LevelItem
Ref NoRMB/28
TitleOral history interview with Dr Ernest Littauer on 30 July 2014
Date30 July 2014
Extent1 wav file and 1 transcript
Name of CreatorUniversity of Surrey, Alumni and Development Department
Gethin, Chris
Littauer, Ernest
DescriptionInterview conducted by Chris Gethin.

00:00-00:40: Introduction

00:40-05:41: Why Battersea College? Spent short time at Havilland Aeronautical Technical School, but found it was too practical; too late then to start at Imperial College; found place at Battersea College to study Mechanical Engineering; compact campus, diverse student body

05:41-06:42: First Impressions of Battersea College: Porter at main door; close to Battersea Park; not crowded

06:42-11:08: Course: subjects were prescribed each year; full timetable; very organised and established; lectures of 10 students, small course; small but adequate laboratories; bought textbooks in Foyles bookshop

11:08-14:00: Battersea characters: Lionel Shreir, corrosion expert; internal and external students

14:00-18:03: Timetable and exams: Lectures during the day; small classes meant more discussion; examinations every year; results displayed outside Senate House; written examinations held at Imperial College

18:03-23:34: Industrial Placement: Work over summer for at least one month; Stewarts and Lloyds in Corby; damaged blast furnace; Battersea organised placements; Brian Wilkins

23:34-26:25: Doctoral Degree: offered unique project by lecturer, Lionel Shreir; corrosion protection; government funded

26:25-32:41: Socialising: gender imbalance; presentations to girls' colleges, Royal Holloway, Bedford, to encourage them to come to dances at Battersea; entertainment committee at University of London Union, chairman; President's Ball, Senate House; Queen Mother; squash with Tiny Davis

32:41-35:49: Battersea dances: Held in Great Hall; small entrance fee; run by students; student bouncers; dixie land music

35:49-37:09: Clothing: lounge suits; sweaters; girls in mini skirts

37:09-40:30: Studying: Edwin Tate Library, good place to study; flat in Prince of Wales Drive, not much room; ate on campus; commuted in first year from Mill Hill; most women were in halls

40:30-46:34: College rivalries: Chelsea Poly; Northampton College; stole mascots; writing on grass at Imperial College; chemical foam in fountains at Trafalgar Square, arrested

46:34-51:28: Romance: Busy studying; nursing college nearby; lots of au pairs in London; jazz clubs in Oxford Street and Piccadilly; gender segregated halls, bridge between buildings

51:28-57:31: Student demographic: Indians, Nigerians; Ghanaians round for Christmas; Arabs; Polish students, much older, ex-military, some lectures in Polish;

57:31-01:03:33: Graduation and beyond: Royal Albert Hall, Queen Mother; Derby Luminescence, gold mining and creating luminescent materials; taught evening classes at Battersea; American company, Lockheed, tried to recruit Lionel Shreir, he recommended Littauer; took job and stayed

01:03:33-01:09:34: Memories: Mike Banfield, Brian Wilkins; good food in Hotel and Catering restaurant; Sport, Squash with Tiny Davis, courts at University of London Union; wrote for student newspaper

01:09:41 - End
Administrative HistoryDr Ernest Littauer studied Metallurgy at Battersea gaining his bachelor degree in 1955 and his PhD in 1958.
LanguageEnglish
CopyrightCopyright of the University of Surrey
FormatAudio
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