THE SUSS-EX CLUB
NEWSLETTER No. 46, Spring 2019
Edited by Adrian Peasgood
In this issue:
Forthcoming events
Recent events
Obituaries
Miscellaneous
Booking form
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
March 22nd
The future of the University
Readers of this Newsletter and their guests are invited to an evening with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adam Tickell, on Friday, March 22nd , in the Conference Centre, Bramber House on the Sussex University campus. We are honoured to have the Vice-Chancellor address us and this will surely be an occasion that you cant afford to miss!
Following a welcome glass of prosecco at 6pm the Vice-Chancellor will speak at 6.30pm on The Future of the University, after which there will be time for questions.
We will then sit down to a hot buffet meal with wine (or soft drink alternative) followed by coffee or tea.
The cost of the evening is £28, with the alternative of staying only for the welcome drink and the talk for £8. You are welcome to invite non Suss-Ex Club friends to this event, but places are limited and registration will be accepted on a first-come first-served basis.
Parking is available on the campus and is free of charge from 5pm.
If you and your guests would like to come, please complete the form printed at the end of the newsletter and send it to Charles Goldie, 98 Beaconsfield Villas, Brighton BN1 6HE, enclosing your cheque (or, for credit/debit card payments, your contact details), by Friday 8th March 2019.
Please address any queries to Charles Goldie (c.m.goldie@sussex.ac.uk or 01273 555025 or 07876 565395).
Charles Goldie
May
Seafront visit and supper
We are planning an evening event in May on Brighton seafront. Professor Fred Gray will give a talk in the West Pier Centre, on the history of the seaside. This is Fred's area of personal interest and academic speciality and should be fascinating to anyone who likes the Brighton seaside. The Centre is just east of the Brighton i360 and we will then go over to it for a ride on the pod, before moving to the Regency restaurant opposite for a fish and chip supper (meal optional and on a self payment basis). More details and costs to follow.
Steve Pavey
June
Royal Pavilion Garden
The Head Gardener is retiring later this year and, following a visit with another group last July we are hoping to arrange a guided afternoon tour with him in June. Robert Hill-Snook looks after this Regency style garden with the help of a team of garden volunteers. The garden is maintained on organic guidelines using natural planting techniques and organic compost without using any chemicals. Brighton is home to a unique national collection of elm trees, some of which can be seen in the Pavilion Garden. There are plenty of cafes nearby for a refreshing cup of tea and a slice of cake after our tour. This event comes highly recommended for anyone with an interest in garden history and gardening. More details to follow.
Steve Pavey
RECENT EVENTS
Glyndebourne visit with backstage tour
We had a very successful tour of the backstage area of the Glyndebourne Opera on Friday 23rd November. Sixteen members of Suss-Ex participated. (We were limited to this number by Glyndebourne and I have to apologise to our members who were unable to join us because of the restriction on numbers.) After tea in the original organ room, where we met our young and very enthusiastic guide, we were shown the enormous backstage area which quite dwarfs the area of the auditorium. There we were given an insight into the complexities of the stage management of an opera. For some of us, the highlight of the tour was a visit to the room containing many elaborate costumes and wigs used in previous operas.
Colin Finn
Christmas party
On Thursday 13th December over 150 former members of staff (including 51 Suss-Ex members) enjoyed the annual Christmas lunch party in Bramber House. There is always something new to deal with but a burst water main - so no water in the building - was a first! It was the only time in my life that I wanted to turn wine into water! The University's events team nevertheless rose to the occasion and nothing spoiled our good time. From speeches by Adam Tickell, Chris Crook (Chair of the University Pension Fund trustees), and Gordon Conway we learned that, as in our day, running a university is not as simple as is sometimes thought!
Steve Pavey
OBITUARIES
The University Bulletin publishes obituaries. The following have appeared since the last issue of the Suss-Ex Newsletter:
Puay Tang (Bulletin, 14 December)
Edward Timms (Bulletin, 24 December)
Tim Wood (Bulletin, 18 January)
Willie Lamont (Bulletin, 1 February)
Malcolm Heggie (Bulletin, 1 February)
MISCELLANEOUS
Buying credit for campus printers
Retired academics with emeritus status who use Sussex Direct will find a new screen available for their use, under the Personal tab and entitled Printing Account. It allows use of a payment card to buy credit for printing on the printers in the Library and other public areas of campus buildings. Hitherto one could purchase such credit by feeding coins into the Printing Account Banking Stations in the Library, but these machines were to be withdrawn at the end of January.
