| Description | Tape 1 Side A DAVID BERNARD CAPITANCHIK born London 5 November 1934. Russian origins on both sides of family. Details of how they came to UK, death of maternal grandmother in underground accident during first world war. Father's and grandfather's work in journalism. Grandfather's anarchist links in Argentina. Founding of Jewish Bakers' Union by father; his involvement with daily Yiddish language Jewish Times. Description of their printing press; details re paper. Details re family; aunt's involvement with Trotsky movement. Father's membership of Labour Party; details re his work; serialisation of Yiddish books. Story of old left wing Jewish East End street bookseller and his surprising will. Grandfather's foundation of Jewish Workers' Circle friendly society, father's involvement. Recollection of first Biro pen. Purge and takeover of JWC by Jewish communists. Details re Phil Peratien, Communist MP. Story of sale of funeral insurance policies, resulting funerals. Recollection of family life; father's involvement in Zionism. Own involvement in Zionist youth movement, education in socialism; school in Horsham, training for agricultural work in Israel. Recollection of tent life in Israeli kibbutz; association with veteran of pre-war German Jewish community; details re their hidden life in Bavarian forests during Nazi era, code names etc. Background to time in Israeli army. Return to UK; marriage; work with Israeli Ministry of Defence; Southampton University education in politics/international relations. Post-war attitude to Churchill. Background to appointment to Aberdeen University teaching politics (1967). Details re family, Grocer's School, London; previous attitudes to university education for women. Comparison of own and children's lives.
Tape 1 Side B Employment in University of Aberdeen Politics Department 1967-92. Description of Aberdeen before oil industry. Significance of Chamber of Commerce. Details re broadcasting work, Politics Now programme. Pre-oil industry culture of Aberdeen, food etc. Stories illustrating character of Aberdonians, their attitude to money, concern for others. Significance of university to all Aberdonians. Details re salary, appointment as warden. Recollection of Principal, Edward Wright. Recollection of impact of first Offshore Europe exhibition, reaction of people to first Americans, their attitudes. Example of impact of industry on house prices. Recollection of controversy over possibility of a helicopter for Grampian Police. Involvement with Centre for Defence Studies. Story of a rescue of a Dutch man, with complicated consequences. Explanation of fortunate timing of oil industry, negative aspect. Problem today resulting from lack of training. Profligate nature of industry until 1986 oil crash. Explanation of error made by industry in their attitude to unions. Own involvement in EX (Electrical Installations in Potentially Hazardous Atmospheres), setting up Aberdeen College company, involvement with union. Explanation of safety matters offshore. Attitudes of unions. Relationship between Government and industry, effects of Burmah Oil situation. Reaction of University of Aberdeen to oil, and of George Burnett, Professor of Chemistry, later first principal of Herriott Watt University. Attitude in Aberdeen to likely lifetime, impact of oil industry.
Tape 2 Side A Recollection of Aberdeen Harbour Board pre-oil industry, its attitude to industry. Impact of John Smith (Lord Kirkhill), Lord Provost, Maitland Mackie Snr, Convenor in Aberdeenshire. Reason for industry coming to Aberdeen rather than Dundee. State of fishing industry pre-oil. Impact of Gaskin Report re future of Aberdeen economy etc. Comparison of situation then and now. Lack of conception of most people re what was happening in oil industry. Impact of airport activities. Gradual changes in Aberdeen shops, e.g. American grocery shop in west end. Visibility of offshore workforce mostly travelling through, not living in Aberdeen; involvement of Aberdeen oil personnel onshore. Traditional secretiveness of oil industry, competition, e.g. exclusion of public from Offshore Europe exhibitions. Comparison with situation in Stavanger, Norway. Impact of crises in industry on Aberdeen. Own view of attitude that should be taken by Aberdeen to its situation. Attitude of oil companies to Scottish investment in exploration. Reputation of Clydesdale Bank, Edwin Reid, helping businesses get off the ground. Dependence of progress [in early days] on personalities. Attitude of Council, NESDA (North East Scotland Development Authority), Harbour Board. Lack of appreciation of importance of oil in UK economy. Current lack of understanding of industry; consequences of, reasons for this. Problem of recruitment, economics in global oil industry; significance of share price; average age of oil/gas workforce. Current crisis in equipment. Recollection of impact of 1986 crash on housing, Aberdeen. Attitude of Sir Ian Wood, his father to industry.
Tape 2 Side B Impact of 1986 crash (cont'd). Realisation of need to look overseas. Current situation, attitudes. Impact of OSO (Offshore Supplies Office). Effect of Piper Alpha disaster re training, health & safety attitudes. Change in attitudes towards unions, whole culture of industry in North Sea. Impact on image of oil industry. Recollection of Brent Spar issue. Post-1986 change to investment attitudes. Explanation of luck surrounding development of North Sea oil industry. Future prospects, changes in approach of companies. Impact of CRINE (Cost Reduction Initiative in the New Era), own involvement in CRINE re educational funding, organisational training. Opinion of LOGIC; attitude of operators to UK oil and gas industry; attitude of contractors, smaller companies; significance of new technologies; oil price level necessary. Own current involvement in training at Robert Gordon's University etc. Background to attitude of University of Aberdeen to oil and gas industry, engineering etc. Explanation of situation at RGU. Feelings about future of oil and gas industry, attitude necessary in Aberdeen. End of interview. |