The famous old rumour foundry works overtime around any happening for which there is not a reasonable explanation. To combat this and further intensify the family spirit of the F.J. organisation, where people are really interested in 'knowing' - the Do You Know boards were commenced in October 1953. ... Certainly there is not an item of exciting news everyday, but by servicing the Do You Know boards daily, we keep the communication channels open for the times when there is important news to spread. Is there something we should have told, but haven't? If there is, send a note of it to the editor of Do You Know. What People Don't Know - 28.8.72.
"Communication daily was so important for staff morale. People liked to know what was happening in the organisation. People liked to know of their achievements." Tim Carlton
'Do You Knows were daily bulletins with news about FJ staff and happenings around the factories and stores. They were posted daily on noticeboards in the FJ stores and factories from 1953 and they played an important role in keeping lines of communication open and people in touch with news and events across the Fletcher Jones ‘family’. They were produced on a Gestetner spirit duplicating machine, often with hand drawn illustrations.
"There were many noticeboards throughout the Pleasant Hill factory with the 'Do You Knows' and we really looked forward to reading them each day. They were sent daily, either by mail or on our truck, to the Melbourne stores and factories. Eric Tonkin wrote lots of them but he was only one of the authors. Sir Fletcher, shop managers, management, FJ individuals and even outsiders could all contribute. Vera French was the main typist but I don't know who did the sketches that appeared on many of the Do You Knows. The canteen chef always advertised the daily menu in the bottom part of the Do You Know noticeboard." Tim Carlton
The Do You Knows followed on from the success of the 'Daily Marvel' from the early retail days of FJ. Each day for 22 years the 'Daily Marvel' - a four inch single column or two inch double column- would appear in the Warrnambool Standard in the same place on the same page every morning. "A marvel a day keeps the dead stock away" said Fletcher. The marvel would also be placed in the Man's Shop window with the "famous oscillating arrow jumping up and down in the little window" to attract customers. There's a link below to the story about the Daily Marvel and the Invisible Fish (on this website).
