Report on Neville Lyons lecture to London Appreciation Society January 2020.

Mr Neville Lyons gave a superb and well researched lecture on the history of J Lyons and Co. to a crowded gathering of almost 90 London Appreciation Society members. He mentioned Salmon and Gluckstein's early days in the tobacco industry, their decision to become a catering company, the arrival of Joe Lyons as chairman, in 1887 catering for huge exhibitions in Glasgow, and Paris, Palace Garden Parties, in 1894 the first of some 250 tea shops, in 1909 four handsome Corner Houses, the highly trained and elegant Nippy waitresses of the 1920s, manufacturing and food production on a huge scale at Cadby Hall, in 1973 Tower Hill the last of some forty high class hotels, along-side innovative social, medical and sports services for the staff.

Managing this huge and complex enterprise prompted the company to recruit some of the most forward thinking technologists of the day to develop the LEO, the Lyons Electronic Office, the world's first business computer. One of our members, Ray Shaw, was one of the team who built LEO and was there to enjoy Neville's "riveting account" of this ground-breaking company, whose tea shops and corner houses were familiar haunts for many of this audience.

Neville's magnificent slides brought the whole story to life. .."a most fascinating and enjoyable afternoon. I do hope he will return to repeat his talk for the 80 members who were left sadly on the waiting list this time.  Many thanks for arranging this splendid lecture. The best I've heard in recent times.