Blog posts

IC Union Hustings: 1986

40 years ago, on the evening of 6 March 1986, STOIC was live on air at 6pm. It was the evening round-up programme of that day’s coverage of the IC Union Hustings. This was now a traditional yearly event for STOIC dating back to 1975 when Mark Caldwell presented the first live coverage from the Great Hall.

This year, the presenters were Sarah Allsop and Alan Rose, who gave background on how to vote at the end of the programme. As usual, this went out live from the college TV studio in Electrical Engineering. And, because it was live, I’d been asked to direct it, as will be seen in the end credits. I have not included any of the actual coverage from the Great Hall, but rather only the main opening and closing. The live coverage was very long and of poor-quality picture and especially the sound. However, this edit will remind you of how the programme was presented live from the studio; you may have even watched it yourself at the time.

You’ll notice the usual earpieces so that I could give instructions to the two presenters during the live segments (you might even hear some of it on the studio sound!). So let’s look at what you might have watched at the time, way back on 6 March 1986, ahhhh, those lovely archives.

Colin Grimshaw – April 2026

C&G Pedal Car Race: 1982

In February 1982, STOIC’s Mike Hackett ventured into the coldest Prince’s Gardens to discuss pedal cars. It was City and Guilds who were in training for the Bristol Pedal Car Race. Sadly, I can’t find any details of the end result, so we are left not knowing how well C&G did. The photo on the left is from Felix, dated 1980. The very last Felix reference to “pedal cars” was in 1984, so maybe it just disappeared from student life, like lots of traditional Imperial events seem to have. If you know better, please let me know.

Anyway, enjoy this STOIC archive interview with Tim Bell from City and Guilds and watch some rare colour footage of the pedal cars in action.

 

Colin Grimshaw April 2026

Elections for Beginners: 1976

“Elections for Beginners” was shown on STOIC 50 years ago today. It was during STOIC’s live coverage of the ICU elections that this video was seen. James Sinclair was, by then, the chairman of STOIC and also the lead presenter, especially during live transmissions like this one. Apparently, it was James who had asked John Downs (see page 6 of the link to Felix) the ICU Honorary Secretary to present this pre-recorded video that would explain the STV system used by the union.

It is actually a miracle that this videotape even survives. It was inserted into the live programme, which itself was recorded for posterity on the Ampex recorder. Luckily, for some reason, the original Ampex one-inch “Type A” videotape was transferred onto a still usable U-Matic tape. By chance, John Downs subscribes to this blog and recently sent me a lovely Christmas message. I then had a sudden flash of memory of that name linked to STOIC, and fortunately I had the card index that I could refer to. John’s name popped up; at first I had assumed it was indexing a currently inaccessible Ampex tape. However, there was an additional reference to a transfer to the U-Matic format. It was that tape, which I had forgotten I had already digitised some years ago, and hence how we are able to see it today.

John has kindly added some additional insight into that particular year’s elections, as well as the union staff members:

“Perhaps of interest to note that there were only the three sabbatical roles back then—even the Deputy President (Riz Shakir) was a full-time student. We were supported by an admin staff of three… Jen Hardy-Smith and Pat in the first-floor office, and a lady called Pam, I think… who had her own booth at the main entrance to the union building.”

So let’s take you, and John, back 50 years, and please note that the image quality is not great, but I have corrected it as best I can. James Sinclair does the introduction during the live transmission from the Great Hall, which was linked by cable back to the TV studio.

Colin Grimshaw – 26 February 2026

Meet the STOIC Producers: 1974

It seems like only yesterday, but it is in fact 51 years since this next video was recorded. On 19 June 1974 we all participated in the recording of a guided tour of the college TV studio to show to freshers the following October. This is the end sequence of the recording where Desmond King spoke with three STOIC members who played the role of producers for the news-magazine programme called TOPIC. Keith Arundel, Robin Barry and Bill Lovell were the lucky three to have been immortalised in the archive recording.

Desmond had an interesting career after leaving Imperial and ultimately became the CEO of Caltex and later President (CTV) of Chevron. Robin already had an interesting connection to TV because his father was Christopher Barry (1925-2014) a well-known TV Director including programmes such as Doctor Who. We visited him at the BBC Television Centre when he was directing the short-lived series called ‘Moonbase 3’.

