An Informative Blog

Welcome to the CIOBS blog.I know it is Wednesday and this might confuse some of our regular readers, but hey, a change is as good as a rest – so why not a Wednesday blog.

Keeping with this theme, our weekly news podcast which is normally posted to the website on a Thursday has been posted a day earlier this week.

This is due to operational reasons.I will say nothing further on this one.

What I will say is that negative equity makes an appearance.This might be a new topic to some of our younger readers.

The podcast can be found here:

http://www.ciobs.org.uk/about/what_podcasts.cfm (This will require to be pasted into your browser - This is due to other operational reasons)

I have received the latest copy of the CIOBS magazine Scottish Banker this morning, the June/July edition and I am sure that it is on its way to all members as we speak. Some good stuff in there as always including the CIOBS annual report.

Anything happening with Chartered Banker this week Michael? Yes there is.

Mr. Raymond Brown can be heard in all his glory in a superb presentation explaining about some major changes to the qualification and it is especially applicable to those who will enrol after 1st August 2008.

You can hear the great man in full flight here:

http://cibsbreeze.ciobs.org.uk/chbanker2008 (Will require to be Pasted)

Further to last week’s mention there is now some news regarding the format of revision sessions for 2008/9

Details can be found here:

http://www.ciobs.org.uk/qualifications/downloads/Revision_Course_Timetable.pdf (Pasting required)

A lot of information there! And a bit of pasting too!

And finally……………….

A big thank you to one of our correspondents for the following tales from the banking world of yesteryear:

An Inspector Calls

The 'Inspector's team' descended unannounced to inspect branches' books.'Surprise' visits were impossible in the Western or Northern Isles. The ship's wireless operator would radio to Lochmaddy or Stornoway, that three 'Edinburgh' gentlemen – they always wore bowler hats and riding macs - were on board, giving banks time to prepare for their visitors...

Cause to smile

Inspectors often kept records of amusing branch correspondence...

"Her 18-year-old daughter has been associated with the pigs for the last few months - by physique and temperament she is well suited for this purpose." (Application for current account, Feb 1955)

"Farming will be more profitable from now on as she is selling her own milk…"
(Letter from a rural branch)

These may bring back some happy memories for some and indeed unhappy memories for others.


Michael (It must have been fun in the fifties!)