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GB 249 SOHC 10 · File · 3 May 2005

Recording and transcript of unidentified male interviewer (possibly Neil Rafeek) in conversation with Cordelia Oliver, Glasgow, 3 May 2005.

Oliver, Cordelia, 1923-2009, journalist, painter and art critic
GB 249 SOHC 19 · File · 28 May 2013

Recording of David Walker, of the Scottish Oral History Centre, in conversation with David McLetchie MSP in 2013. The interview was conducted at David McLetchie's office at the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh.

This interview was originally intended to be the first of a series of interviews carried out by the Scottish Oral History Centre with the first cohort of MSPs. However, due to David McLetchie's poor health, this interview was undertaken ahead of the planned project. Conducted about two months before his death from cancer at the age of 61, this interview is one of the last interviews which McLetchie gave. Because of time pressures, the interview is approximately 25 mins in length. The larger project with the rest of the cohort of MSPs was never undertaken.

The interview covers McLetchie's entire life, orientated primarily towards his life in politics.

The interview covers the following topics:

  • Family background
  • School education
  • Political involvement at Edinburgh University
  • Career in law
  • Conservative Party involvement, including Young Conservatives, and party conferences
  • Standing for election as an MP in 1979
  • Selection process for becoming an MSP in 1999
  • Becoming leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in 1999
  • Running the Conservative 1999 election campaign for the Scottish Parliament
  • Life as a constituency MSP and as a 'list' MSP
  • View on 'consensus' politics of the Scottish Parliament
  • Press coverage of the Scottish Parliament
McLetchie, David William, 1952-2013, politician
GB 249 SOHC 11 · File · 9 February 1999

Unidentified female interviewer in conversation with sports illustrator and social worker Jim Scullion of Coatbridge. The interview focuses on football, particularly the interviewee's support for Celtic Football Club.

  • sound recording (0h 52m 48s)

