LevelItem
Ref NoRMB/55
TitleOral history interview with Mr Peter Southgate on 26 August 2014
Date26 August 2014
Extent8 wav files and 1 transcript
Name of CreatorUniversity of Surrey, Alumni and Development Department
Burt, Allison
Southgate, Peter
DescriptionInterview conducted by Allison Burt.

Part One
00:00-01:35: Introduction

01:35-04:12: Why Battersea College? Describes leaving school and seeking employment; mentions seeing advertisement in newspaper; describes interview process; mentions Mr Henry Hall, chief technician in Chemistry department; describes letter from Mr Allison confirming appointment

04:12-08:40: Role as Laboratory Technician: describes preparing equipment for lecture demonstrations; recalls Dr Houston praising his work; mentions work pattern; describes original Victorian equipment and furniture

08:40-23:02: Role in Hygiene and Public Health department: remembers being only technician; mentions Ernie Wright; describes graduate nurses and relationship between student and lecturer; details background of Miss Ernie Wright, wrote Natural Childbirth book; mentions Dr Krause; describes career of Ms Violet Cummings; mentions Mr Usley, education lecturer, designed university crest; mentions Mr Hampstead, Ms Cross, Dr Summerford, Mrs Muriel Westland
Further education: recalls course on Practical Biology at Wellcome research laboratory, City and Guilds course; Peter Southgate [PS] then suggested establishing practical virology course, run by Dr Blyth

23:02 - End

Part Two
00:00-01:37: Biochemistry Degree: mentions Dr Eric Reed, Dr Joan Reed and Dr Lagos; describes establishing human biology department, mentions Dr John Smith and Dr Peter Davis

01:37 - End

Part Three
00:00-02:23: Students: describes demographic of students; recalls good relationship with students; mentions Mrs Budge; recalls providing advise on giving presentations

02:23-04:26: Ex-servicemen: remembers some in Chemistry department; mentions B S Griffiths [VS Griffiths?] and Dr Kenyon

04:26-16:02: Social Events: mentions RAG week; describes campaigns of candidates to be president of Students' Union; recalls watching rehearsals for 'The Pirates of Penzance' in Battersea Great Hall
Field trips: Describes arranging field trips to hospitals and children's homes for students; mentions Sir Artie McKinder; remembers engineering department trip to Ford Motor factory

16:02 - End

Part Four
00:00-02:24: Battersea Facilities: describes original toilet facilties in Battersea Main Building

02:24-03:27: Overcrowding: recalls number of laboratories; remembers difficulty finding free space for lectures

03:27-08:06: Annexes: mentions Falcon Road annexe; mentions Polish University; describes annexe in Putney over old swimming pool; mentions Mr Tonkin; recalls annexe in furniture warehouse; mentions Professor Griffiths

08:06 - End

Part Five
00:00-06:22: Falcon Road Annexe: describes establishing Falcon Road annexe; remembers building prefabricated houses inside warehouse to store animals for experiments, mentions Burt Clavo, bricklayer and Peter Scobi Camper, animal house technician
Human Biology course: mentions Professor Smith; recalls taking on first postgraduate students, mentions David Stabs

06:22-10:54: Move to Guildford: mentions name change to Battersea College of Advanced Technology; remembers meeting in Great Hall with Dr Peter Leggett announcing plans to move; mentions potential sites considered; mentions Professor Griffiths; recalls purchase of Manor Farm campus and creation of underpass; remembers positive opinions about move; mentions financial reimbursements for staff

10:54-13:31: Construction of Guildford Campus: describes visit to campus during construction; mentions Professor Smith, Mr Ven, Mr Cory Dixon

13:31-15:42: Transfer to Guildford: describes process of moving equipment, including labelling items; recalls involvement in design of new biology building AY

15:42 - End

Part Six
00:00-00:05 - No Audio

Part Seven
00:00-08:27: Facilities at Guildford: describes department originally placed in AY building; explains plans to move microbiology and human biology into new building AX; mentions cost of construction; recalls watching construction; describes purpose built facilities in AX building, microbiology, virology, human biology; mentions Ms Gouldy; mentions technician training scheme

08:27 - End

Part Eight
00:00-01:20: Summary: describes pride at having worked at Battersea and the University of Surrey

01:20 - End
Administrative HistoryMr Peter Southgate joined Battersea in 1949 as a laboratory technician in the Chemistry department; following the move to University of Surrey in Guildford he became the Departmental Superintendent in the Depts. of Microbiology, Human Biology & Biochemistry, retiring from the post in 1983. He was reemployed at the Robens Institute until 1992.
LanguageEnglish
CopyrightCopyright of the University of Surrey
FormatAudio
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