Introduction
Scottish engineer James Nasmyth, son of an Edinburgh artist, set up the Bridgewater Foundry in Patricroft, Salford, in 1836. He tells us in his Autobiography that in the competitive market of Victorian heavy industry, the key to success was making sure that his employees never wanted to work for anyone else.
I ALWAYS took care to make my foremen comfortable, and consequently loyal. A great part of a man’s success in business consists in his knowledge of character. It is not so much what he himself does, as what he knows his heads of departments can do. He must know them intimately, take cognisance of the leading points of their character, pick and choose from them, and set them to the work which they can most satisfactorily superintend.
Edward Tootal, of Manchester,* said to me long before, “Never give your men cause to look over the hedge.” He meant that I should never give them any reason for looking for work elsewhere. It was a wise saying, and I long remembered it. I always endeavoured to make my men and foremen as satisfied as possible with their work, as well as with their remuneration.
* Edward Tootal (?1800-1873) was a silk manufacturer, whose brand (now owned by Coats Viyella) continues to this day on ties and scarves. In 1842 he joined a textile business founded back in 1799 by Robert Gardner, and so completely transformed its fortunes that the company was named after him just a year later. Tootal retired in 1856 and dedicated himself to civic responsibilities as a magistrate, a Deputy Lieutenant of Yorkshire (he lived near Wakefield), and a directer of the London and North Western Railway. In 1913, an LNWR passenger steam locomotive of the George the Fifth Class was named after him.
Précis
In his Autobiography, Victorian-era engineer James Nasmyth declared that the key to success lay not in what the owner of a business did, but in what he set his employees, especially his foremen, to do. Getting to know his staff well, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and finding the most congenial work for them, were as important as generous wages. (60 / 60 words)
In his Autobiography, Victorian-era engineer James Nasmyth declared that the key to success lay not in what the owner of a business did, but in what he set his employees, especially his foremen, to do. Getting to know his staff well, understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and finding the most congenial work for them, were as important as generous wages.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: although, besides, despite, may, ought, since, whereas, whether.
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Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Intimate. Make. Remember.
2 Business. Cause. Your.
3 Look. Reason. Well.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Homonyms Find in Think and Speak
Each of the words below has more than one possible meaning. Compose your own sentences to show what those different meanings are.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Set. 2. Lead. 3. Can. 4. Point. 5. Long. 6. Pick. 7. Mean. 8. Man. 9. Well.
Subject and Object Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in two sentences, first as the subject of a verb, and then as the object of a verb. It doesn’t have to be the same verb: some verbs can’t be paired with an object (e.g. arrive, happen), so watch out for these.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1. Set. 2. Cause. 3. Reason. 4. Possible. 5. Great. 6. Head. 7. Part. 8. Point. 9. Character.
Variations: 1.use your noun in the plural (e.g. cat → cats), if possible. 2.give one of your sentences a future aspect (e.g. will, going to). 3.write sentences using negatives such as not, neither, nobody and never.
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
Your Words ()
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