Oral history of British science
Land, Frank (9 of 18). An Oral History of British Science.
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Type
sound
Duration
01:15:10
Shelf mark
C1379/17
Subjects
Computer Software
Recording date
2010-06-22
Recording locations
Interviewee's home, Ivybridge
Interviewees
Land, Fred Frank, 1928- (speaker, male)
Interviewers
Lean, Thomas (speaker, male)
Abstract
Part 9: Comments on marriage in 1953, background to relationship at LSE, story about getting together at a ball, pressure from parents to marry as they were living together. Remarks on in-laws: getting on well after initial reservations, early deaths from cancer. [04:54] Description of first home: Georgian artisan's house, originally owned by EF; assorted lodgers and student parties; in Leytonstone, from where cows would occasionally block roads. [09:40] Comments on: heavy workload when he began at LEO; career prospects; suspected case of tuberculosis, actually sarcoidosis, and treatment; birth of daughter Frances, now a solicitor in Bristol; move to a grand house in Woodford; low salaries at LEO, compensated for by special nature of work. [15:38] Comments on merger with EE: disappointment at Lyons sell out; despising EE personnel; TRT's lower status compared to EE's less intellectual Wilf Scot; TRT's transfer to Shell, who couldn't accept his modernising ideas [closed between 18:21 – 18:41] FL's dissatisfaction with EE-LEO-Marconi, worsening after they refused to give him leave to join EF on sabbatical; [20:23] surprise at merger. [21:00] Remarks on Salmon and Gluckstein family members as managers: Anthony Salmon, quite good; RL's boss Felix Salmon quite bad; family indulgences and lack of loyalty to LEO team by selling out; Lyon's business problems that led to sale. [24:39] Remarks on: FL position at EE-LEO, responsible for all applications within company, but more a figurehead; KDF9 computer innovations in use of a stack and Whetstone ALGOL compiler; primitive nature of EE systems, based on Deuce and often still using machine code, compared to LEO work; limited utility of KDF6 business computer compared to LEO; accumulation of grievances with EE-LEO and FL reflection of CEIR job offer. [31:00] Comments on transfer to LSE: limited computer service under Gordon Foster; NCC grants for systems analysis research; FL recruitment to LSE job; dual role of computer service manager and management research fellow; need to reflect and pass on experience in systems work from LEO; [36:05] feelings on leaving industry, on the verge of further mergers, and affection for LSE [37:08]; early work at LSE: differences in his outlook from existing work by Mike Garside; RL's management of LEO computer service. [38:42] Comments on duties of LEO regional offices: clients Smith and Nephew - Birmingham, Renold Chains - Manchester, Colvilles - Glasgow; typical layout of LEO offices; Birmingham manager who became privacy commissioner; FL travelling between offices by car, rail or first class air. [42:01] Comments on managerial culture: company cars, wearing a suit to work, styles of address to superiors and inferiors, managerial toilets; story about Anthony Salmon hosting of a dinner to compete for an airline contract; [46:39] entertainment of important clients, importance learned from IBM; use of Lyon's establishments for catering from clients; [48:05] formal corporate dinners at Renold Chains; ICI's lavish hospitality befitting their status, with reference to current anger at BP; use of catering to impress; position of dinners in decision making process and for building working relationships. [53:38] Comparison of relationships with Ian Jackson at Renold Chains and Hargreaves of Smith and Nephew. Comments on life outside work: bringing up family; fitting around work and family life; playing bridge with LEO and LSE people; children Frances, Richard and Margy; limited interaction with EL over work and comparison of skills and career with FL. Remarks on FL becoming head of statistics department and its organisation. [1:00:51] Comments on British industry attitudes toward computers: reluctance of many companies[closed between 01:02:54 – 01:03:31] fates of British firms that didn't computerise, such as ICI. [1:04:51] Comments on his dissatisfaction with British computer industry: resources, innovation, cooperation; demise of ICL, feelings of betrayal after merger of LEO and management of ICL [closed between 01:08:31 – 01:09:46] feeling that LEO was something special; JP's side-lining. [1:10:57] Description of JP: great engineer, particular skill in use of innovation, modest, wife Helen. [1:13:35] Remarks on poor government support for computer industry, innovation at Post Office under Murray Laver.
Description
Interview with computer programmer and information systems theorist Frank Land.
Related transcripts
Frank Land interviewed by Tom Lean: full transcript of the interview
Related links
Visit this interviewee's page on the 'Voices of Science' web resource
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