Full transcript of oral history interview with Simon Fishel
Reference Code:
FSHL 9/2
Date:
2025-06-11 (creation)
Description:
Focusing on Simon Fishel's life and work from being a PhD student at Churchill College in the early 1980s onwards. The interview was conducted at Churchill Archives Centre by Madelin Evans (archivist). Subjects include Churchill College, Bob Edwards, Bourn Hall IVF clinic, Ruth Fowler Edwards, Patrick Steptoe, equipment and facilities for early IVF work, the ethics of IVF and reproductive medicine, Jean Purdy's role in the development of IVF, resignation from Bourn Hall and what led to that decision including Peter Jackson's visit to Bourn Hall, Simon Fishel's work in Rome for Dr Severino Antinori, work at the Park Hospital in Nottingham, moving to Nottingham University of set up NURTURE IVF clinic, 'In Vitro Fertilisation: Past, Present, Future' publication, and Nottingham University bringing a legal case against Simon Fishel (including the background to the case and the impact on Fishel's life).
Collection:
The Papers of Simon Fishel


Oral History: Michael Hoskin
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/28
Date:
2016-01-05 (creation)
Description:
Includes: Churchill Papers; Edwin Welch; other collections; Planning the building; opening of the Archives Centre; funding; handing over to successor; College life - postprandial talks & special menus; Stephen Roskill; Briji Gupta and William Mullins.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Natalie Adams
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/61
Date:
2021-11 (creation)
Description:
Includes: coming to Churchill; first impressions; interacting with Archives Centre and more widely in College; working on the Churchill Papers; working in the Reading Room and diversity of collections; working on the College Archive; finding the Andrew Sinclair film about the building of the College; microfilming the Churchill Papers; Churchill Archive for Schools; colleagues and personalities; early Sir Winston Churchill Archive Trust meetings; development of role; gaining Archives Accreditation; digitisation; Natasha Squire interviews.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: John Moore
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/29/1
Date:
2016-02-24 (creation)
Description:
Includes: arrival in Cambridge; Master's Garden (Boyd); initial tasks; Moller Centre planting; swimming pool; private road planting; courtyards; Sheppard Flats; Wolfson Flats; Graduate Houses; raised planted on main lawn; Madingley Road hedge and bank; office courtyard; Study Centre; Moller Centre extension; Donations - Dan Leighton; Michael Lewis; Frank Maine; Cowan Court; first landscape design; Master's garden (Wallace and Donald); tree planting ceremonies
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Marcial Echenique
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/52
Date:
2018-06-08 (creation)
Description:
Includes: First impressions; attraction of buildings to architecture students; College policy on buying houses along Storey’s Way; Projects designed by Marcial Echenique; Buttery Extension; Appointment of College Architect; Extension to Fellows’ Corridor; Study Centre/Music Rooms Extension; Moller Centre, first Development Director and Moller designs; Henning Larsen; Archives Centre Extension; Postgraduate Village; Cowan Court; Changes and the Buildings/Estates Committee; Dick Tizard; Bill Mullins, Richard Sheppard; growing importance of Service Road and plans for future; Maintaining integrity of design and adapting to new requirements
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Harold Pettit
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/3
Date:
1985 (creation)
Description:
Interview with Harold Pettit, 1st chief clerk, made as part of oral history project undertaken by Patricia Ackerman in 1985 for the Churchill Archives Centre. 1 copy tape (plus 1 master), with written summary of interview
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Margaret Williams
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/66
Date:
2022-11-22 (creation)
Description:
Interview includes: Coming to Churchill College and interview; office set-up, staff and equipment in the 1980s; working with Correlli Barnett; Lady Soames; leaving the College and former Archives Centre staff; World War II and Ambassador Phipps and Sir Philip Christison; the Churchill Papers; Roskill lectures.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Alison Walker
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/4
Date:
1985 (creation)
Description:
Interview with Alison Walker, 1st secretary to the Tutors for Advanced Students, made as part of oral history project undertaken by Patricia Ackerman in 1985 for the Churchill Archives Centre. 1 copy tape (plus 1 master), with written summary of interview
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Mary Broers
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/45
