Photo Album 6
Photo Album 6
Jan Conway sent these treasures
-1-
November 1961 - hockey practice
L to R: (I believe) Roger Mockford, Chris Bartlett, Ron Hinton,
Les Fitzgerald (definitely), Bob Maude (definitely) and John Bray.
-2-
June 30th 1967 - Dr (Professor?) James Philp's retirement presentation
L to R: Denley Wright, Jan Cotton, Mrs Wright, James Philp and Mrs Philp.
And Judith Shields found more
Judith Shields writes
This album was rescued from the scrap paper pile en route to the compost heap during the Great Chuck Out of 2006
when we were forced to clear the Old Lab Block and the David Lowe Building
prior to demolition of one and letting out as a business unit of the other.
The finder, Willie Turnbull, spotted some pictures of his brother Ken and Ken now has the original album.
It is a copy of an album presented to Dr James Philp, the first director, on his retirement in 1967.
There are evidently several photos missing, notably group photos of the Plant Pathology and Weed Science sections,
which I believe had been taken away previously and it would be great if they turned up.
Several people have helped identify faces notably Ken Turnbull (1959 - present), Colin Welch (1954-1999) and Mike McKee (1970 on and off - present)
and more information has been gleaned from a set of annual reports which another colleague salvaged.
-3-
(This neither looks like the hut's position in front of the oak trees on the green - see the aerial photo,
nor its present position in a copse opposite Cottage field)
-4-
James Philps in front of the "New Laboratory Building" (Prince Philip Building)
It looks like his brand of pipe tobacco wasn't popular.
-5-
'Opening of New Laboratory Building by Prince Philip 23rd October 1959
Prince Philip in glasshouses with James Philp and Sir David Lowe, chair of governors
-6-
'Opening of New Laboratory Building by Prince Philip 23rd October 1959
Opening speech (on platform I can only identify Denley Wright 3rd from left and James Philp behind microphones)
-7-
'Opening of NewLaboratory Building by Prince Philip 23rd October 1959
Prince Philip being shown test tubes (the demonstrator has a name badge on but it is illegible)
Richard H says ?Geoff Wheatley?
-8-
'Unveiling of James Philp's Portrait
The portrait remained on display in the present conference centre
along with those of subsequent directors until 2004.
When the university took over all the portraits were taken down and disappeared.
-9-
AGM of Governing Body 1967
There were twenty three members of the governing body at the time but only a dozen present here. Apart from Sir David Lowe the chairman I'm not going to try and identify any of them.
Richard H says first three from Left - Geoff Lesson, Professor Jinks (Birmingham),Professor OVS Heath (Reading)**;
last three on Right - Sir D. Lowe, J Philp, Denley Wright
**Ken Cockshull confirms - Professor OVS Heath FRS,
Professor of Horticulture, University of Reading (1958(?)-1970),
and Director of the ARC Unit of Flower Crop Physiology, University of Reading (1962-1970)
board1953_small.jpg)
-10-
Management team beside frame of new building
The 'Old Lab block' is in the background so this is probably the packing shed being built
This was part of a phase of building started in the summer of 1953.
The light levels suggest this photos was taken in the winter of 1953/4.
L to R: JC Haigh, WG Keyworth, Jimmy Winter, Denley Wright, James Philp, J Nelder, Harold Roberts, ?, Tommy Norwood
(The unidentified man could be F Haworth who was head of Chemistry in 1953;
or MJ Webb who was Head of Vegetable Washing).
-11-
Heads of Sections 1967
L to R: Duncan Greenwood (Chemistry), George Freeman (Biochemistry), Jimmy Winter (Irrigation),
JA Nelder (Statistics), Denley Wright (Entomology, Deputy Director until 30 June 1967 then Director),
James Philps (Director until 30 June 1967),
WG Keyworth (Plant Pathology, Deputy Director from 30 June 1967), G Lesson (Secretary ie Head of Administration),
Tommy Norwood (Farm Manager), Harold Roberts (Weeds), John Bleasdale (Plant Physiology), JC Haigh (Plant Breeding)* *
**This photo is labelled 1967 but Dr Haigh retired September 1966.
Incidentally Ken is sure that Dr Keyworth was director for a while between James Philp and Denley Wright.
The reports disagree. Could he have been Acting Director at any time?
-12-
Aerial photograph of site
This photo was taken earlier than 1967 since building work listed in the station report for that year isn't visible and the hut is still on the green.
(I would guess 1965 when the annual report mentions that aerial photos had been taken
which showed up the Neolithic and Bronze Age crop marks again)
Most of the trees seen in the hedgerows here were elms and were lost to Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s.
I am assured that what looks like crop mark of a Roman building roughly where glasshouses 15 & 16 and the fish pond are now
is actually the cricket pitch.
The building of the Insect Rearing Unit on the lawn next to CE began in 1967. In the enclosed farm yard the walls of pigsties can be made out but not the wall used to segregate the cattle that divided the yard. These walls have all now been demolished but the cattle stalls are still in there and the stores are still referred to as 'the piggeries'.
There are only twelve houses on The Crescent so there were two more pairs to be built which dates the photo to after 1961
and before November 1966.
I am told enough bricks for all the houses were bought in advance and stacked on site and then the houses built when the budget allowed.
-13-
Map of site c 1967
This shows the 1960s limits of the site comprising the two farms (Cottage Farm and Beanham Farm)
mostly acquired from the Charlecote estate in 1949.
For some reason the fields nearest the village were not acquired until 1959. (Beanham farmhouse is now the Charlecote Pheasant Hotel).
All of the site was in Charlecote and none in Wellesbourne but evidently it was considered better to associate the station with the larger settlement. (Now HRI's conference facilities are advertised as being in Stratford-upon-Avon).
