I think this feeling was more widely reflected among those of his brothers too though undoubtedly most acutely by him.
He would in quieter moments speak of the days of working at Harrison & Sons, and the pride in his eyes was always noticeable, as was the regret of the course that events transpired.
Those days that you worked there were my grandmother’s fondest of all, for sure.
Thus, despite pursuing a career in print art sales and various other things, in 1997 when he was only 72 years old he suffered a second stroke which he did not survive.
His wife, my grandmother Christine, is however one of the most remarkably healthy and active 85 year-old you are likely to meet, and is still going very strong!
Despite the financial difficulties the family suffered in the aftermath of losing the family firm, my father Mark went on to become a very successful investment banker, and thus my own
upbringing has been one of rather more privilege than my father’s, who literally could not afford to rent his university gown on graduation in Leeds and thus did not attend the ceremony before going to work at Standard Chartered Bank in Dubai, where I was born, and then Japan, where my brother Ben was born.
The emotional impression of a family wealth in decline did however affect my father in the most enduring of ways, and this in turn definitely had an impact on my brother and I.
Specifically, watching his parents move from a position of wealth to one of barely having enough to manage, and constantly having to move into smaller houses until his death in 1997
(his last move was 1995 I believe) and the toll it took on his pride was something that instilled a great fear of financial loss in my father. Thus, while my brother and I have attended private schools and been accustomed to some privilege, Dad brought us up to always value what we receive and to work extremely hard for it, and was careful never to spoil us even if such was
par for the course among our social peers. Like all of the Harrisons, my parents was a very happy and supportive marriage until my mother died this summer of breast cancer, which has
obviously thus far been the greatest challenge for Dad. However, we are a close and very loving family and I have no doubt that we will see him through this very tough period.
I myself went to Oxford University - the first Harrison yet I believe to do so- and then to business school in Norway to study an MBA, and subsequently to New York
where I studied a Master’s in Business & Economic Reporting at NYU. I went into financial journalism, where I have worked as a writer for the Wall Street Journal, Washington Post,
Forbes and others. In this sense perhaps I have in some sense kept that connection to the original business of the printers, as many of the challenges and in particular the commercial opportunities related to this line of work have to do obviously with getting away from the printed press and moving towards the online spectre, something I embraced very early on.
I have lived in
My bother is a music producer and lives in
I felt that reading your account of Harrison & Sons that you had done a considerable kindness to the family in that you had left a piece of its living history in archive from the point of view
of someone who counts - namely, an employee, and in this respect I feel in some way bound to thank you for your work for the firm during its better and not-so-bright days, as the period in which you worked there counted towards many of my grandfather’s happiest memories. For that indeed, you ought to feel very good.
Perhaps in the accompanying picture you will notice a little of our family genetics shining through in the features, although I also take after my mother a lot too.
Sincerely Yours,
Daniel Harrison
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2. My Apprenticeship Indentures.
THE APPRENTICESHIP INDENTURE of JOHN NEVILLE BARCOCK. 19/10/1956
Transcript from the original document made 12/1/2015
THIS INDENTURE made on the Nineteenth day of October One thousand Nine Hundred and Fifty-Six BETWEEN COLLOGRAVURE LTD.,
of St. Martin's Lane, W.C.2 in the County of London (hereinafter called "The Master") of the first part and
JOHN NEVILLE BARCOCK of 6, Highfield Road Northampton in the County of Northamptonshire (hereinafter called "The Apprentice") of the second part and
WILLIAM GEORGE BARCOCK, of 6 Highfield Road, Northampton in the County of Northamptonshire (hereinafter called "The Parent") of the third part
WHEREAS the Apprentice has agreed to bind himself and the Master has agreed to accept him as an Apprentice upon conditions hereinafter mentioned
NOW THIS INDENTURE WITNESSETH that in consideration of the covenants and agreements entered into by the Parent and Apprentice to say that
he (The Master) will take and receive the Apprentice as his Apprentice for the term of five years to be computed from the 19th Day of October 1956
AND will also during the said term to the best of his knowledge and ability teach and instruct or cause to be taught and instructed the Apprentice
in the trade or business of the Photogravure Process appertaining to the preparation of all etched work up to its completion
AND that he the Master will pay the Apprentice wages at the rates and in the manner following that is to say
For the First year £3.7s.9d. For the Third year £6.4s.6d.
For the Second year £4.10s6d. For the Fourth year £7.7s.0d.
For the Fifth year £8.9s.9d.
Provided nevertheless that in the event of the Apprentice being at any time incapacitated by disease or disablement in respect of which he would be entitled to
"Sickness or Disablement benefit" under the National Insurance Act of 1911 The Master shall not be liable to pay the wages of the Apprentice in respect of the
period of such incapacity and it is hereby agreed between the Parties that a proportionate part of the wage may be withheld by the Master for any time lost
through non-attendance of the Apprentice during the working hours hereinafter set out AND the Master shall and will allow the Apprentice at least two weeks
consecutive holiday in each year of the said term during the summer without a suspension or reduction of wages for such time AND in consideration of the
covenants and agreements hereinbefore contained on the part of the Master the parent does hereby place and bind the Apprentice and the Apprentice with the
consent of the Parent doth hereby place and bind himself with and to the Master and obey and perform all his lawful and reasonable commands and requirements
and shall not do any damage or injury to the Master or his goods or knowingly suffer the same to be done without acquainting him therewith
HE shall not waste the goods of his said Master nor shall he buy or sell or engage himself for remuneration in spare time during his Apprenticeship
HE shall not absent himself from his Master's service unlawfully but in all things shall conduct himself as an honest and faithful Apprentice ought to do
AND for the consideration aforesaid the Parent doth hereby covenant and agree with the Master that the Apprentice shall work in the Master's business from the
hour of 8 in the morning to the hour of 5 in the evening on Mondays Tuesdays Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays and that in the case the Apprentice shall be
asked to work before or after the said hours such work shall be considered overtime and shall be paid for at a rate proportionate to the wages then payable to the
Apprentice
IN WITNESS whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first before written
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