| Description | Tape 1 Side A ERIC JOHN HUTTON born 13 February 1928, Coventry, Warwickshire. Background to names. Details re parents, their names. Paternal grandfather a jeweller in Birmingham. Describes him. Maternal family: details re mother being fostered. Describes parents. Father a stationmaster at Birmingham Station at 21 with LMS, then joined Daimler Motor Company. Recalls his arithmetical skills. Father set up working men's social club in Coventry. Further details re his work. He was active in National Union of Clerks, lost heart with Labour movement during 1926 General Strike, became strong Conservative. Details. Mother left school early, became secretary at Daimler. Describes her. She was a ballroom dancer. Father widowed from first marriage. Details re siblings. Describes childhood home next to Daimler factory. Father was service manager. Recalls attitude to other companies. Went to Radford Elementary School, won entrance to Bablake School, Coventry 1939. Recalls headmaster. Coventry badly bombed 1940, school evacuated to Lincoln, lived with foster parents. Describes bombing nights in Coventry. Daimler badly bombed. Recalls father's work routine. Many visitors in home. Encouraged to read. Close family. Childhood career aspirations. Inspired by City Architect of Coventry, Donald Gibson. Explains interest in architecture. Enjoyed cycling with friend Keith Campbell. Details. Went to Birmingham School of Architecture 1944. Called up for Army 1945, Royal Engineers. Reason for joining Coventry city town planning after National Service, doing evening school, correspondence course. Exciting work redeveloping Coventry. Went to church as child. Details. Describes self as a boy, friendships. Details re work as junior planning assistant. Mentions first pedestrian shopping centre in Britain, attitude to rebuilding Coventry city, cathedral.
Tape 1 Side B Worked 2 years with planning department then went to Warwickshire County Council as Planning Assistant. Continued studies. Reason for move to West Lothian as Senior Planning Assistant 1953. Details re duties, long hours. Became County Planning Officer, West Lothian. Responsible for 20-year development plan etc. Mentions Masons - not a member. Stayed 16 years. Involved in economic development including mining, oil shale mining, oil processing. Details re oil shale industry, processes. First commercial oil industry in the world. Reference to Young's Paraffin Oil, remaining bings (waste heaps). Recalls refinery outside West Lothian which also processed Eakring oil. Compares coal, shale mining processes. Shale and coal industries provided for workers. Details. BP later took over shale industry. Social contrasts in West Lothian. 1969 to Aberdeen as Development Officer, North East Scotland Development Committee. Started from scratch. Purpose of organisation - job creation etc. Mentions small Shell, BP offices in Aberdeen at the time, Aberdeen industries, Gaskin Report recommendations re merger of several organisations into NE Scotland Development Authority (NESDA). Reference to Dr J Dickson Mabon, John Russell, Lord Provost Robert Lennox, Maitland Mackie. Details re Mackie. Attitude of Aberdonians to oil. Origins of ASCO (Aberdeen Service Company. Mentions other Gaskin-recommended local organisations. Gaskin didn't realise significance of oil. Firms getting involved then were small, adaptable. Describes Aberdeen pre-oil, employment situation. Difficult to attract firms. Recalls involvement in Oceanex exhibition in Great Yarmouth 1971. Explains process of spreading the gospel in an antipathetic Aberdeen. E.g. problem with higher wages in oil industry. Evolution of NESDA.
Tape 2 Side A NE Scotland Development Authority (NESDA) (cont'd). No impact from change to Heath government. Details re acquiring premises, staff. Mentions Bill Evans, deputy. Malcolm Bruce, now MP, was research officer. Recalls other staff, office in Elgin. Chamber of Commerce, Scottish Council shared premises in Aberdeen. Reference to Number 5 Bond, Jimmy Simpson. Banks got interested in the industry, especially Edwin Reid, Clydesdale Bank. Mentions other bank people. Recalls own role directing businesses, incomers to contacts in Aberdeen, helping with accommodation, local manufacturers etc. Early big catch - Baker Oil Tools. Details. Recalls going to Offshore Technology Conference, Houston, 1972, contacts made. Attitude of Americans. Recalls own speech urging companies to come to Aberdeen. Selling points included harbour, space, labour. Recalls anxieties about Aberdeen. Industry attitude to unions, need to train people. 1972 went with first Aberdeen trade mission to Houston. After that, Press & Journal promoted annual trade missions. American school opened in Aberdeen. Changes brought by industry to Aberdeen, amount of money around. Reaction to predictions of anticipated job numbers. Recalls joint ventures. NESDA kept small. Details. Constant stream of enquiries, media exposure. Comments on Edwin Reid's work. Member of Aberdeen Trades Council co-opted to NESDA. Union situation in North East. Recalls Aberdeen-Dundee issue. Rivalry with Highland and Islands people. Involvement of Ian Wood with NESDA. Recalls trip to Morgan City, US, a support base such as Aberdeen was developing. Continuing scepticism about oil industry prospects for Aberdeen in 1972, slow to develop. NESDA produced Offshore Directory every 3 months, enthusiastically received.
