Things I did at Liverpool University
I studied Electronics at Liverpool University from 1971 to
1974. I knew nothing about Liverpool until I actually went
there to study. in fact I had only visited the city once before
and that was when I went for my interview at the University.
My interview was on 20th November 1970. Because my
school ran an accelerated study scheme, I already had my A
levels when I went for the interview so I was very pleased to
get an unconditional offer of a place. This was also the day I
met my wife Christina on the train! When I first came to
Liverpool, I found the local accent very difficult to
understand. By the time I left I sounded like a local.
Like most students I first lived in a Hall of Residence. I lived in Gladstone Hall
in Greenbank Lane. My room numbers were C14 and C20. Later I moved to
live at 21 Grant Road Liverpool L14 0LE. I shared this flat with John Clark,
Richard Clarke and Colin Bingham. Our landlord, Bill Gardner, used to spend
the days in the basement. He was a real character whose hobby was
students. One day I went down there to pay the rent (£3 each per week) and I
found him filling shotgun cartridges with gunpowder by the light of a candle.
Sadly 21 Grant Road has now been demolished (fortunately not by an
explosion).
Hard work but fun
Engineering is not a soft option
to study. Our mornings were
taken up with lectures and in
the afternoons we were in the
labs. Evenings were often taken
up with writing up practical work
or grappling with maths
problems in the days before
calculators.
It was my ambition to be an
electronics engineer from the
age of 8.
KDF9
I learned to program a
computer on the KDF9. It was
all done with punched cards in
those days and it took all day to
run one short program. The
laptop I have now is millions of
times faster and does not
occupy a whole building
Things that interest me
Above - This is what we looked
like back then. Long hair was in
style.
Left - Inside Room C14
Gladstone Hall and the view
from the balcony there.
Below - At 21 Grant Road
Liverpool is not a Campus University. It is located in the city centre and you really feel part of the local community which is great
as Liverpool people have a wonderful sense of humour.
Far left - Christina on a Mersey
Ferry
Left - Electrical Engineering
building where i spent my days
studying
Below - The Dell, Sefton Park
and a yellow day
I was a member of several University Societies, but my favourites were the Astronomical Society and Liverpool University
Amateur Radio Society (G3OUL). I was Secretary and later Chairman of this society.
Other former members from my day were: John Clark (G4DBE), Chris Friel (G4AUF), Chris Barron (G8GMF), Mike Harbach
(G8GMC), Paul Howey (G4BBP), Derek Britton, Jon Barford (G3YSH), Richard May (G8IBP), John Pagett (G8IAV, now G4YTJ),
Peter Beharrell, Roger Bracey (G4BZI), Adrian Parker (G8EQT), Ray Wright (G3WZR), Martin Brenig-Jones (GW3ZEQ).
Below you see us fixing aerials on the roof of the Student’s Union, operating in a contest on Mam Tor, Derbyshire, and a gang of
us during another contest in the Physics Tower.
Remember that car I used to drive? It was
known as “The Lemon
My 21st party. John Clark, John Pagett,
Richard May, Malcolm Wheatley, Me
Engagement day 1974
Graduation day. When I had hair.
Were you a student at Liverpool University? If so, why not send me an e-mail? I am still in contact with people who
were students in my time at Liverpool.
