| Description | Brenda Dawson [BD] born in Llandaff North, Cardiff, on 3 May 1928. BD mentions her mother - a housewife, and her father - a policeman. BD talks about her parents’ backgrounds. BD comments on her brother and living in Penarth. BD mentions beginning primary school in Penarth before father’s promotion. Mentions further promotions and moving to Port Talbot. BD comments on attending Port Talbot County Grammar School from 1939 and mentions more Welsh spoken in Port Talbot. [00:04:25] Discusses how the Second World War impacted schooling. BD illustrates an anecdote about an Anderson shelter in the family garden. Mentions the limitations war imposed and disruptions caused to her brother. [00:07:35] Returns to father’s job and change of role in the police. BD mentions the eleven-plus examination and the higher certificate. Talks about choosing academic subjects and the lack of careers advice in schools. [00:09:10] Mentions applying to Cardiff’s University College to study domestic science and interview with a parent. Discusses interest in animals and applying to University College Swansea to study Botany and Zoology. Outlines reasons for choosing Swansea. [00:12:05] BD discusses living in Beck Hall. Notes that her parents wished her to live there. Mentions the warden Miss Wilkinson and her attitudes. Talks about the warden leaving Swansea. Discusses two new wardens including Elsie Griffiths [EG]. BD discusses EG, the role of the warden and the housekeeper. Mentions Fresher’s Week and the warden demonstrating how a bed is made. [00:19:55] BD discusses the food at Beck Hall and dining culture. Mentions food at the College Refectory. BD talks about sharing a room with another student. Expands upon the development of friendships. [00:25:45] BD mentions a fellow student marrying a lecturer. Continues discussing rooms at Beck Hall. [00:27:37] BD outlines her route into the College through Singleton Park. Notes playing hockey in the park and near Mumbles Road. BD described the physical appearance of the College. Mentions the student common room and a committee room. Mentions the lecture rooms and laboratories in Singleton Abbey. [00:31:10] BD mentions the course structure and her poor relationship with Florence Mockeridge [FM]. Outlines switching to Geology and different lectures. Mentions FM’s reaction to this. [00:35:55] BD talks about student numbers on courses. Mentions reasons for preferring Geology to Botany. Mentions gendered nature of subjects like geology. BD mentions course mates, including one who later died in Canada. [00:41:45] BD describes Singleton Abbey and the campus. Describes the Librarian Miss Busby and a song about her. BD talks about using the Library. Mentions the ‘huts’ on campus and the Student Union building opening in BD’s final year. Notes how Engineering students organised Raise and Give (RAG) week. [00:45:50] Discussion of Saturday night ‘hops’ [dances] held on campus. Compares this to musical evenings at Beck Hall. BD describes how dances worked. [00:50:10] BD discusses fieldwork. Comments on work in local quarries and on the Gower peninsula. Expands upon this by discussing other fieldtrips. [00:52:50] BD mentions RAG weeks and notes how students made money. Talks about ex-servicemen on campus and how this changed the atmosphere on campus. [00:55:46] BD discusses being on the Student Representative Council (SRC). Mentions contemporaries John Williams and John Morgan. Mentions Enid Vaughan and the hockey team. Illustrates an anecdote about playing a hockey match in Townhill without a ball. [01:00:57] BD notes how she spent little time in Swansea town. Mentions bomb damage from the war. [01:02:17] Discusses parents not visiting. Discusses again the strict conditions in Beck Hall. Discusses graduation. BD shows a picture of a visit by Lord [William] Beveridge and Principal John Fulton. Comments on the Registrar Edwin Drew. [01:05:16] Discusses staying at the College to do a DipEd [Diploma of Education] to teach Botany. BD gives an overview of her teacher training. Discusses lectures on the course, including Mrs Jones. Discusses arrival of Americans at the College who livened the place up. Provides anecdotes about Thanksgiving Day, and a dance in the Brangwyn Hall. Discusses seeing the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in Swansea. [01:11:42] Discusses how Swansea was low on numbers and lowered the entry age. BD was 17 when she started at the University College, and had a blue (under 18) ration book. Comments on being given a banana for the first time in six years. [01:14:34] BD discusses brief stint as a lab demonstrator at the College. Discusses working for the National Coal Board [NCB] after studying at Swansea, on a project analysing coal. Discusses one other woman doing a similar job. Comments on working until 1952. BD met husband, and was transferred to Birmingham. [01:22:36] Discusses finding working teaching geology difficult. BD notes how south Wales was short of teachers so she became a reception teacher. Talks about her children going to university, but none went to Swansea. |