The map shows the former line of the A429 before it was straightened to bypass Wellesbourne and became a race track. This lost us half of Soakwaters field on which the houses of Hammond Green and Charlecote Fields were built. (I think this is when we acquired the field named Willoughby, after Neil Willoughby, the farm technician sent over to survey it, in exchange).
I'm not sure if the very point of Soakwaters field where the petrol station. stands was ever part of the farm. The King's Head pub represents the end point of Charlecote land.
The station was expanded about 1977 by the purchase of most of the land from Kingsmead Farm south of the River Dene and actually in Wellesbourne
-14-
Farm staff at Wellesbourne
On tractor Left- Tommy Richardson, Right - Ken Turnbull ('Young Ken') and Colin Welch
Standing L to R Sid Anderton, Tommy Norwood (Farm Manager), Reg Russell, Ron Perkins, Bill Leach (Albert's father), Ken Williams ('Old Ken'), Horace Wickham, Fred Rawbone, Reg Knights, Derek Dawson, Jack East, Graham Gardner, Albert Leach, Sam Russell, Bob Ecksley, Roy Pheasey
The number of farm staff at the time was partially due to the needs of the cattle and pigs kept on the station until the late 1970s to aid with soil fertility trials. There are now five staff under a farm manager looking after a larger farm (and absolutely no casual or summer workers).
-15-
Farm Staff at Paglesham
Back: DT McVittie (Foreman), JW Pooley, Front: KP McVittie, RD Ransome
-16-
Cleaning Team
This changed frequently so only Mrs Knights (wife of Reg of the Farm Staff) 2nd from left ,and Archie Selwyn (father-in-law of Jan in Entomology) in the middle have been identified.
-17-
Glasshouse Staff
L to R : ?, ?, ?, Andrew Hart, Alvar Lockitt, Bob Cook (Senior Glasshouse Assistant), Ted Botes
One of the women may be Miss Y Smith
1967 saw the construction of Glasshouse 7, the first to have an automatic watering system!
There are now a lot more glasshouses and poly tunnels looked after by eight staff under a Protected Crops Manager.
The Bioconversion Unit (mushrooms and composting) has one technician with some assistance and the Gene Bank has its own technician.
-18-
Maintenance and Kitchen Staff
Standing L to R: Dick White, Alf Ball (Fitter), ?, Mick Simons (Carpenter), Dick Liquerice, Mrs Simons (Canteen), Mrs Chamberlain (Canteen), Mrs Cook (Canteen), M Marshall (Storeman)
Front L to R: ?, Harry Taylor (Painter), J Leonard (Assistant Carpenter)
-19-
Library and Administration 1967
Jan Conway filled in the gaps so now we have L to R:-
Lyn Colley, Sue Scott (n?e Telfer) in the leafy dress, ?, Leslie Fitzgerald (Admin Assistant), ?,
Sheila MacDonagh(dress with the spotted pleats), Geoff Lesson (Secretary),
Jean Faulkner the Director's Secretary (centre - white top, dark skirt), David Woodroffe (Librarian), ?,
Jan Gerwitz (n?e Harris) (Library Assistant) (on right, long hair), Doug Bartlett (Accounts), EA (Ted) Hillman (photographer).
(E A H is also noticeable in the photos of theatrical productions).
-20-
Meeting Room (?)y
Meeting room (James Philps' office?) and James Philps and Denley Wright shaking hands in front of Dr Philps' portrait.
-21-
Plant Physiology
Back Row L to R: Mike Walker (Heinz scholar), Roger Austin, Tudor Thomas, Reg Thompson, Peter Longden, D H Farthing
Front Row L to R: John Bleasdale, Miss Celia J Bruton, Sue P A Lyons , Sue Tandy, Rosemary Coombs, Miss JA Havard?
(with thanks to Jan Conway for filling in the gaps)
-22-
Irrigation
Back Row L to R : Peter Salter, Eric Cox, Lucy Blackwall, J Williams, Richard Moore
Front Row L to R: Jimmy Winter, Tony Dearman, Heather Patterson, Miss E J Spencer,
Joyce Fradgley (now Steckel), Caroline Mulraine (n?e Oram)
-23-
Entomology
Back Row L to R: Dave Suett*, Bert Smith, Dave Highwood (student), Stan Finch
Middle Row L to R : Colin Hawkes (Association scholar), Tom Coker, Doug Kempton, Jan Selwyn (now Percival), Chris Ackley, Chris Padbury, ?, Karl Niendorf
Front Row L to R: Geoff Wheatley, Joe Hardman, J A Dunn, Denley Wright
* Dave Suett is listed in the annual report as being in the Chemistry Dept but he was working on analysis of insecticide residues
-24-
Chemistry
Back L to R: Tony Gerwitz (with glasses), Trevor Cleaver, John Bray, ?, Merle, ?, David Goodman, John Hunt
Front L to R: ? (AC Bell?), Dorida, Avril Parker, Alison, G Freeman*, ?, Ron Page, ?, Duncan Greenwood
* Dr Freeman was head of the separate Biochemistry section but had no staff under him for most of 1967.
-25-
Plant Breeding
Standing: ?, Guy Johnson, Brian Dowker,
Seated L to R: Brenda Adams (n?e Harvey), Jan Cotton (now Conway), Sue Loveridge (n?e Kibbler), Maureen Tandy , Jennifer Pow
Inset: ?
G E Dixon was head of this department but it is disputed that the inset picture is him.
With thanks again to Jan Conway for completing the list
-26-
Statistics
L to R: Carol Herraman, Ann Draycott, J T Wood, JA Nelder, Sue Palmer, Mrs Vera J Hirons
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