Inside Stories

Tens of thousands of people have worked in St Andrew's House.

Steelworkers, sculptors, labourers and stonemasons paved the way during the building phase with a cavalier disregard for health and safety concerns of our era.

Then came civil servants from offices scattered across Edinburgh and from London. They gave the building its life and soul for next 70 years and their experiences also reflect the profound social changes in Scottish society over that period.

Read the recollections of just some of the staff at St Andrew's House down the years:

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Alison Parkin

The dreaded 'red line' drawn at 8:35 every morning, 'high tea' served in the Staff Restaurant and very strict stationery controls...

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Ian Penman

Ructions over the introduction of unpopular fire doors, and an argument with Sir Malcolm Rifkind over the use of the definite article...

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David Dalgetty

Carpet square envy, Tam the joiner, and taking orders for Christmas turkeys...

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James Hume

Whale steaks in the canteen, threadbare 'office jackets', and a more free and easy security policy...

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John Graham

The bounty of the Department of Health Horticultural Society's annual show, and an opportune meeting 35 years ago...

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Sandra Buckle

A Christmas Pary where the First Minister is chastised for his opinion on the thinking processes of a 'wee dug'...

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Edgar Evans

The bounty of the Department of Health Horticultural Society's annual show, and an opportune meeting 35 years ago...

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Kate Williamson

Weekly Official towels, a fug of smoke in every room, and the battleaxe in the fax room...

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Kenneth Mackenzie

The infamous 'Corridor of Power, 'horse boxes', and the Royal High School Pipe band...

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W Kerr Fraser

The great panjandrum's Milk of Magnesia, the methodical Mr Whipp, and dressing up for the Office Dance...

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Margaret Stewart

Pride in working for the Civil Service, mint Yo-Yos and a marriage dowry put to good use...

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David Allan

Reports of ghostly visitors in the dead of night, and a opening a door in the basement straight into the 1950s...

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David Ferguson

Finding out what lies behind 'Room 1', and a rooftop view of the G8 demonstrations and other fireworks...

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Fiona Turnbull

Shivering through the 'three day week', lift operators, and looking longingly at how 'the other half' ate...

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Elizabeth Williamson

Hearing the Clydebank Blitz from the roof, the influx of women as men are sent to war, and the ghosts of prisoners...

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Paul Allen

Introduction of the open-plan office, an invasion by Tommy Sheridan, and confronting angry students on Regent Road...

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Brian Pearson

Eating above one's station, armless chairs and coir mats, and the real power in the organisation...

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Peter Mackay

The sound of tea trollies, bustle and Doris's bell, adventures to London on the Sleeper, and the pressures of being a fast-streamer...

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Archie Rennie

Young Turks, planning bad language, "style Mussolini" and using the main corridor as a golf fairway…

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Elizabeth Laidlaw

Formidable matrons, the war puts paid to gentlemen's golf, Prefabs and Papa Westray…

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Page updated: Friday, September 04, 2009