 

Colin Grimshaw February 2026

C&G Custard Pies Rag Event: 1980

One of the seemingly forgotten events is the throwing of custard pies (or something similar) as part of Rag Week. Back in October 1980 Mike Hackett from STOIC reported from Portobello Road on what City and Guilds Union were getting up to.

The Felix report (photo above) indicates that £276 was raised from the poor members of the public who were dragged into the spectacle.

What ever happened to these Rag events that made Imperial fun?

Colin Grimshaw – January 2026

STOIC News & What’s On: 1979

This time I have an item that doesn’t really have a story attached to it. I thought it would be interesting to hear the news and what’s-on for a specific time in Imperial’s life. In this snapshot from 3 October 1979 Mark Foley is presenting the item that was within that particular week’s News-Break programme. Only item mentioned of particular interest to STOIC was the cable laying to provide an outlet link to Beit Hall (whatever happened to that link I wonder?).

Colin Grimshaw – Christmas Day 2025

Studying for the Future: 1985

For the 1985 “Technology 2000” exhibition held at Imperial College, two videos were produced: Studying for the Future and Discovering the Future. Both made use of the same visual stock-footage material, such as teaching, research, and campus footage. Studying for the Future was a promotional video for potential undergraduates. I’ve managed to colour-correct and enhance the 40-year-old videotape.

A lot of what you’ll see in this video has long gone—for example, the old main entrance, the college shop, the Reactor Centre, and the TV Studio. However, as I’ve said, it wonderfully captures what Imperial looked and felt like all those years ago. My memories are of a nicer, much happier and friendlier place back then, when people knew each other.

How much do you remember of the old place? Indeed, are you featured in the video, let me know?

Colin Grimshaw – December 2025

James Watson: 2007

Once again, here is a video that I’ve rescued from oblivion. This is another video that was located on the old video server that was decommissioned a year or so ago. With days to spare, I had all (I hope) of the videos transferred onto a normal hard disk drive. The server was then scrapped, and the hard drive either erased or destroyed.

During the 2007 year of Imperial’s centenary, many special lectures were given, and here is a very special one indeed. James Watson (1928–2025), along with Francis Crick, is famed for the 1953 proposal of DNA structure. He gave the special centenary lecture entitled “Rules for Important Science“ on 18 June 2007.

The quality of the image is not going to be great, as I’ve had to convert and enhance it from an old “RealVideo” encoded” video file.

Colin Grimshaw December 2025

Lord Mayor’s Show: 1979

Back in 2019, I released the video that STOIC had recorded at the 1980 Lord Mayor’s Show. However, that was not the first time it was covered. An earlier report was shot on 8mm colour film in 1971. Now, we are able to see the very first report covered on videotape, dating from 14 November 1979. It was featured, as always, in the weekly news programme News-Break.

The on-location STOIC reporter was Tracy Poole (Tracy Dudley). The picture is not amazing because it was recorded using an early video camera and recording system, but it did at least allow for synced audio. And of course, everything was still in black and white, although the studio had just purchased its first piece of colour equipment.

Colin Grimshaw 14 November 2025

London to Brighton/Sir Hugh Ford: 1986

The videotape card index for STOIC’s coverage of the ‘London to Brighton run’ covers three cards, starting in November 1979. That first date would have been coverage in black and white, but today we have it in colour and on videotape. A previous 1977 run was shot on 8mm colour film, but that was silent. In this 1986 coverage we have an on-location interview with Adrian the driver of Boanerges (Bo). But what is even more interesting is footage of Sir Hugh Ford and also Lady Ford both speaking at the evening dinner event. Please note the incorrect title that STOIC gave to him, he was not a Lord. This is the only recording that we have of him, so this is yet another archive gem. He was President of the Motor Club and here, in his own words (from 2007), are his memories of that time:

“…one of my great moments was that when, having acted as President of the Motor Club for many years, the Club presented to me on the half century of Bo’s service, this delightful and most accurate silver model of our James and Brown. It took three silversmiths to achieve it: the first died on the job, the second gave up because he found it too difficult, and the third became so fascinated with the project that the Club had the greatest difficulty in getting him to surrender it in time for presentation to me at Brighton! I have decided that when I pass on, it shall be left to the City & Guilds Motor Club though, I suggest, for safety reasons, it should be housed elsewhere. Mind you, don’t expect it too soon – there are a few years in me yet!”

Sir Hugh died in May 2010 aged 96, and I’d be interested to hear about that silver model’s whereabouts now.

Colin Grimshaw November 2025