchester) Ltd, Builders Merchants. One of the three new clients in Colchester recently gave Wrights as a trade reference. I rang them from Southend to confirm this and Mr Fisher (the Sec.) then mentioned the question of sales through merchants. Today’s interview was the result of that long distance call. My “prospect” was very courteous and friendly – yet Wrights is an old firm and not, so far as I know, in financial difficulties! So instead of flourishing colour cards and asking the buyer to “give us a trial”, I stressed the fact that we needed a stockist and one stockist only in Colchester, that we preferred to deal via the merchant, that the Paripan representative would gladly co-operate in obtaining business. And so forth. Will this method work? We shall see!