Postgraduate technological education in Britain: Events leading to the establishment of Churchill College, Cambridge, 1950-1958

Minerva

Volumn 36, Issue 2, 1998, Pages 147-177

  Walsh, James Jackson ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 1842830517     PISSN: 00264695     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1023/A:1004396018945     Document Type: Review

References (79)

1. Lord Butler, The Art of the Possible (London: Hamish Hamilton, 1971), ch. 6.
2. See Walsh, James Jackson, "Higher Technological Education in Britain: The Case of the Manchester Municipal College of Technology", in Minerva, XXXIV (Autumn 1996), pp. 219-257, esp. pp. 238-240.
3. Colville, John, Footprints in Time (London: Collins, 1976), p. 256.
4. Alexander Todd (1907-97), FRS (1942), Kt (1954), life peer (1964), was professor of organic chemistry at the University of Manchester 1938-42 and at Cambridge 1944-71. He was chairman of the Advisory Council on Scientific Policy 1952-64, served on numerous high-level government committees and was the first chancellor of the University of Strathclyde.
5. For an account of the discussion, see Walsh, J.J., "Higher Technological Education in Britain", op. cit., pp. 238 ff.
6. On the origins of Imperial College, see Cardwell, D.S.L., The Organisation of Science in England: A Retrospect (London: Heinemann, 1957), p. 151;
7. and MacLeod, Roy, "'Instructed Men' and Mining Engineers: Associates of the Royal School of Mines and British Imperial Science, 1851-1920", Minerva, XXXII (Winter 1994), pp. 422-439.
8. Humphrys, A.F.W., The Origins of Churchill College Cambridge, privately printed, 1966.
9. Humphrys, A.F.W., The Origins of Churchill College Cambridge, 1966. Ibid. John Augustus Oriel (1896-1967) (CBE 1947) broke off studies at University College, Cardiff in 1915 to join the Royal Engineers, 1915-19 (MC 1917); he was twice wounded and temporarily blinded by gas. After Jesus College, Cambridge (BA chemistry), he joined Royal Dutch Shell as a chemical engineer in 1921, manager of Suez refinery 1933-35, and of Shell Refining and Marketing Co, 1938-50, with national responsibility in the war for the production and distribution of aviation fuel. In 1950, on returning blindness, he became Shell's educational adviser; he was president of the Institution of Chemical Engineers, 1955-57.
10. See Shell archive; Who Was Who, Vol. VI.
11. AVIA 15/1957; Public Record Office aviation files.
12. AVIA 15/3812.
13. The Air Ministry planners assumed the war would end by 31 December, 1944. At the time Cranfield was also regarded as a temporary site.
14. UGC 7/912.
15. Memorandum prepared by the Ministry of Education (undated), ibid.
16. See Walsh, J.J., "Higher Technological Education in Britain", op. cit., pp. 222, 242, 247.
17. ED 165/23.
18. UGC 7/912.
19. Ibid.
20. Sir Arthur Trueman had to retire on 30 September, 1953, on account of illness. He was succeeded by Murray, rector of Lincoln College, Oxford, 1937-53.
21. Willis Jackson (1904-70), life peer (1967), had been professor of electrotechnics at the University of Manchester 1938-46; he was professor of electrical engineering at Imperial College 1944-53 and 1961-67; director of research AEI 1953-61; president Institution of Electrical Engineers 1959-60; vice-president UMIST 1962-70. He served on numerous high-level government committees, and on the UGC 1955-65.
22. UGC 7/912.
23. Ibid.
24. Ibid. 25 November, 1952.
25. Ibid.
26. Ibid.
27. Ibid.
28. Letter to Stephens, 20 August, 1954, Dr Kendall's files, Churchill College archive.
29. 1 November, 1954, Cranfield University archive.
30. Letter to Stephens, op. cit.
31. UGC 7/912.
32. Dr Kendall's files, Churchill College archive.
33. Roxbee Cox (1902-97) (Lord Kings Norton) had been head of air defence at the Royal Aeronautical Establishment 1936-38; deputy director of scientific research, Ministry of Aircraft Production 1940-43, and director special projects 1943-44; director Gas Turbine Establishment 1946-48; chief scientist, Ministry of Fuel and Power 1948-54. He was chairman and later chancellor, University of Cranfield 1960-97.
34. Minutes, UGC 7/912.
35. Ibid.
36. See Walsh, J.J., "Higher Technological Education in Britain", op. cit., pp. 252-254.
37. Dr Kendall's files, Churchill College archive. Report by Dr Oriel, 21 December, 1954.
38. Ibid.
39. UGC 7/912.
40. Dr Kendall's files, Churchill College archive.
41. Letter 12 April, 1955, UGC 7/912.
42. UGC 1/4.
43. UGC 7/912.
44. Ibid.
45. Minutes of the Faculty of Science Executive Committee, University of Birmingham archive.
46. UGC 7/912.
47. Ibid.
48. Ibid.
49. Ibid.
50. Churchill College archive.
51. Ibid.
52. Ibid.
53. Ibid.
54. Letter 27 October, 1955, Churchill College archive.
55. Letter to Oriel 9 December, 1995, ibid.
56. UGC 7/912.
57. UGC 7/913.
58. John Rupert Colville (1915-87), (CVO 1949), CB (1955), Kt (1974). After Trinity College, Cambridge, joined the Diplomatic Service. Assistant private secretary to Prime Minister Chamberlain 1937-40; private secretary to Churchill 1940-41 and 1943-45 (RAF pilot 1941-43); private secretary to Princess Elizabeth 1947-49; principal private secretary to Churchill 1951-55; director Grindlay's and other banks, 1955 until retirement.
59. UGC 7/914.
60. UGC 7/896.
61. UGC 7/913.
62. See University Development, 1957-62 (London: HMSO, February 1964), pp. 155, 207.
63. UGC 7/914.
64. Ibid.
65. Ibid.
66. Ibid.
67. Ibid.
68. Although Oriel was blind, his daughter, Lady Batten, confirms that "this was one of his expressions".
69. UGC 7/913.
70. 21 October, 1957, ibid.
71. 4 October, 1957, Dr Kendall's file, Churchill College archive.
72. UGC 7/913.
73. Unpublished private memoir.
74. CAB 124/1919.
75. Ibid.
76. Cmnd 9703 (London: HMSO, February 1956).
77. Hailsharn became Minister for Science, a new creation, in October 1959 and held this appointment until it was merged (under him) with education in April 1964.
78. Sir Edward Parkes, sometime aircraft engineer, professor of engineering at Leicester University, UGC chairman 1978-83, vice-chancellor of Leeds University 1983-91, has provided the following: "Science is analytical; technology is synthetic, drawing on many sources, of which science may be one. The objective of science is truth; of technology an artefact. The closest modes of thought to those in technology are not found in science but in other creative disciplines such as literature or fine art."
79. Report, Committee appointed by the Prime Minister under the Chairmanship of Lord Robbins, Cmnd 2154 (London: HMSO, October 1963), para 386.