Side A

[00:00:14] Introductions.
[00:00:47] Describes going to first football match; tells story of sneaking into Cliftonhill ground and being chased by police.
[00:02.21] Talks about who he went to games with.
[00:03:12] Talks about different areas of Celtic Park from which he watched games.
[00:03:47] Describes how he began to support Celtic as a child.
[00:05:03] Talks about family members’ support for Celtic.
[00:06:10] Talks about how he supported Celtic because his male relatives did; describes attending his first Celtic game; tells story of not realising it had started as there was no radio commentary by David Francey.
[00:07:18] Talks about how he now attends games with his children.
[00:07:26] Talks about female family members’ attitudes to football.
[00:08:12] Talks about whether it is acceptable for women to attend matches; describes bad language and behaviour at matches; remarks that he did not notice females attending when he was young, but saw families once he moved into the stand.
[00:10:29] Talks about facilities for men and women at football grounds in 1980s and 1990s.
[00:11:44] Talks about Celtic Football Club’s importance to him.
[00:12:38] Talks about the players’ importance to him.
[00:13:47] Describes his admiration for player Danny McGrain; mentions Kenny Dalglish and Billy McNeill.
[00:14:31] Talks about whether today’s players deserve high salaries.
[00:15:39] Mentions he is not a member of a supporters’ club.
[00:15:44] Describes when and why he became a season ticket holder.
[00:17:21] Talks about annual cost (season tickets, strips, videos) for himself and sons to support Celtic.
[00:18:04] Describes attitude to this cost.
[00:19:35] Talks about why he is not a Celtic shareholder.
[00:20:50] Describes pre- and post-match rituals when he was a child; tells story of arriving after kick-off because father and brother spent too long in pub; mentions getting Times and Citizen with pictures of players inside and being lifted over turnstile.
[00:22:34] Describes pre- and post-match rituals for himself and sons now; mentions difficulty of parking and exiting car park after matches.
[00:23:43] Talks about food eaten on match day.
[00:24:10] Talks about clothing worn to games; describes tradition of not entering ground until he sees someone he knows, otherwise team will lose.
[00:25:17] Talks about putting off family events to attend football and tells story of pregnant wife accompanying him to game when two weeks overdue.
[00:26:44] Describes atmosphere of Celtic Park when he was a child; mentions merchandise sold outside, including pictures of President Kennedy and (player) Johnny Thomson; describes supporters’ singing before, during and after match.
[00:27:50] Describes how atmosphere differs now; mentions that singing used to be deafening every week.
[00:29:37] Talks about routine of coming into ground with sons.
[00:29:51] Talks about team huddle being most special moment of the game, and final whistle the most hated moment.
[00:30:39] Detailed description of attending Celtic v. Albion Rovers at Cliftonhill, just after Celtic won European Cup in 1967; tells story of getting Lisbon Lions’ autographs and meeting Jock Stein and Jimmy Johnstone.
[00:33:39] Talks about how importance of supporting Celtic has increased for him over time.
[00:33:56] Talks about whether his support for Celtic causes arguments with friends, family and strangers.
[00:34:47] Describes how attending football with sons has enhanced his relationship with them.
[00:35:54] Describes attitude to fellow Celtic supporters; mentions his annoyance at abuse given to Rangers player, Dave McPherson.
[00:37:12] Remarks that he has friends who are Rangers supporters or ex-Rangers players.
[00:37:52] Talks about Celtic’s 1967 European Cup win; describes family events on that day, watching game on television and celebrations afterwards.
[00:40:03] Talks about Celtic’s 1979 league win on last day of season.
[00:40:38] Talks about Celtic’s 1985 league win at last game of season against St Mirren.
[00:41:37] Talks about winning domestic double in Celtic’s centenary year and mentions Roy Aitken.
[00:42:29] Talks about importance of winning 1997-1998 league cup and championship and preventing Rangers from winning 10 league championships in a row.
[00:43:41] Talks about a game in November 1998 when Celtic beat Rangers 5-1; mentions another game where Celtic beat Rangers 7-1.
[00:46:31] Talks about what he sees as Celtic’s greatest achievement.
[00:46:46] Recording ends.

Side B

[00:03:59] Interview resumes. Talks about it not really mattering if Celtic win or lose and how Albion Rovers fans are probably better football supporters.
[00:04:37] Describes his inability to support another club, even if Celtic were relegated.
[00:05:39] Sums up what Celtic means to him.
[00:06:15] Interview ends.

Scullion, James, b. 1954, sports illustrator
GB 249 SOHC 1 · Collection · Original recordings, 1981-1985

A series of interviews with former employees at the motor manufacturing complex at Linwood, Renfrewshire, 20km west of Glasgow, Scotland.

Manufacturing activity first started at Linwood during WWII, under the government's shadow factory scheme, specialising in steel processing and gun barrels, managed by the Glasgow engineering company Beardmore's. After the war, the Pressed Steel company began to manufacture railway carriages, tractors, and body parts for cars and trucks. In the early 1960s, after government pressure, the Rootes car group built a new factory at the site, commencing the full-scale production of new motor-car models, including the Hillman Imp and the Avenger, massively expanding the Linwood site. The Linwood site was taken over by the American Chrysler corporation in 1967, and was again taken over by the French company Peugeot-Citroen in 1979. Following a prolonged period of financial difficulties and industrial unrest, the Linwood plant was closed by Peugeot in 1981. During its operation, Linwood was the only full-scale motor-car production facility in Scotland, employing 8,500 workers at its peak, one of the largest single manufacturing sites in Scotland. The former factory has now been demolished.

This project was a research project undertaken by Clifford Lockyer, an economist based at the University of Strathclyde, in the early 1980s. Lockyer had previously worked at the Linwood car factory, and in his own words, "sought to record the life of the Linwood factory from shadow war factory to closure".