Tape 2 Side B NE Scotland Development Authority (NESDA) (cont'd). Recalls James Simpson's frustration at resistance to development plans. Industry widely dispersed in city in small units, e.g. Number 5 Bond. Lots of firms started there. Recalls restaurant where building surveyors, architects had morning coffee, lawyers met at the Athenaeum. Recalls being with Edwin Reid in Houston, his energy. Key role played by Aberdeen Harbour Board, cautious Aberdonian approach, changes to harbour. Situation at airport. Had good relations with Norman Beatty of Harbour Board. Mentions other Harbour personnel. Harbour problems with unions. Recalls a typical day's work at NESDA, travel around region. Explains approaches to target firms, procedure followed when in Houston, tactics employed, networks established. Recalls personnel in Houston. Small firms in Aberdeen most responsive to oil opportunities. Explains. Reaction of Aberdonians to Americans, American school. Advent of new restaurants, prestige offices. Rivalry between Aberdeen City Corporation and County Council. Explains initial suspicious attitude to NESDA of later Grampian Regional Council. Reference to Sandy Mutch, later an ally. NESDA was independent, represented 5 local planning authorities. Sometimes criticised for time spent on oil industry but had broader brief. Explains other activities. Recalls increasing reasons for firms to come to Aberdeen, migration pattern, job opportunities. Trade missions to different parts of the world, conferences held to discuss needs in Aberdeen. Gives example of chance business contacts at OTC exhibitions. Recalls Alexander's Transport building warehouses. Mentions Tom Patton, first Professor of Oil Engineering, Herriott Watt University. Professor Donald McKay, economics, set up PIDA, industrial development consultants. 1979 left NESDA, went to Scottish Office, Livingston. Explains role. Mentions having stroke, retirement in 1995.
Tape 3 Side A Feelings about achievements of NESDA. Mentions frequent appearances on Aberdeen television. Media always positive, e.g. Ted Strachan, Innes Stephen. Initial reaction in Aberdeen to statements about potential of oil industry. Significance of NESDA promotion work to success of industry in Aberdeen. Recalls excitement of the time. Confusion during reorganisation of local government 1974-5. NESDA became more political. Compares country and city reaction to NESDA work. Reason for having office in Elgin. Involvement of Wood Group, Craigs in oil industry. Comments on spending of money by oil companies in early days compared with now. NESDA supported by Board of Trade. Explains BoT role. NESDA focussed on local area. Comments on use of oil revenues. Shetland situation, benefit there from industry. Recalls own links with Ian Clark. 1979 took up Scottish Office quasi-judicial work as chairman/adjudicator of planning applications. Explains approach to job, importance of independence. Recalls case in Scalloway, Shetland, re extension to harbour, opinion of Secretary of State, own contrary decision. Reaction of local people. Last big enquiry in Edinburgh re shopping centres, industrial park. Details of decision, outcome. Objectors included West Lothian County Council. Explains own political inclinations - has voted for 4 parties over the years. Mentions impartiality requirements of job. Effect of stroke at 67. Current activities with wife, Eileen. Details re her names, work. Married 1955. Included her in work life. Recalls endless barbecues, clambakes in Aberdeen, entertaining people at home. Recalls Maitland Mackie, Sandy Mutch, John Russell. Different views, when in Aberdeen, of likely life of oil industry. Own opinion now. Overseas potential for expertise of north east firms. |