Sir (Isaac) James Pitman, KBE (14 August 1901 – 1 September 1985) was a British businessman, civil servant, publisher, politician and spelling reformer. Buried Medmenham,Buckinghamshire http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Pitman http://www.bath.ac.uk/library/about/collections/archives/pitman.html
and according to your wiki link http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34870/pages/3523/page.pdf http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35106/pages/1530/page.pdf http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35208/pages/3836/page.pdf Bank of England http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35114/pages/1711/page.pdf http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/35956/pages/1454/page.pdf
Pitman's shorthand was the standard shorthand taught to many secretaries and reporters.My sister learnt it when she worked in a solicitors office in the early 1950s.I would think that she had not used it for many a year when she retired. I will have to ask her. I wonder what shorthand is in use today.
Just been talking to my sister regarding the present status of Pitman shorthand.Her experience is that it has been overrun by technology,the dictaphone which has resulted in shorthand falling from general office use. No doubt that journalists must have some method of taking brief notes at a reporting scene to make up for print later on.The other point is that TV has been developed to such an extent that the reporter may also operate the camera and conduct the interview.Once saw this being done by a single reporter in East Jutland, Denmark, then in the evening,saw his work being broadcast on regional TV.You would not know that the video and audio reportage had been done by a single person...productivity advancement. As regards the teaching of Pitman shorthand,it would appear that there is no longer a need for it.
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Just had an e mail from my sister who points out that the inventor of Pitman shorthand was Sir Isaac Pitman. She points out at secretarial school they were told that Pitman shorthand was invented during the 19th century by the said man. Pleased to hear that the discipline still is in current use.