Description | Interview conducted by Abigail Nelson.
00:00-00:32: Introduction
00:32-01:31: Why Battersea College? Colleague had also come to London for a degree; family knew secretary at Battersea Polytechnic; student grant from Shropshire County Council, £90 per term, part-time employment in local public house
01:31-02:59: First Impressions: Impressed by size of Main Building; mentions hall of residence; mentions Freshers' Week, joined Senior Scouts and Christian Union, but found little time to go to events
02:59-03:53: Accommodation: Cedars Road Hall of Residence; 113 stairs to room; old Victorian building, good sized rooms; breakfast served on ground floor
03:53-05:16: Course: Details lectures and teaching; mentions personal mentors and formal relationships with lecturers
05:16-07:03: Students: Relationships between students; mentions gender balance on course; mentions dress code for lectures; mentions international students, Middle East, tolerance
07:03-08:57: Socialising: Rented accommodation in second year; cycled to Battersea college; describes parties in flat
08:57-10:04: Food: Describes Green Café; mentions fish and chip shop and The Eagle public house
10:04-12:47: Spare Time: Beer on island in Battersea Park lake; Dirty Dicks public house; scooter race, Redhill to Brighton; cross country running club, Hyde Park; mentions Billingsgate fish market; mentions hockey trips, Torquay
12:47-14:46: Students' Union: mentions weekly dances; explains guest lectures
14:46-15:51: Skills: Details value of time studying, training for career; mentions Edwin Tate Library
15:51-18:52: Memorable characters: mentions Dr Salmon, head of department; considers quality of teaching and rivalry between departments; explains lecture attendance registers; mentions staff member in charge of chemistry equipment store
18:52-20:51: Mix of Students: consideration of schools students came from; mentions contrast to childhood home and hitchhiking back for weekend
20:51-21:56: Work load: details extent of study required, learnt German
21:56-23:52: Central London: explains trips to central London on Lambretta scooter, mentions firework display in Trafalgar Square; mentions Northern Polytechnic Institute; details football matches
23:52-27:42: Timetable: Considers studying and discipline, Sunday mornings; explains typical timetable of lectures; details available laboratory equipment; mentions relationships with PhD students
27:42-32:11: Spare time: Explains role as boy scout leader in Stockwell; mentions watching college rugby or football; details Saturday night dances, domestic science students, Glenn Miller band, Battersea Main Hall, decorations
32:11-35:08: Local legends: mentions rumour of ghosts in Battersea Main Building; explains links to industry in local area; summary of skills gained at Battersea College
35:08-36:15: Graduation: mentions Billingsgate fish market; Queen Mother; ceremony at Imperial College
36:15-39:58: Battersea College Memories: explains industrial placement during holidays, English Electric, placement in France; considers value of university education, learnt to network
39:59 - End |