LevelItem
Ref NoRMB/70
TitleOral history interview with Mrs Margaret Westwood on 29 May 2014
Date29 May 2014
Extent2 wav files and 1 transcript
Name of CreatorUniversity of Surrey, Alumni and Development Department
Redrup. Kate
Westwood, Margaret
DescriptionInterview conducted by Kate Redrup.
This recording and transcript have been edited to allow access.

Part One
00:00-00:50: Introduction

00:50-06:00: Employment with Battersea College: Description of administration of London County Council; details of interview process; mentions previous employment, The Economist; considers women in academia

06:00-07:28: First impressions: discusses negative attitude of engineering department towards women; mentions mixed facilties in Ralph West halls of residence

07:28-08:46: Female academics: Mentions Daphne Jackson, physics; mentions Dr Teresa Poole, Polish chemistry lecturer

08:46-10:31: Female Students: Considers percentage of female students; mentions Hotel and Catering Department, nicknamed 'Hot Cats'

10:31-17:10: Move to Guildford: Describes expansion of departments and contrast to Battersea College; mentions commuting between campuses; details introduction of General Studies lectures; mentions Morag Morris and Bice Bellairs, School of Dance and Drama; mentions Ian Ricketts; describes staff and student societies, Stag Hill Players, Auriel Earl, Gilbert & Sullivan Society, West Side Storey, 1987

17:10-20:57: International Students: Polish staff; mentions female staff from Europe; discusses choice of Guildford for new campus

20:57-25:52: Plans for Guildford Campus: Discussion of opinions relating to move; mentions debate on new name; mentions Peter Leggett and the Principal's Policy Committee, Dr Mike Clark, Dean of Students

25:52-30:14: Building Guildford: consideration of attitudes to proposed building plans, brick colours; mentions flat roofs of halls of residence; recalls staff visits to site during construction

30:14-33:26: Facilities at Guildford: Blackboards in lecture theatres; mentions hot desking; describes canteen in marquee; description of new Senate House, café downstairs, bar and staff room

33:26-36:07: Facilities at Battersea: Mentions Senior Common Room; Chastleton Road annexe, old school; pre-fabricated huts in quadrangles of main building; Usk Road annexe, very dilapidated; mentions The Eagle public house and Green café

36:07-37:38: Student Fashions: describes changes from 1950s-1970s; mentions mini-skirts

37:38-41:50: Entertainment in London: Staff and student trips to the theatre, Old Vic, Festival Hall; mentions head of Music department, Tate Organ in Battersea Main Hall, Tonmeister; critique of Great Hall in Surrey designed by Professor Makovsky

41:50-49:29: Memorable Staff: Large number of Polish staff, mentions Professor Makowski; describes background of Professor Zarek and Lewis Elton; Bob Lord, Russian language teacher, created language laboratory; mentions Falcon Road annex; mentions language facilities at Guildford

49:29-53:04: Reception of University of Surrey: discusses quality of staff; mentions work placements and Metallurgy department; sandwich courses for Economics students, Bank of England

53:04-01:06:29: Exchange Students: 1973 Professor Zarek, biomechanics, working with Michigan State University, describes exchange programme; Beaver College, Pennsylvania; recalls role as academic tutor for exchange students; 1980 Professor Pockney arranged exchange of students with Russian university, developed into Anglo-Soviet cultural agreement transferring teachers, collapse of Soviet Union; details about Professor Bert Pockney; international television and radio for language students to watch and listen to; Erasmus scheme; trip to Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for a students, Margot Light, Kiev, Moscow; recalls becoming associate Dean

01:06:29-01:13:26: Benefits of International Exchange: discussion of differences in teaching style between United Kingdom and United States; differences in examinations; trips to Colorado, describes facilities; consideration of student and lecturer relationship; exchange of engineering student to Michigan State accompanied by family

01:13:28 - End

Part Two
00:02-03:21: Student Newspapers: Describes 'Bat Chat'; recalls Peter Leggett's plan to create another student magazine, once a term; cooperation between staff and students, like Stag Hill Players, student led; describes value of student newspaper for relations on campus

03:21-14:56: Guildford School of Acting: describes Bice Bellairs establishing dance school; pageants of dances on Shalford Meadows; Bellairs Studio, opposite Yvonne Arnaud Theatre; alumni Brenda Blethyn, Bill Nighy, Ian Ricketts; link to University of Surrey through General Studies course; describes drama weekends at Moor Park College, Farnham to put on plays; formation of Dance Division in Music department thanks to funding from Gulbenkian Foundation;
Reduction in students: describes debate on course cancellations, merits of combined courses; dance course survived, June Layson, National Resource Centre for Dance; describes incorporation of Guildford School of Acting into University of Surrey; mentions development of theatre on campus, Ivy Centre

14:56-17:48: Battersea College Memories: Describes life in London; appreciation of purpose-built facilities in Guildford; recalls class room in empty swimming pool; mentions Battersea Park sculpture exhibitions and local public house

17:48-23:54: Surrey Memories: critique of emphasis on funding at end of career; Victor Griffiths suggestions relating to holidays; mentions reductions in student grants; discusses changes to start dates of terms; introduction of February reading week; mentions transfer into university archive

23:54 - End
Administrative HistoryMargaret Westwood was appointed to Battersea College of Technology in January 1962, staying with the university throughout its change into the University of Surrey. She was originally engaged in the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences as an Economist.
LanguageEnglish
CopyrightCopyright of the University of Surrey
FormatAudio
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