An urgent appeal
I’ve just returned from Texas to find that the world may be ending. Patrick’s beloved Woodstock typewriter, owned since he was nine and used for every one of his books, is finally giving up the ghost. With only his two middle fingers, he could type accurately on it at 90 words a minute and it was a terrifying sight. Patrick describes its finest moment:
“NASA were producing a book about the Moon. I was asked to write the chapter on lunar transient phenomena, which I did. I then had a letter back from the NASA editor. ‘Dear Patrick. Thank you for your chapter: it is exactly right. Right length, right attitude, right references. I am delighted with it, and it will go straight to press. Also congratulations – you are the first author to send in his chapter.’ Underneath, in pencil : ‘What the bloody hell did you type it on?’ Sadly, it now needs the services of an expert mechanic. Unfortunately they all seem busy with trifling things such as sending rockets to the Moon. I have had to put everything on hold. Help!”
If you can help Patrick’s poor typewriter, please get in touch. (But you might want to beware a mob of angry publishers – they’ve been waiting for Patrick to convert to a word processor for decades.).
on January 14th, 2008 at 6:11 pm
I did a quick search on Google and there is a typewriter repair place in Selsey! This link will take you to the page, then look under United Kingdom for Benhams Office Equipment:
http://staff.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters/tw-repair.html
Geoff
on January 14th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
You could also check on eBay – there is a Woodstock typewriter available (in the U.K.), no bids as yet, and it appears to be in working condition but needs a clean.
Geoff
on January 14th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Thanks Geoff – the typewriter needs more than Benhams can do, sadly. I’ll check ebay, though (although I definitely get the sense that it’s getting *this* typewriter fixed that matters!).
on January 14th, 2008 at 9:33 pm
You may be able to use parts from the machine from eBay to fix Patrick’s machine (depending on what the problem is).
Maybe he’ll have to bite the bullet and upgrade to a Mac
Geoff
on January 15th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
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on January 15th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
It is important the original is preserved but will need the parts as Geoff says from the ebay machine so to find a repair man try this publication:
http://staff.xu.edu/~polt/typewriters/etc.html
If all else fails maybe someone in that department of the Science Museum could help.
Good Luck!
on January 15th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Oops just realised it’s the same link as Geoff’s, oh well great minds and all that…………..
on January 16th, 2008 at 4:46 am
Geoff – Buying a Mac would be DOWNgrading.
Chris – what exactly is the problem? Might spark some ideas…..
on January 17th, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Hi,
I have a old but fully working C600 laptop patrick can have. I have also a laserjet 6L printer going spare if he would like that.
Chris
on March 28th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Just phoned my old friend Sir Patrick, who used to be my house master at school in 1947. He had his 86th birthday on 4th March. Unfortunately Patrick is now unable to use his renowned 1937 Woodstock as his hands are too weak, so much to his dislike he has had to resort to a computer keyboard. He is as active and chirpy as ever tapping away with two fingers as usual on another book after having been quite ill earlier in the year.