| Description | Track 01 [00:42:25] [Session One: 23 March 2017] Dr David Stokes [DS], born in Llansamlet, 1942. Talks about his father, a coalminer who was passionate about his son’s education [00:01:49] DS describes his schooling, first at Lonlas Primary School and then at Dynevor Grammar School, Swansea. DS talks about his history, maths and physics teachers at Dynevor. DS describes his Chemistry teacher Graham Gregory, who sparked DS’ passion for Chemistry. [00:03:58] DS talks about his older brother Brian, engineer for British Petroleum [BP] and after retiring Chair of Swansea Astronomical Society. [00:04:44] DS talks about his home and his parents encouraging him to read newspapers. DS describes his mother, a housewife. [00:07:20] DS describes his developing interest in Chemistry. Tells stories about dangerous experiments when he was a teenager. [00:10:01] DS talks about his A-Levels and O-Levels. DS describes his school teacher Les Evans, who later taught Science with German language elements at the University College of Swansea [now Swansea University SU]. DS talks about the usefulness of foreign languages in science. [00:12:48] DS talks about applying to the Universities of Aberystwyth, Swansea and Cardiff. DS talks about his summer job in a lab at BP in Llandarcy. DS describes the food at the canteen. [00:15:48] DS talks about how the Chemistry department at SU moved into a new building in his first year in 1960. Talks about the Head of Chemistry Professor Cedric Hassall [CH] and lecturers Dr Wellington and Dr Peter Padley. [00:19:06]DS describes the difference in academic difficulty between secondary school and university. Talks about playing football at university. Tells a story about playing rugby and injuring himself [00:22:14] DS describes lab work and lectures in Physics, Chemistry and Maths. DS talks about his full timetable and being envious of Arts students’ timetables, mentions new areas of Chemistry he learnt at university. [00:26:18] DS describes distant relative and Swansea University geologist Dr Keith Ball showing him and his friend Austin Thomas around the university. DS talks about different buildings on campus. [00:29:58]DS talks about living at home for 7 out of 8 years at university and missing out on more socialising with fellow students. DS mentions that 25 percent of Chemistry students were day students. DS Tells an anecdote about meeting a girl at Fresher’s Week. DS describes his daily commute to to university via bus. DS talks about grant he received and how his parents supported him while he was at university.[00:35:36] DS talks about not forming close friendships during his undergraduate years, and describes the relationship between undergraduates and staff. [00:37:47]DS talks about his activities outside of academic life, and compares the old refectory in Singleton Abbey to the new refectory in Fulton House. DS [00:41:02] DS says the university did not feel very Welsh. DS describes meeting international students from India, Pakistan, Mauritius and Switzerland and inviting them to his home [00:42:25]
Track 2 [00:41:37] [Session One: 23 March 2017] DS describes finishing his undergraduate degree in 1963 and continuing to do research in Chemistry at Swansea. DS talks about his thesis, which included working with hazardous materials, and DS tells anecdote about his mother having to wash his lab coat and being affected by bromide traces on the coat. DS describes working with his supervisor CH. DS describes going to Aberfan to help in the aftermath of the Aberfan disaster. DS mentions getting engaged to his girlfriend. [00:10:12] DS describes what his typical day looked like when he was a PhD student DS talks about sporting activities hosted by the university, including an interdepartmental football games and a tennis tournament. DS describes a football game between the organic and physical chemistry departments called the Benzine Ring Cup. DS talks about making new friends, including Dr Terry Winters [TW], and Dr John Davies [JD]. [00:13:40] DS mentions Afsal and Nasser from Pakistan, Dr Helmut Link [HL] from Switzerland and other international students. DS tells an anecdote about inviting the two Pakistani students and HL to his home. DS talks about how international students generally fitted in very well. DS talks about hearing of the outbreak of a war between India and Pakistan in 1965 and how a bomb had landed on the hometown of one of the students. [00:18:30] DS talks about various incidents that happened in the Chemistry department during his studies. DS talks about the lab’s safety system [00:31:29] DS talks about why he wanted to teach after completing his doctorate. DS tells an anecdote about when he tutored a schoolboy. DS mentions how his supervisor CH encouraged him to go abroad. DS describes his search for an academic position abroad and becoming a post-doctoral teaching fellow in Vancouver. [00:35:30] DS talks about meeting his wife Val. DS describes Val’s career. [00:41:37].