Date:
2017-03-18 (creation)
Description:
Includes: First impressions and Master's Lodge; first dog to live in Churchill College and dogs generally; Master's Garden; Visitors to the Master's Lodge; Hanging Committee, Maisonneuve Collection and Duncan Grant painting; Joseph Carberry and Evelyn Walker; Thanksgiving; Women at Trinity and Churchill; Security in the Master's Lodge; Moller Centre
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Piers Brendon
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/69
Date:
2023-04-10 (creation)
Description:
Piers Brendon was Keeper of the Churchill Archives from 1995-2001. Includes: appointment and handover from previous Keeper; acquisition of the Churchill Papers, the expansion of the Centre and the appointment of new staff; the culture of the College; seeking new collections; relationship between the Archives Centre and the College; acquisition of the Thatcher Papers; funding and design of the new Thatcher wing; departure and proposals for development of role; future of the Archives Centre and fundraising.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Patricia Ackerman
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/73
Date:
2023-12-15 (creation)
Description:
An oral history recording and transcript, which includes appointment to role; working in the Archives in the 1970s; Michael Hoskin and Bill Barnett; collecting papers, particularly those of Paul Einzig, Martin Gilbert, Lord Hailsham, Sir Edward Spears, Duncan Sandys, and Casper Swinley; women at Churchill College; relationship between the College and the Archives Centre in the 1970s.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Gillian Secrett
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/50/1
Date:
2017-02 (creation)
Description:
Includes: Progress on and aims of P Laycock’s book on grounds and gardens; John Moore and landscaping of area around Moller Centre; Jamie Buchanan’s original design, nautical theme and Henning Larsen; first impressions; representation of Maersk organisation; original planting and changes
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Michael Westmore
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/47
Date:
2016-12-12 (creation)
Description:
Includes: arrival at Churchill and first impressions; training and appointment as Garden Supervisor; Madingley Road hedge 2011; Cowan court landscaping 2016; Moller Centre extension 2015; Orchid House 2015; Staff; thoughts about the site.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Victor Brown, Conservator at Churchill Archives Centre
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/22
Date:
2014-03-19 (creation)
Description:
Recording and transcript of interview by Lesley Ackeroyd (former member of staff at Churchill Archives Centre) with Victor Brown. Includes: description of work at the Archives Centre and Victor's role; the Churchill papers and other collections; Edwin Welch, Michael Hoskin, Angela Raspin, Correlli Barnett; construction of the Archives Centre; the reading room; and VIP visits.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: George Dark
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/2
Date:
1985 (creation)
Description:
Interview with George Dark, one of the first porters, made as part of oral history project undertaken by Patricia Ackerman in 1985 for the Churchill Archives Centre. 1 copy tape (plus 1 master), with written summary of interview
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Alison Finch
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/46
Date:
2017-03-03-2017-06-15 (creation)
Description:
First interview includes early experiences as a woman Fellow; Sexism in Churchill; Assessment of Research carried out by Women; Move to Oxford and Sexism; Return to Churchill; Discrimination and the Pension Scheme; First impression of buildings, gardens and grounds; Sir William Hawthorne; Moller Centre; 25th Anniversary of the Admission of Women 1997; Appointment as Vice-Master; Editor of the Review; College Council and doing work for the College; Tension between academic role and College duties; Admission of Women and Egalitarianism Second interview includes admission of women and sexism.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Peter Hunt
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/41
Date:
2016-11-09 (creation)
Description:
Includes: coming to Churchill and first impressions; Master's Garden and swimming pool; Derek Gautrey; Sheppard and Wolfson Flats; Moller Centre; Hedge along Madingley Road; Anne Hammerton; Hywel George equipment and health & safety
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Dr Kenneth McQuillen
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/1
Date:
1985 (creation)
Description:
Interview with Dr Kenneth McQuillen, made as part of oral history project undertaken by Patricia Ackerman in 1985 for the Churchill Archives Centre. 6 copy tapes (and 6 masters, with written summary of interview).
