I began working in the Dunn School on Monday Sept 1st. 1975, as a trainee technician. Having left school with A levels in Chemistry, Biology, and English Literature I was uniquely unsuited for any form of University education, but I had a vague idea that actually working in a laboratory might be quite fun. I was interviewed by the then administrator, Mrs Peggy Turner. I think she must have taken pity on me for I was offered a post there and then.  

Initially I was put under the care and training of Mrs Mary Williams, who was in charge of the Cell Bank. It was a pretty steep learning curve I had to admit,  but my colleagues were all friendly and welcoming so I soon settled down. In those days tissue culture work was done standing in front of a blow out fume cabinet. Neither were there any rules about smoking in the workplace. My abiding memory is of Mary working at the hood, cigarette in mouth, with the ash and smoke being blown back  into the lab. behind her.  

Following my three years of training I moved into the Bacteriology and Teaching group, with Ken Mabbatt as my boss, an absolutely lovely man to work with. 

I left the department in 1988, having worked in the Bramwell group for a couple of years. 

After a sojourn in the WIMM, on the JR2 site, I then ended up in the Sherrington building until my retirement, only a few hundred yards from where I began my career! 

Ken Mabbatt and Don Etheridge, the department histologist, at one of the Christmas parties in the old Kettlewell Hut.

There was also table tennis in the Kettlewell Hut, again Ken Mabbatt waiting for a serve!

From L to R. Don Etheridge, Stan Buckingham (Departmental photographer), myself, and Gill Roberts, who was the photography assistant. Taking a tea break in the histology lab, which was quite the usual thing back then.

Preparations for celebrating the Queens Silver Jubilee in 1977. L-R. Julie, one of the technical staff, Sue Humm, who worked in the Bramwell Group. Ruth Hennion, Professor Henry Harris’ Research Assistant, and finally Mary Bergin who was with Des Kay and did a lot of electron microscopy.