1966.002 1966 RICS Presidential World Tour - FB's diary

ROYAL INSTITUTION OF CHARTERED SURVEYORS

Presidential World Tour 1966

THE SECRETARY’S DIARY

In 1966 the President of the RICS, Mr Guy Biscoe, accompanied by his Wife Sheila and the Secretary of the Institution Mr Francis Bennion, carried out a world tour of RICS branches. At intervals the Secretary sent back to HQ in London instalments of a diary he kept of the tour so that chartered surveyors and others interested could be informed of progress on the tour while it was still going on. The following is the text of the diary.

Monday 5 September 1966 (London – New York)

I left London Airport at 11.00 hours on Monday, 5 September, flying non-stop to New York on a B.O.A.C. Vickers VC 10. Flying time 7 3/4 hours, arrival 13.45 local time. The flight conditions were perfect and the aircraft magnificent. The journey was so smooth and comfortable (flying at 35,000 feet) that there was no difficult about working, and I was able to write a long paper on the Information Problems of the Profession. I was told in New York that the VC 10, though much admired by transatlantic travellers (including Americans) for the smooth and noiseless ride it gives (the engines are on the tail unit, and passengers are always ahead of the sound), is unfortunately uneconomic to operate and costs 20% more to run than its Boeing equivalent the 727. For this reason, its days are regrettably numbered.

On arrival at the hotel (the St. Regis-Sheraton) I found the President and Mrs. Biscoe, who had left England on Thursday, 1 September and had spent the intervening period in Philadelphia. It was Labor Day, one of the national holidays of the United States, and on the drive of twenty-five miles from John F. Kennedy Airport, the streets were almost deserted (I was driven in a car kindly provided by B.O.A.C.). I reached the hotel at about 15.30 hours and did not leave it that day. Everyone seemed to expect a tip – even the chap who sorted through the mail and triumphantly told me that there was none for me! I worked on my paper, had a light supper of club sandwich and Coke, and turned in at 20.00 (but ‘really’ one o’clock in the morning!) The hotel is old-fashioned (it used to be owned by Vincent Astor) but very comfortable – air-conditioned throughout, of course, which it needs to be with temperatures a little below 80° and humidity very high.

Tuesday 6 September 1966 (New York)

Wanting to get my paper typed, I found there was a Public Stenographer in the hotel, who would charge $1.50 per foolscap sheet (double spacing, top and carbon). As this would have cost the Institution about $15, the President arranged for it to be done at the Office of the General Accident Insurance Company (of which he is a Director).

After breakfast in my room (orange juice, bacon and eggs, toast, marmalade, coffee) I went for a short walk down Fifth Avenue and bought some cine films at a drugstore (resisting the temptation to have an ice-cream soda). The film was cheaper than in England ($2.57) but I don’t think this price includes processing.

The Biscoes also have a cine camera, and we propose to send our joint efforts to Kodaks after the tour for them to produce a single edited and titled version, using material from both. They will do this and provide any number of copies.

Then Mrs Biscoe and I toured the city with a guide provided by the General Accident Insurance Company, while the President attended to some of the Company business. We visited Broadway, Rockefeller Centre, Radio City, Wall Street and Battery Park (from which the Statue of Liberty is visible) and lunched at the Tops of the Six’s on the thirty-ninth (and top) floor of the new building at 666 Fifth Avenue. I had ‘Country Squire’ fried chicken, which disappointingly looked (and tasted) exactly like any other frozen chicken pieces. Then we visited Guggenheim Museum. This Art Gallery, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, is unique in consisting of a single spiral gallery, sloping gently down from fifth floor to ground level. The feature was a superb exhibition of Gaugins.

About 18.00 hours, Mr W. A. Howkins, a chartered surveyor, arrived for a drink. He is a Vice-President of Clifford S. Strike & Co., an incorporated firm of consulting engineers (101 Park Avenue). He says that, generally speaking, a chartered surveyor could not practice any aspect of the profession in a U.S. State without passing the tests prescribed by the State law. Strangely, this does not apply to engineers and he is able to act as Vice-President in his firm although not locally qualified. He has worked here since 1946 and has never been under any pressure to become a U.S. citizen.

Afterwards, we were taken to dinner by some friends of the Biscoes (Mr. and Mrs. Martin Zausner, 160 East Forty-Eight Street, New York) at Danny’s Hideaway. Here steaks are a speciality, and I duly had one, which was delicious but so large I couldn’t finish it. Afterwards to the roof of the new Pan Am Building (British owned) and marvellous views of the lights of New York.

Wednesday 7 September 1966 (New York – Vancouver)

We left New York at midday en route for Vancouver. I will not attempt to summarise my impressions of New York since our stay was too brief to make this very profitable. It is enough to say that apart from the splendid modern buildings and towering skyscrapers there is much evidence of older and less attractive development. There are many squalid tenements, particularly in the Puerto Rican quarter, or East Harlem (we did not penetrate to Harlem proper). I did not mention that yesterday, unaccompanied by the President or Mrs Biscoe, I had a ride in the subway. It was not unlike the London Underground, the main difference being that, as on the Paris Metro, there is a uniform fare which takes the traveller as far as he likes to go. Entry is by putting a token into a turnstile.

The flight on United Airways, with a break at Seattle, was extremely comfortable and smooth, the aircraft being a DC8 jet Mainliner. We were very impressed by the fact that although we took our seats in the forward cabin only a quarter of an hour after having arrived and being allocated these seats, we found waiting for us welcome tokens and book matches printed in gilt with our names. At Seattle airport we were taken by a very friendly American fellow passenger from San Francisco into a club, entry to which is reserved for very frequent travellers on the airline, which was more comfortable than the ordinary airport accommodation. The existence of the Club encourages people to accumulate travelling miles with the airline, and members are given preferential treatment when delays or cancellations occur. The flight to New York followed the Canadian route over the Great Lakes and the Rockies. Although flying at 35,000 feet most of the way we had very good views of the Lakes, though cloud interfered with viewing on the later stages of the journey. We were met at Vancouver by Mr. Gibson, the Chairman of the West Canadian Committee, and the Honorary Secretary, Mr. Burtonshaw. We were joined by Professor White and Mrs. White, with whom we had dinner.

Thursday, 8 September 1966 (Vancouver)

This morning I felt reasonably recovered from the loss of three hours on the journey from the East, added to the five from London to New York. Vancouver has a most attractive situation on the heavily indented coast of British Columbia, with the Rocky Mountains visible to the East.

I had a walk around the town before breakfast and found a great many new developments recently erected or in the process of erection. These were in marked contrast to the many old small wooden houses which were side by side with 15 or 20 storey blocks, or what the locals call high rise buildings. In the morning, after going to the bank and doing some chores, I went to the University of British Columbia for lunch. This is the main university in the Province, and there is also a second university, the Simon Fraser University, recently open, to the east of Vancouver. U.B.C., as it is called, occupies a delightful position on the westernmost point of land in Vancouver.

It is attractively laid out with mature trees and flowers in profusion. The lunch was at the Faculty Club, and Professor White, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce, was our host. The Faculty Club corresponds to the Senior Common Room of a British university or college. It was recently donated by one of the local millionaires and is a delightful place for the staff members to use. After a most delightful lunch, beginning with the club speciality, onion soup, and ending with juicy blueberry pie, we spent the afternoon in discussions with Professor White. In the evening we returned to the University for a dinner given by Professor White in honour of the President, attended by about two dozen of the most prominent people in the Province engaged in real estate and kindred subjects. Many of these were, of course, of British origin, some having come out relatively recently, others being several generations British Columbian.