LevelItem
Ref NoRMB/6
TitleOral history interview with Mrs Margaret Blower on 2 December 2015
Date2 December 2015
Extent1 wav file and 1 transcript
Name of CreatorUniversity of Surrey, Alumni and Development Department
Redrup, Kate
Blower, Margaret
DescriptionInterview conducted by Kate Redrup.

00:00-01:02: Introduction

01:02-06:36: London during World War Two: evacuation of teachers; remembers declaration of war; Wandsworth Common; Morrison shelter

06:36-08:47: Education: Interrupted by war; brother studied at Battersea 1943-44; mines in South Wales; Royal Air Force; Margaret studied at Battersea to get matric [matriculation]

08:47-09:57: Student Demographic: Some other young students; ex-services; Polish airmen; women from Auxiliary Training Service

09:57-11:21: First Impressions of Battersea College: Friends with second year students; mentions Buzz; ex-servicemen and women very friendly; mentions dancing, ballroom, Scottish dancing

11:21-13:09: Food: vegetarian; The Refectory; macaroni cheese; mentions rationing

13:09-15:15: Campus: describes commuting from Latchmere; lectures in Main Building; not lecture theatre; Dr Waring; Miss Wate; Beryl

15:15-17:25: Teaching: taught as adults; English, Maths, French, History, Geography; 9am until 4pm; comparison to finishing school; American and French students

17:25-19:10: Clothes: tweed jacket; shirts, skirts and jumpers; clothing coupons; uniforms; de-mobilisation; Polish Air Force

19:10-21:33: Examinations: wasn't worried by them; air stewardess, British European Airways; returned for Institutional Management course (Hotel and Catering Course)

21:33-29:15: Institutional Management: Catering, cookery demonstrations; laundry; King's College hospital; Saint Paul's boys school, Kensington; Orpington school; Sunlight Laundry, Brixton; waiting tables; Battersea College cookery book; powdered eggs; whipping cream; Nigerian student; course divisions; nuns, Mother Marie, Sister Hughes, Cavendish Square

29:15-33:38: Accommodation: describes rented accommodation and salary; describes harvest camp, Gloucestershire; Ness Gwen, Atcham, Shrewsbury

33:38-35:12: Husband Bob; met during Scottish dancing; called up; civil engineering

35:12-38:20: Students Union: election campaign; describes posters inspired by The Outlaw, Jane Russell; union secretary; minute taking; evening classes

38:20-39:08: Student magazine: Polygon; sports pages; comments on lecturers; annual publication

39:08-42:41: University buildings: common room; Edwin Tate Library; great hall for dances; Scottish dancing, Ian Anderson, Michael Kritchlow

42:41-47:01: London: recalls visiting churches for brass rubbing; mentions Dr Waring organised theatre trips; Royal Opera House; cinema; Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope

47:01-54:02: After degree: year long industrial placement, London Electricity Board; manager, Irene Harvey; Brompton Road; trainee supervisor; Miss Mortley visited to assess work; no graduation ceremony; stayed at London Electricity Board until married

54:03: End
Administrative HistoryMargaret [Maggie] Blower, nee. McPherson, was in the Matric Dept. from 1946-1948 and in Institutional Management from 1949-1951.
LanguageEnglish
CopyrightCopyright of the University of Surrey
FormatAudio
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