Thanks to IT Services for quickly making these screens available in response to a Suss-Ex suggestion.
Charles Goldie
Early history of the University of Sussex - from many viewpoints
The University of Sussex is now over 50 years old, and an accumulating amount of history is being generated. Some of this was covered in Making the future: A history of the University of Sussex, the 2011 book edited by Fred Grey. However there are many histories that can be written, according to the point of view of the commissioner and the authors.
My own interest was re-awakened when I saw the first East Slope residences being demolished late in 2018. (I played a crucial role, as a student, in getting these built, and I was one of the two first porters when they opened in 1974.) The previous design, of Park Houses (Lancaster, York etc), was not adequate for the students' social needs, and the new design (modelled on a flat design, with larger shared cooking and dining space) was well received by students at the time.
There is a variety of resources available: oral history from previous members of staff and previous students, and also written material (for example in the Keep archive) and in the Student Union archives. I still have paper records from my time as a student in 1970-4.
A variety of publication methods is available: e.g. a colleague has self-published an early history of his institution, drawing upon contributions by several ex-colleagues, with almost no financial cost. A website with individual contributions could also be set up quite easily.
Is anyone interested in playing a role to take this forward? Perhaps joining a small steering group?
Paul Tofts
The Suss-Ex website
More information about Suss-Ex is available on its webpage at http://www.sussex.ac.uk/suss-ex/. Suss-Ex Club in Google will get you there, as will http://tiny.cc/sussex, or you can find us in the AZ on the Universitys homepage. The website has copies of past Newsletters.
The steering committee
Suss-Ex activities are organised by a steering committee, which currently comprises:
Sir Gordon Conway, Chair G.Conway@imperial.ac.uk
Colin Finn colinfinn@btinternet.com
Jackie Fuller jkfuller21@hotmail.com
Charles Goldie c.m.goldie@sussex.ac.uk
Arnold Goldman a.goldman@cowbeech.f9.co.uk
Steve Pavey miniperson2003@yahoo.co.uk
Adrian Peasgood adrian@peasgood.plus.com
Jennifer Platt J.Platt@sussex.ac.uk
David Smith j.d.smith@sussex.ac.uk
Paul Tofts uos@paul-tofts.org.uk
Helen Walker helenjwalker@btinternet.com
Ideas for the future
We are always seeking ideas for social occasions when we can meet former colleagues. Please let us have your suggestions, or volunteer to join the committee. We meet once a term, when practicable immediately before a Suss-Ex event.
BOOKING FORM
Talk and supper with the Vice-Chancellor:
The Future of the University
Friday 22nd March 2019, in the Conference Centre, Bramber House, University of Sussex
Welcome drinks will be served in the Conference Centre lounge from 6 pm; the Vice-Chancellors talk starts at 6.30 pm. This will be followed by a hot buffet supper (including wine/soft drinks), for those staying on. You are welcome to invite non Suss-Ex Club friends to this event.
Please complete this form and return with cheque or (for payment by credit/debit card) contact details by Friday 8th March to Charles Goldie, 98 Beaconsfield Villas, Brighton BN1 6HE.
Your details (all caps please)
Name ...
Address [for card bookings, must be home address where card registered]
.
..
Tel. number .. Email address: . . ..
(Please print email address clearly)
Booking details
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Please book ........place/s at £28 (welcome drink, talk and buffet supper including drinks with the meal) £ ...
Please book ..place/s at £8 (welcome drink and talk only) £ .......
TOTAL: £ .. Any dietary restrictions? .
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Payment details
I enclose a cheque for £ ........ (payable to University of Sussex)
or
I wish to pay £........................ by credit/debit card and understand that I will be contacted by telephone for the card details.
In case of any query, Charles Goldie can be reached on 01273 555025 or 07876 565395 or C.M.Goldie@sussex.ac.uk .