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Michael Allen
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/37
Date:
2016-08-16 (creation)
Description:
This interview focuses on the grounds and gardens. Includes: first impressions; the College's brief; Jamie Buchanan and the Moller Centre; landscaping at the front of the College; appointment of Consultant Landscape Architect; Gordon Patterson; Master's Lodge Garden; challenges; Albert Richmond; Doug Ashman; John Moore; Mulberry tree; managing the grounds and gardens department; women working in the department; new Masters and changes to the Master's Lodge garden; Sir John and Lady Boyd; Lord Broers; Recording the history of the gardens
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Doug Ashman
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/20/2
Date:
2017-07 (creation)
Description:
Includes: previous employment: The Leys School, Cambridge University Rugby & Football Ground, Newnham College; Churchill in 1961; cricket square; Groundsmen’s Association; training; drainage; It’s a Knock Out!; Librarian; Staff Social Club; buttery pool; first computers in College; lime trees and Møller Centre; equipment; hostel gardens, oak and mulberry trees; Mentions: M Postgate; B Shorthouse; Major-General Hamilton; George Orr; Ralph Thoday; Lord Butler; Tom Hitchens; Graham Pledger; Albert Hayward; Tim the Gardener; Duke of Edinburgh; Hywel George; Peter Hunt; Mary Broers and dog; Albert Richmond; Anne Hammerton; Les Smith; Sid Brown
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral History: Correlli Barnett/Josephine Sykes
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/26
Date:
2015-09-21 (creation)
Description:
Includes: First Colloquium (28/30 March 1994); Archives Fellow Commoners; Archivists; Conservator (Vic Brown); amusing anecdotes; Thatcher visit; Churchill Papers; Hailsham Papers; daily life in Archives Centre
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Oral history: Sir John Boyd
Reference Code:
CCRF/141/53
Date:
2018-06-22 (creation)
Description:
Appointment to Mastership; Mastership interviewing process; The Fellowship, inc. Frank Hahn, Dick Tizard, and Boping Yuan; former Masters - Hawthorne, Bondi and Broers; Comparison with Embassy in Japan; Music, the ‘Hill’ colleges and the Colleges’ Committee; Modern Languages; Oriental Garden; the Master’s Lodge; Students; Relocation of office to Admin Corridor; Objectives as Master; Appointment of Director of the Moller Centre; Appointment of Vice-Chancellor; Visit of Speaker of the House of Commons (Betty Boothroyd); Workload; Student Disciplinary Appeals and Behaviour; Henry Moore; ‘Chaka’ and Akin Euba; Master’s Portrait; Vertical contact, integration and internationalism; Julia Boyd and her book ‘Travellers in the Third Reich’ (2017). Includes some references to staff members.
Collection:
Official Archive of Churchill College


Audio recording of oral history interview with Simon Fishel
Reference Code:
FSHL 9/1
Date:
2025-06-11 (creation)
Description:
Focusing on Simon Fishel's life and work from being a PhD student at Churchill College in the early 1980s onwards. The interview was conducted at Churchill Archives Centre by Madelin Evans (archivist). Subjects include Churchill College, Bob Edwards, Bourn Hall IVF clinic, Ruth Fowler Edwards, Patrick Steptoe, equipment and facilities for early IVF work, the ethics of IVF and reproductive medicine, Jean Purdy's role in the development of IVF, resignation from Bourn Hall and what led to that decision including Peter Jackson's visit to Bourn Hall, Simon Fishel's work in Rome for Dr Severino Antinori, work at the Park Hospital in Nottingham, moving to Nottingham University of set up NURTURE IVF clinic, 'In Vitro Fertilisation: Past, Present, Future' publication, and Nottingham University bringing a legal case against Simon Fishel (including the background to the case and the impact on Fishel's life).
Collection:
The Papers of Simon Fishel