Bristow: Cleaners

Bristow has a very odd relationship with the office cleaners. Unlike his colleagues he delights in criticizing them, not just to others, but in direct correspondence (of course he never meets them because they only come in after normal office hours). Here is an early encounter, in strip 30

Strip 30 was published in the Evening Standard in April 1962

The Cleaners attitude is to respond in kind. They complain about the mess in the Buying Department (though that's nothing compared to the Boardroom after a meeting of the Directors)and will often send Bristow little notes. These take the theme "Please put litter in the wastebasket where it belongs". "How true" Bristow responds as he rips up the note and chucks it in the bin.

The cleaners of the Chester-Perry building are, of course, all female. Somewhat less usually, they do not appear to be managed by a man. They are a tough lot, capable of standing up for themselves. Witness their wrath when Sir Reginald is rash enough to pass some comments strip 10596

Strip 10596 was published in the Evening Standard in November 1999

. And yet the cleaners seem quite an intellectual bunch, spurning the cleaning in order to play chess or bridge tournaments or knocking out passionate sex'n'violence stories on the firm's word processors. It appears that much of the sex and violence is set on Bristow's desktop.

Strip 4581 was published in the Evening Standard in February 1976 and in Living Death in the Buying Department

This would be the same desktop that cleaners are wont to write long screeds in the dust starting "Dear Diary" or even love letters addressed to the firm's caretaker. Bristow has to dissaude Jones from examing the correspondence too closely - "It's rude to read someone's private letters".

Jones does not feel impelled to attack the quality of the cleaning, and enjoys a much better relationship. His laundry is done and buttons sewn on waistcoasts, stacked neatly away in his desk. But his trust is misplaced. He puts great energy into spring-cleaning one year, resulting in a visit from the editor of Desks and Surrounds, the clerical equivalent of Homes and Gardens. The editor wants to photograph Jones' desk for the next issue and (following a brief contretemps in which Bristow, as a self-appointed agent refuses to agree terms) they agree to do the shoot the next day. But it all goes horribly wrong strip 4627

Strip 4627 was published in the Evening Standard in April 1976 and in Living Death in the Buying Department. This scan is from the Melbourne Age May 1976

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Bristow's Inferiors
The Cleaners
	Strip 3029 was published in the Evening Standard in December 1972, in Bristow (1972) and The Big Big Big Bristow Book This scan is from the Sydney Morning Herald, February 1971 Bristow has a very odd relationship with the office cleaners. Unlike his colleagues he delights in criticizing them, not just to others, but in direct correspondence (of course he never meets them because they only come in after normal office hours). Here is an early encounter, in strip 30 Strip 30 was published in the Evening Standard in April 1962 The Cleaners attitude is to respond in kind. They complain about the mess in the Buying Department (though that's nothing compared to the Boardroom after a meeting of the Directors)and will often send Bristow little notes. These take the theme "Please put litter in the wastebasket where it belongs". "How true" Bristow responds as he rips up the note and chucks it in the bin. Yet he is also pleased to receive some literary criticism - strip 146 . (He should be lucky they didn't pan it) Strip 146 was published in the Evening Standard in August 1962 The cleaners of the Chester-Perry building are, of course, all female. Somewhat less usually, they do not appear to be managed by a man. They are a tough lot, capable of standing up for themselves. Witness their wrath when Sir Reginald is rash enough to pass some comments strip 10596 Strip 10596 was published in the Evening Standard in November 1999 . And yet the cleaners seem quite an intellectual bunch, spurning the cleaning in order to play chess or bridge tournaments or knocking out passionate sex'n'violence stories on the firm's word processors. It appears that much of the sex and violence is set on Bristow's desktop. Strip 4581 was published in the Evening Standard in February 1976 and in Living Death in the Buying Department This would be the same desktop that cleaners are wont to write long screeds in the dust starting "Dear Diary" or even love letters addressed to the firm's caretaker. Bristow has to dissaude Jones from examing the correspondence too closely - "It's rude to read someone's private letters". Jones does not feel impelled to attack the quality of the cleaning, and enjoys a much better relationship. His laundry is done and buttons sewn on waistcoasts, stacked neatly away in his desk. But his trust is misplaced. He puts great energy into spring-cleaning one year, resulting in a visit from the editor of Desks and Surrounds, the clerical equivalent of Homes and Gardens. The editor wants to photograph Jones' desk for the next issue and (following a brief contretemps in which Bristow, as a self-appointed agent refuses to agree terms) they agree to do the shoot the next day. But it all goes horribly wrong strip 4627 Strip 4627 was published in the Evening Standard in April 1976 and in Living Death in the Buying Department. This scan is from the Melbourne Age May 1976 . Top