Thursday 1st June 1939

Rather a busy day in the Southend district, clearing-up things before going to Camp. 14 calls were scheduled but was only able to make 11 so deferred the others until my return. Two small payments; four orders; £11. Horder, Howards Dairies, the routine 3 gallon order which I’ve taken four times a year ever since coming on the road. Hazell, 5 gallons Egham Paint at 11/4d (special contract prices since last June). Desteese (Decorative Materials) always gives a tiny order if at all. (Last time it was a 2/- tin of distemper at trade less 33 1/3% ie 1/4d!) On this occasion, after ordering 4x1/2 pints Dryfast Bath Enamel – 8/-, he felt really ashamed and increased the order to about 20/- by also taking a stock of 12x1/2 pints All Purpose Varnish.
Taylor and Moon – builders posing as builders merchants. An ideal sale, worth about £6-5-0. Sat in Taylors office and did not need to argue whilst he looked dreamily through Piccadilly colour cards. Eventually he took 5 gallons at trade less 25%. He’s never had PHG before; originally tried our cheaper paints.

Among a bundle of colour cards under the desk I found a letter written him by head office in April 1937, thanking him for the first order (worth 8/3d). This was for U/Coat Paste. At the psychological moment I produced this letter – it obviously had not been read before! – and reminded him of the time when, amused at my eagerness and messy demonstration, he had given that first order. So he ordered 2x14lbs. U/coat Paste to come with the PHG order. After I’d chatted about old times a bit longer, mentioning the searching tests they’d applied and the fine results obtained from the U/Coat Paste, he increased this order to 8x14lbs! Then we looked around the shop, mutually agreed that a competitors goods were deplorable (Jenson and Nicholson) arranged to have some showcards etc and parted on excellent terms.