| Description | Track 1 [00:11:50] [Session One: 14 December 2017] David Painting [DP], born in Cheadle Hulme, 1932. DP talks about his background and the family moving to Carmarthen in 1939 because of his father, who was a railway engineer. DP talks about living in Carmarthen until moving to Swansea University in 1954. [00:02:38] DP mentions his education at Model Primary School in Carmarthen. DP describes going to Carmarthen Grammar School on a scholarship and talks about the correlation between a grammar school education and going to university [00:04:08] DP talks about his interest in Politics. DP talks about his background in the English language and literature and his reading. [00:04:45] DP describes the influence of his Headmaster Tudor Williams [TW] on DP’s decision to go to university. DP talks about his father’s support for a university education. DP describes TW’s negative reaction upon DP choosing Swansea. [00:07:45] DP talks about the appeal of Swansea to him. [00:08:15] DP talks about his involvement in the debating society, film society and in political debates. DDP talks about his interest in politics and his political views. DP talks about being a member of the Socialist Society [SocSoc] and the political debates hosted by SocSoc. [00:11:50]
Track 2 [00:29:18] [Session One: 14 December 2017] DP talks about the lectures in the English department, including David Simms[DS], Professor W.D. Thomas, Sam Dawson and Kingsley Amis [KA]. DP describes KA’s prominence and KA’s change in political views. DP is critical of KA’s novels because of their focus on drinking. DP talks about his favourite lecturer, Miss Wescott. [00:05:42] DP describes the course structure, including one-on-one tutorials. DP describes elocution lessons by DS. [00:07:30] DP talks about his living arrangement as an undergraduate student. DP talks about international students and about becoming friends with a Nigerian student from a well-off background. [00:10:30] DP talks about his experience during the war. DP describes evacuees from the East End in London being billeted in their house in Carmarthen. [00:13:37] DP describes the negative attitude towards the Welsh language in society during the 1950s. [00:14:16] DP talks about living in digs and describes the landladies. [00:15:17] DP talks about the state of Swansea and the rebuilding process of the buildings damaged by the Blitz [German bombings during the Second World War]. DP describes the positive impact of the university development on the wider town. [00:17:21] DP talks about Olive Busby, the librarian. DP describes different buildings on campus. [00:19:43] DP compares his own study habits to those of his peers. DP talks about not participating in typical student activities such as drinking and partying. [00:20:38] DP talks about the collegiate atmosphere in the university and the ease of socialising. [00:22:17] DP talks about research and his PhD topic related to the novels of Benjamin Disraeli [19th century British Prime Minister]. DP talks about meeting Disraeli biographer Robert Blake [RB] and discussing Disraeli’s homosexuality. [00:26:10]. DP talks about his career after his PhD and becoming a librarian at Swansea University. [00:26:53]. DP talks about his National Service from 1955-58 and the regimental connections he maintains today. DP mentions visiting the British army headquarters in Moenchengladbach, Germany. DP talks about enjoying his experience in the army despite his leftist political views. [00:29:18]
Track 3 [00:17:09] [Session Two: 18 December 2017] DP describes the transition from being a student at Swansea University to becoming a staff member. DP talks about his job as an Assistant Librarian and describes the Chief Librarians Olive Busby and Frank Hardy.[00:04:35] DP talks about the seniority of the Chief Librarian. DP describes the high table for academic staff in the Refectory and the general hierarchy between students and staff.[00:05:42] DP talks about Chief Librarian Mary Cooper [00:06:16] DP describes the development of the library building. [00:09:03] DP talks about his time spent on campus, including the refectory. DP talks about the change in library opening hours as result of student pressure. [00:11:14] DP describes his retirement in 1998. DP talks about his published books on Disraeli and the history of Photography, including Swansea photographer Albert Jones.[00:13:05] DP outlines his reasons for never moving away from Swansea during his career and describes the importance of Swansea in his life. [00:14:38] DP talks about his political interest. DP describes the UK’s increased interconnectivity with Europe. DP talks about his tripartite identity of British, Welsh and European. [00:17:09]
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