| Description | Track 1 [3:25] [Session one: 31 January 2017] Peter Stead [PS]. PS born in Barry in 1943. PS comments on family background. PS mentions early education at Gowerton Grammar school, before attending Swansea University. PS talks about moving into halls of residence on campus in his second year 1962. Attended university 1961-1964, then two years as research student. PS gives a brief summary of his career [phone rings, interview paused]
Track 2 [0:39] [interview resumes] PS continues to give brief summary of career, including becoming an Honorary Fellow of Swansea University and founding the Dylan Thomas prize [phone rings, interview paused]
Track 3 [01:18:51] [interview resumes] PS comments on why he chose to study at Swansea, including parents’ influence, two cousins previously attending Swansea and the fact that Glanmor Williams was Head of the Department of History. PS comments on the requirement of Latin to study History at other UK Universities. PS talks about the Universities of Nottingham and Cardiff. Reflects on family moving to Pontypridd and PS moving to halls. PS mentions his father moving the family to Pontypridd from Gowerton due to work commitments, and PS moving into Neuadd Sibley Halls of Residence at Swansea University. Comments on parents’ background, growing up in the Valleys and both going to Grammar Schools, mentions it was easier to get into Grammar School in Wales than in England. PS discusses his early education, including the difference between Barry and Gowerton Grammar Schools. PS talks about his subject interests, including history, geography, English. PS talks about Merthyr Tydfil coming up in geography lessons, and talks about the importance of Merthyr to him and his family. PS mentions English, poetry, drama and Shakespeare in school. Reference to teachers Wyndham Jones and Gilbert Bennett. Mentions trips to Statford-upon-Avon, seeing Michael Redgrave in ‘Hamlet’, Lawrence Olivier in ‘Coriolanus’ and Paul Robeson in ‘Othello’. PS talks about family’s Christian background and comments on Apartheid, capital punishment and influence on PS’s politics. PS reflects on his interests in cinema and his father’s interest in Western films. Comments on interest in American politics, and working in Boston in 1973. PS praises Gowerton Grammar School, and talks about meetings with previous Gowerton classmates. PS talks about having to study three subjects in the first year of Swansea University, and opting to study History, English and Politics. Talks about discussion with his former Geography teacher Gilbert Davies. Talks about being invited to give advice to sixth formers at Barry Grammar School [00:16:52] Comments on influence of English, History, and Politics as first year subjects at Swansea. Reflects on variety of lectures in the Department of English, including Professor Alastair Fowler on Sir Thomas Wyatt’s renaissance sonnets. PS talks about his Politics lecturer, Professor John Rees. PS comments on the small size of the university (referred to as a college). PS mentions the staff of the Department of History including Glanmor Williams, Kenneth Morgan and Robert Rees Davies. PS also mentions medieval historian, Bill Greenway. PS mentions Singleton Abbey, and the locations of his lectures. PS discusses first day registration with reference to John Rees [Professor of Politics] talking to fellow student Reshard Gool [RG] about the Bengali film ‘Pather Panchali’. PS comments on RG’s career. [00:29:55] Discusses how he noticed changes within university. Comments on the student’s union, uplands pub and the Rhyddings. Refectory in the Abbey before PS attended, Fulton house had been built with student’s union and catering for halls of residence on campus. Description of the library. Comments on Fulton’ s general lectures, occasional no exams. Description of living at Sibley hall on campus. Remembers formal dinners at Fulton. Reference to James Barkley, Neville Masterman. Comments on Welshness of the college, but witnessed intake of English students. Discusses friendships with students, easier through halls of residence and contact after university, reference to Daniel Ray and Nirmal Choubrey concerning reunions. Describes special subject on American history. Discusses connections in Nairobi and Goa and involvement with reunions. [00:48:00] Comments on Glanmor Williams’ autobiography, college photograph concerning class sizes, and role as student chairman of history society as undergraduate. Describes members of staff in the photograph , around 25 students with reference to Stuart Clark as an outstanding scholar. Comments on tutorials and class sizes. Discusses having two years in America and two years absence during 31 years at Swansea. Compares tutorials as a lecturer and a student, expressed difficulties with British students especially women and student distractions/tricks [00:54:12] Elaborates on tutorials/ reading in the English department. Remembers writing book review on The Masters, C.P Snow, discusses in detail. Describes his speech at the annual history society dinner, making fun of staff. Describes how PS became chairman of the society, PS secretary during second year, reference to Tony Pierce wanting him to be chairman. Remembers participating in lectures. Describes social connection between staff and students. Describes socialising outside lectures, sports, arts, meetings. Describes being responsible for films as staff member and importance of film. Comments on being chairman of social society in his final year, introducing visiting speaker, connections with Labour Party. Describes social life concerning pubs, mentions Mumbles mile and lack of student life in Mumbles now, friends in Clyne, discussion groups. [01:07:11] Describes formal aspect, dinners and gowns, mainly accepted but also political activism, left wing groups. Discusses university’s main speakers reference to Ben Barker, discusses Cuban Missile Crisis student meeting. Describes march into Swansea protest to crisis. Describes chairing student history society meeting, reference to Peter Laslett lecturing. Discusses meals in the refectory, three course meal. Comments on continuing to live on campus as a tutor. Remembers Kennedy shooting . Describes Principal J.H.Parry and relationship with him, concerning visit to St. Donat’s, being on the student council after graduation, reference to G. I. Elton and his relationship to Parry. Comments on film Lucky Jim and relationship to Swansea University.
Track 4 [00:24:26] Graduated 1964 with first class, Ken Morgan suggested PS work relationship between political and industrial action 1906-1918 as no work on Labour Party in Wales. Returned to Swansea, flat in Mumbles with friends. Comments on being elected to student council, NUS secretary and debating. Describes debating competition organised by The Observer. Reference to Ian James in PS’s debating team. Worked for James Callaghan in Cardiff over the summer 1964, reference to Neil Kinnock. Describes the debate at Salford University, drinking and debate as shambles. Describes occasion invited with Ken to Oxford, reference to meeting different people. Describes the year after gradation as coming out year involvement in academic links, second part of year moved to Pontypridd and researched in Cardiff library. Spent the second year of research in London. Describes meeting Glanmor Williams and Rhys Davies in London, invited to apply for job in Swansea by Glanmor. Describes going back to Swansea as a step backward from London. Got the job in social history at Swansea. Reference to David Jones, shared an office at Swansea. Became a member of staff 1966. Reflects on student career. Describes having a tour of 11 Downing Street with Audrey Callaghan. Comments on 1966 election with Callaghan. [00:19:20] Describes living in digs Swansea, Brynmill. Describes how Alun Davies and his contract. Describes relationship with Callaghan. Mentions student discontent in Swansea.
Track 5: summary to follow |