The interviews cover the life-span of the entire plant, including a few workers who worked at the site during WWII. The evolving nature of the site, describing the varied work of the 1950s, is featured, including the production of car parts for Vauxhall, Ford, Rolls Royce, as well as the production of railway carriages, mostly for export, with India a main destination. The most significant development at the plant - the sudden move into full-scale car production in the early 1960s, and the resulting dramatic transformation of the site - is also strongly represented in the material (this expansion is often referred to in the material as a difference between the "south site" and the "north site"). Finally, the tumultuous years of the 1970s are also featured, including the events leading up to the plant's closure in 1981. Interviews cover a wide range of jobs roles at the plant, including operators, foremen, management, and trade union officials. A key division of labour at the site was between those operators in the "tool shops", and those who worked on the car assembly line "track", and both sets of workers are represented.

The overall flow of the interviews centres around the topic of industrial relations, which was Lockyer's specialist research area. Management policies, and their effects, as well as the changes in ownership are discussed by many interviewees. Management relationships with the shopfloor are frequently mentioned. Trade union activity at the plant is heavily featured in the interviews, and some interviewees describe their roles as shop stewards. Various industrial disputes and their consequences are also relayed in detail, including the trajectory toward plant closure. A large number of different trade unions operated at Linwood, and some workers describe the interrelationships and tensions between them, as well as the organisational structures and main personalities of each union group. Many workers also discuss their own attitudes and interactions with trade unions.

The Linwood plant was largely non-unionised in the 1950s, which some workers discuss, including its impact on working life. A strike in 1948, which led to the banishment of unions, is touched upon by a few interviewees. The unionisation process of the late 1950s, resulting in the comprehensive unionisation of the entire workforce, is featured in the material, including the impact on working conditions and management relations.

The working conditions of the workplace and the everyday routines of a car factory are highlighted. Interviewees discuss their own daily routines and the organisation of their particular work section. Some interviews go into detail about payment arrangements, including the "piece" system, and bonuses. The introduction of a nightshift in the 1960s is also mentioned. Health and safety risks are very occasionally alluded to. Workers discuss their own attitudes towards their job, their frustrations and motivations, and how this changes over time. The interviews feature discussion on day-to-day problems and difficulties at the site, commenting on production and design problems, as well as quality control.

Since many interviewees worked at the Linwood plant for many years, interviewees often comment on the rise and fall of the Linwood plant over time, making allusions to the wider economic and business climate. Interviewees chart the dynamics of changing workforce morale, changing work practices and changing management attitudes over time, and try to pinpoint "where it all went wrong", reflecting on reasons for the gradual demise of the Linwood plant and the motor industry in Scotland.

Finally, a handful of interviews feature the topic of women in the Linwood workforce. Women were typically employed in a few roles at the site, but changes to this configuration are also mentioned. One interviewee discusses how many women labourers were employed at the site during WWII, undertaking roles vacated by men. Another interview discusses how - in the late 1970s - women were employed in significant numbers in jobs which previously were exclusively performed by men, including on the car assembly line "track". At least one interviewee is a former female worker, who reflects on the lack of union representation among female workers.

