Norwich Union documents show the test for workers in 1905

Norwich-based insurance company Aviva, formerly Norwich Union, has revealed the hoops a wannabe clerk would have had to have jumped through back in 1905 to be considered for the job. 

Each candidate was given a collection of puzzles to solve - without a calculator or dictionary - testing their competency in mathematics, spelling, grammar, and even geography.

A Norwich Union exam for Clerks from 1905 (Image: Aviva)

A Norwich Union exam for Clerks from 1905 (Image: Aviva)

Questions included: "Express in figures three millions, two hundreds and fifty thousand, four hundred and six, then multiply this amount by 20105," and "add 3/8 + 6/16 + 8/32, then from this amount deduct .75 and multiply the rest 0.055".

As well as maths puzzles, candidates would also have to identify which countries Bloemfontein, Berlin, Copenhagen, Gothenburg, and Brisbane were in, as well as which counties were home to cities including Birmingham, Brighton, and Hull.

Mechanical accounting machines from the past, a sector of Norwich Union's Home Accounts Department. Source: Library. (Image: Newsquest archive)

They would also have to show their writing chops by editing a passage of text for spelling and grammatical errors - of course, without the aid of a modern spellchecker.

This type of testing might seem surprising, but back in the day being able to write clearly - and correctly - was an essential part of the job. 

In the nerve centre at the then Norwich Union with a new £360,000 computer in 1965. Pic: Newsquest library (Image: Newsquest archive)

Anna Stone, Aviva Group archivist, said: “To many of us, it would be unthinkable answering such questions without the help of a pocket calculator – although of course these wouldn’t have existed in 1905.

“Times have also changed in that we now make use of hybrid working, online systems and video calls as part and parcel of our working lives – something that would have no doubt been unimaginable back at the start of the 20th century.”

HAVE A GO AT THE TEST

1. Express in figures, three millions, two hundred and fifty thousand, four hundred and six, and multiply this amount by 20105.

2. Find the cost of 1628 articles at 16/10.5 each (by practice).

3. Add 3/8 + 8/32 and from this amount deduct 0.75 and multiply the result by 0.055.

4, Find the amount of interest (simple) on £2,500, for three years, at 3.75 per cent.

5. Find the cost of £25,000 3.5 per cent stock if £1,500 cost £3,000.

6. Where are the following:

• Bloemfontein
• Berlin
• Copenhagen
• Gothenburg
• Brisbane
• Madras

In what counties are:

• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Brighton
• Hull

7. Write out and correct the following:

The dificulties and dangers of loccomotion, the great length of time involved in long journies and the premiture condition of what afterwards developped into the penny-postal service all tended to confine the transactions of Companys to imediate locality in which thier offices were situated, and the result was that numerous local Companys sprange up and with greater of less succes for many years continued doing bussines in thier own imediate districts.

8. Write out the above in shorthand.

The answers... as provided by Aviva staff in 2024

1. 65,349,412,630
2. Staff were unable to answer this one, due to it being in old currency
3. 1.55375
4. 281.53
5. Staff were unable to answer
6. South Africa, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, India. West Midlands (now – previously was Warwickshire/Staffordshire/Worcestershire), Bristol (formerly Gloucestershire), East Sussex, East Riding Yorkshire
7. The difficulties and dangers of locomotion, the great length of time involved in long journeys and the premature condition of what afterwards developed into the penny-postal service all tended to confine the transactions of companies to the immediate locality in which their offices were situated, and the result was that numerous local companies sprang up and with greater or less success, for many years, continued doing business in their own immediate district.