Track 3 [01:10:31] [Session Two: 5 April 2017] DS talks about the 1960s as a period of change. Talks about entering university in 1960 and interest in politics. DS describes changes at the University and its buildings. [00:03:49] DS talks about political developments during the 1960s, e.g. the worries at the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. DS describes his reactions to the assassinations of United States [U.S.A] President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King, and Robert F. Kennedy. [00:09:04] DS talks about going to hustings of Labour candidate for Swansea East, Neil McBride, as well as political meetings in Brangwyn Hall, Swansea. DS talks about his father, who was a committed Labour supporter. DS talks about different politicians coming to address the student body, including local MPs and Liberal MP Jo Grimond. DS tells an anecdote of Foreign Secretary (first name?)Bottomley visiting the university in 1966 and holding a speech about Apartheid and Rhodesia., Bottomley was interrupted by a student wanting to talk about the Aberfan Disaster. DS mentions the multitude of international events happening, e.g. the Six-Day War in 1967, the Prague Spring and the Troubles in Northern Ireland in 1968. DS tells a story about learning to drive DS reflects on the political involvement of students who lived on campus. DS talks about voting for Peter Stead [later Professor of History at Swansea] in the Student Union President elections[00:18:40] DS talks about the connection between the university and the outside world. DS mentions that the Institution of Petroleum [IOP] awarded him funding for his PhD and that IOP representatives would check his progress.. DS tells an anecdote about participating in Rag Week and selling programmes. DS describes making a float with the motto’ Fallout’ that satirised the possible ban of atomic bombs. [00:23:00] DS talks about the lack of outreach from the university to local schools during the 1960s. DS describes attending an Open Day at Swansea University with his wife and his children, and visited the Science departments. [00:25:15] DS talks about inter-departmental collaboration and tells an anecdote about the misuse of alcohol. DS talks about academic collaboration, including across the disciplines [00:29:36] DS talks his relationship with his lecturers. DS reflects on the student-supervisor relationship. DS describes his supervisor CH [00:32:54] DS talks about finishing his thesis and having his viva in London. DS mentions seeing a minstrel show in London. DS talks about flying to Vancouver the day after his successful thesis defence. DS describes his arrival in Canada and the search for an apartment. [00:39:59] DS compares the lab and campus of Vancouver to Swansea. DS talks about the presence of campus police in Canada and the USA. DS describes working with Professor Laurie Hall, who later worked at Cambridge. DS talks about his international colleagues. [00:43:14] DS talks about travelling around Canada by car. DS describes visiting the Abbottsford Air Show and seeing the aftermath of the Hope Slide. [00:46:59] DS talks about his research and teaching in Vancouver. DS compares the Canadian undergraduates with Swansea undergraduates. [00:48:12] DS describes travels to the USA. DS talks about Point Roberts, an American exclave in Canada. DS describes visiting TW, who was now at University of California Los Angeles [UCLA]. DS talks about the American reaction to the Vietnam War and the subsequent draft.[00:52:01] DS talks about Engineering students in Vancouver. DS describes his wife working as a secretary for the School of Social Work and befriending a Doukhobor woman. DS describes visiting the Moscow State Circus. [00:56:34] DS talks about staying in contact with former Swansea University colleges, including CH, TW, JD and Tony Wellington. [00:58:03] DS talks about changes in the student body and society in general regarding respect from authority. DS describes his time as a teacher in Carmarthen Grammar School, Penyrheol Comprehensive School in Gorseinon, Llangatwg Comprehensive School in Neath, and his time as a Head Teacher at Dwr-y-Felin Comprehensive School in Neath. [01:07:10] DS talks about the schools sending A-Level pupils to Swansea University. [01:08:38] DS talks about retirement and becoming a lay member of the Neath Health Board. DS mentions his voluntary work at a primary school. [01:10:31]
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