| Description | Interview conducted by Amintha Buckland.
No transcript was made of this recording.
00:00-01:15: Introduction: graduated in 1957 with qualification in Hotel & Catering Management; recalls Battersea Polytechnic became a College of Advanced Technology; remembers college offered variety of career-based courses, so had a variety of students
01:15-03:52: Why Battersea College? Recalls few courses in Hotel & Catering Management; explains her mother worked in hotels; describes commuting from Slough; recalls moving into Northside Clapham Common halls of residence; remembers walking or cycling to lectures
03:52-05:28: Accommodation: describes converted Victorian houses used as halls of residence
05:28-06:08: Food: recalls breakfast and dinner was provided, also lunch at weekends
06:08-10:29: Course: describes learning to cook; remembers first time using college kitchens; describes waiting training and uniforms; mentions lessons in accounting and law; recalls first lecture in tiered theatre; mentions head of department, Prof John Fuller; mentions arrival of Rik Medlik
10:29-13:48: Practical Lessons: recalls cooking lessons started with potatoes; mentions larger kitchen equipment; recalls using French cookery book by Auguste Escoffier; explains students watched demonstrations before attempting recipes; recalls cooking for Hotel and Catering restaurant, feeding lecturers and their friends; describes desserts
13:48-15:18: Method of Teaching: recalls mock reception area with front desk and card index, describes photograph of lecture room with mock reception desk
15:18-18:10: Industrial Placements: describes hospitality employment during summer holidays, including at Queen's Hotel, Eastbourne; chose to travel to United States of America at end of course; Dr John Fuller agreed to allow graduation if monthly reports were sent back to Battersea College, reports were published in Catering Times
18:10-25:26: Course Students: close group; mentions Sue Walton (nee Hoare); describes Students' Union, role as Vice President; describes rivalry with Chelsea college; mentions balls; explains Head of the Lake competition; mentions The North Star public house; describes invitations to Senate House from University of London Union; mentions Going Down Balls and dirndl skirts; recalls jiving in Great Hall at Battersea College; describes one group of older students, nursing tutors; mentions Oscar the Eagle, Battersea mascot, stolen by Chelsea
25:26-27:38: Students' Union: mentions Mike Banfield was in charge of social functions; mentions Ro Smith, secretary of society; Mike Woods, president; Ernie Littauer, Steve Gutterman, Larry Giberalo; mentions student newsletter
27:38-28:35: International students: Hotel & Catering students were mostly from the UK; recalls more international students in sciences and engineering departments
28:35-29:24: Battersea reputation: not aware of college before went; funded by University of London; recalls practical focus of course
29:24-32:42: Fashion in 1950s: girls wore full skirted dresses and petticoats; recalls ironing skirts in Northside hall of residence; remembers seeing Sikh students washing turbans; men wore jackets, shirts and ties; remembers wearing high heels all the time; beginning of 'Teddy Boy' style for men
32:42-39:44: Good memories: recalls great opportunity to try many activities; great sense of community; describes invitations to balls she still has; mentions Going Down balls, March Hare's ball; recalls Hotel & Catering department often prepared the food for balls
39:44-40:37: University of London Union: Senate House, near Gower Street in central London
40:37-43:05: Other Languages: remembers exchange programmes to France whilst still at school; recalls some modules in French during Hotel and Catering Course to help with menus
43:05-46:56: Memorable characters: mentions Liz Wright, and Liz Wilsden; Dilly Priddy from Jersey; Bill Armstrong; Dr Rik Medlik; recalls skills learnt at Battersea impressed employers in America, Hilton Hotels, Palmer House in Chicago; Fort Lauderdale job, then moved to Bahamas
46:56-48:14: Adventurous: went on own to America
48:14 - End
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