| Description | Track 1 [01:04:06] [Session One: 13 February 2018], Peter Robins [PR], born in Llantrisant April 1932. PR talks about his father, a former collier, who was working in the building industry in Kingston upon Thames and the family’s move to Kingston. PR describes being sent back to Llantrisant because of the imminent outbreak of the war in July 1939 and talks about living with his grandparents. PR talks about his parents being unable to move to Wales because of his father’s job as a police constable.[00:04:02] PR talks about his primary school education. PR describes his father taking over the coal business of his father’s late brother-in-law. PR compares grammar schools in England and Wales and mentions their difference in intake. [00:06:26] PR talks about his education in Cowbridge Grammar School. PR talks about the teachers who had fought in the war.PR talks about the low number of students going to university after Sixth Form and the jobs they did instead. PR describes the rapid change in attitude regarding higher education and attitude regarding education of girls. [00:10:43] PR talks about his aspiration to become a primary school teacher and describes being persuaded by his headmaster to go to university [00:12:36] PR talks about his reasons for deciding to go to Swansea University. [00:13:55] PR describes his visits to Swansea before going to university. PR talks about the destruction of Swansea as a result of the war. PR talks about his interview at Swansea University. [00:18:04] PR describes Principal John Fulton and tells an anecdote about reading a Fresher’s Essay to Fulton. PR talks about Fresher’s Lectures and the student custom of stamping feet in approbation. [00:23:40] PR talks about a former serviceman studying in Swansea on a Forces Education Trust [FET] grant [00:26:05] PR talks about Economics lecturer [?] Bell and the pranks played on him by students. [00:28:14] PR talks about his subjects taken in first year: English, History, Economics and Philosophy. PR talks about how he ended up studying English and the impact on his professional life, since he later became Head of English. [00:30:59] PR talks about Professor D.B. Quinn, Neville Masterman and Molly Gibbs, who was a Medieval Historian. PR describes the lecturing style of Sir Glanmor Williams [Professor of History] and Walter Minchinton [00:36:08] PR talks about living conditions in digs and describes going to Union House, which had more amenities. PR talks about Union House making the local news because of too affectionate students [00:41:03] PR talks about opportunities for students to get food and drink in Swansea. PS describes the student-frequented pubs and the pub culture. PR talks about restaurants on the Kingsway and the meal choice in the Old and New Refectory on Singleton Campus. PR talks about the rationing which was still in place until 1954. [00:45:48]PR describes the entertainment options in town, including multiple cinemas and theatres. PR talks about the films and plays he went to see. PR talks about the quality of the student Drama Society and talks about the staff production of Hamlet, which was slated by the local press. PR talks about participating in the debating society and its star speaker Dewi Z. Phillips. [00:53:10] PR describes getting to know Alun Richards, a fellow debater, and talks about their life-long friendship. [00:59:20] PR describes his time when he was in a sanatorium with tuberculosis for more than a year. PR talks about meeting his wife-to-be Wendy when he was back at university and falling in love with her instantly. [01:04:06] |