Lockyer, Clifford, b. 1946, economist
Costandi Audeh papers
GB 249 OM/480 · Collection · 1955-2009
  • Copy of BSc Applied Chemistry undergraduate dissertation entitled 'The Estimation of Acidity in Oxidised Lubricating Oils: a comparative study', University of Glasgow, 1955
  • Abstract of DPhil thesis entitled 'A Mechanistic Study of the Oxidation of Some Trialkylamines', University of York, 1970
  • Menu and toast list for the Royal Technical College Applied Chemists' final year dinner on 15 June 1955, with attendees' signatures and other annotations
  • Group photograph taken at the Royal Technical College Applied Chemists' final year dinner on 15 June 1955, with partial key of names
  • Royal Technical College lapel badge, c.1955
  • Royal Technical College student tie, c.1955
  • Associate of the Royal Technical College (ARTC) tie, c.1955
  • Two University of Glasgow ties, c.1955
  • Three textbooks used by Costanti Audeh during his studies at the Royal Technical College: Frank Rumford, 'Chemical Engineering Operations: an introduction to the study of chemical plant' (London: Constable & Co. Ltd, 1951; Frank Rumford, 'Chemical Engineering Materials' (London: Constable & Co. Ltd, 1954); William M. Cumming, I. Vance Hopper and T. Sherlock Wheeler, 'Systematic Organic Chemistry: modern methods of preparation and estimation' (4th edition: London: Constable & Co. Ltd, 1950)
  • Menu, invitation card and other memorabilia relating to the 'Strathclyde University Down South' (SUDS) London Alumni dinner at the Houses of Parliament, London, 9 July 2009
  • University of Strathclyde tie presented to Costanti Audeh by Professor Kenneth Miller at the SUDS London Alumni dinner, 9 July 2009
  • List of all the patents issued in the United States of America and assigned to Mobil Oil Corporation in connection with Costandi Audeh's research, 1971-1996
  • Collage composed of abstracts of patents issued in the United States of America during the period 1976-1993, presented to Costanti Audeh on his retirement from the Central Research Laboratory, Mobil Oil Corporation in 1993
  • Explanatory notes by Costandi Audeh on the background and significance of the various patents assigned to Mobil Oil Corporation in connection with his research
  • Biographical details compiled by Costandi Audeh for 'North American Newsletter', the University of Glasgow's newsletter for alumni living in North America, with a copy of issue no.2 (April 2007) containing his published profile.
Audeh, Costandi Amin, b. 1932, chemist
GB 249 OS/57 · Series · 1985 - 1993

Proposals for courses for validation by the University of Strathclyde; proposal for validation of courses by the Council for National Academic Awards; College policies and procedures for course monitoring and evaluation.

Craigie College of Education, Ayr
Crust
GB 249 OJD/2 · Series · 1962 - 1982

Annual handbook for freshers at the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow and (from 1964) the University of Strathclyde. Includes a history of the University and information on the University administration, buildings, student welfare, student societies, clubs and activities.

Royal College of Science and Technology Students' Association
Cuba
GB 249 T-GED/22/1 · Series · c. 1750

Map of Havana.

This map is part of Patrick Geddes’ large collection of maps, plans, photographs, prints and drawings of countries and regions around the world. Much of this collection was part of Geddes' Cities and Town Planning Exhibition.

Geddes, Sir Patrick, 1854-1932, Knight, biologist, sociologist, educationist and town planner
GB 249 OE/1/3 · Series · 1887 - 1910

Index to minutes of meetings of the Board of Governors of the Glasgow and West of Scotland Technical College, the Royal Technical College, Glasgow and the Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow.

Royal College of Science and Technology, Glasgow | Board of Governors
Cyprus
GB 249 T-GED/22/1 · Series · 1860 , 1880, no date

Maps and illustrations of Cyprus.

This series is part of Patrick Geddes’ large collection of maps, plans, photographs, prints and drawings of countries and regions around the world. Much of this collection was part of Geddes' Cities and Town Planning Exhibition.

Geddes, Sir Patrick, 1854-1932, Knight, biologist, sociologist, educationist and town planner
Czechoslovakia
GB 249 T-GED/22/1 · Series · c. 1910 - 1915

Illustrations of Czechoslovakia.

This series is part of Patrick Geddes’ large collection of maps, plans, photographs, prints and drawings of countries and regions around the world. Much of this collection was part of Geddes' Cities and Town Planning Exhibition.

Geddes, Sir Patrick, 1854-1932, Knight, biologist, sociologist, educationist and town planner
Dallas Carter papers
GB 249 OM/471 · Collection · 1999-2003

Records relating to Dallas Carter's undergraduate studies in Politics and Scottish Studies at the University of Strathclyde, including: lecture notebooks; essay submissions with tutors' mark sheets; examination papers; class handbooks.

Carter, Dallas Evelyn, b. 1951, student of the University of Strathclyde