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
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
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
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
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
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
A rare personal blog post today, to mark the fact that I started working at Imperial College of Science and Technology (as it was then known) 60 years ago, today. As can be seen, I’d received the letter informing me that an official communication offering me the position would follow in a few days. I’ve just realised that there were only a very few days between the date of this letter and my scheduled start date, which was Monday, October 4th, 1965.
At the time, I had not realised that I would be starting in the Heavy Electrical Engineering Laboratory on level one, that was the laboratory of Professor Eric Laithwaite. Hence, my lifelong connection and cooperation with him until his retirement.
The letter that I’d received was from one of the longest-serving members of college staff, John Ganley (1909-1995), who is seen here speaking at his retirement in 1976 (he came to Imperial in 1924). He was the Departmental Superintendent in the Department of Electrical Engineering, where I was to work for most of my life. John Ganley was an enthusiast of the upcoming world of Hi-Fi and video. Almost at the same time that I had started working there, the department had acquired one of the first non-commercial videotape recorders made by Philips.
CCTV was starting to take shape in the newly formed Audio-Visual Aids section within the department. John Ganley got to know of my interests in this area and moved me upstairs to join Eddie Bristow, who then headed this new section and needed some permanent help. I’m in the photo, posing in a white lab coat behind one of the Pye CCTV cameras. The photo is from August 1967 and I’m really not sure why we even wore lab coats back then! Eddie Bristow is standing next to me as we pretend to make adjustments to the telephoto lens.
Colin Grimshaw 4 October 2025
There was quite a full studio back in March 1986 when STOIC interviewed the following year’s RCS(U) Executive Committee (seen on the right from Felix dated March 1986). Well, almost all of them as it was minus Judith Hackney on the day. Notable of course is the appearance of Simon Singh who had been voted in as RCS(U) President. Simon has gone on to greater things after leaving Imperial and you can find out more on his own website.
If you wade through the archive of Felix you’ll find loads of references to Simon including some criticism of his role as President. This was in Felix dated December 1986.
“The Royal College of Science Union will be holding an ‘Extraordinary General Meeting’ today. The meeting has been called at the request of more than 50 members of RCSU, who have signed a petition criticising President Simon Singh’s leadership of the Union“
But all of this didn’t stop him from going on to better things after Imperial. So, if you take the ‘rough with the smooth’ it seems you can come out on top in the end.
Colin Grimshaw September 2025
This is a recent appearance on the BBC Archive YouTube channel. I do not recall ever seeing this filmed report from the BBC One programme Nationwide, which aired on 6 May 1971. Bob Wellings was the reporter and a well-known face on BBC TV at that time. Professor Laithwaite appeared to be in his characteristically enthusiastic mood and described how a linear motor could potentially power a full-sized train. I have covered all of that in earlier posts.
What is surprising is that it appears in black and white, even though BBC One had already transitioned to full colour broadcasting. Perhaps the film has degraded, and the colour dyes have faded. I hope we see more of him in the BBC Archives; he made numerous television appearances with them over the years as can be seen here via this link:
https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?order=first&q=eric+laithwaite
Colin Grimshaw August 2025
In November 2006, we flew to Geneva to film a report on the project and experiments being carried out at CERN by the team from Imperial College. Professor Tejinder Virdee and his colleagues explained the science of the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Experiment. Professor Sir Peter Knight, who was then the Head of the Physics Department, also came along, and also appears in the video. You’ll also hear from Professor Virdee’s colleagues who were stationed there at the time of our visit.
Unfortunately, the video quality is poor, as it is another item I’ve managed to recover from the old video server. I’ve done my best to make it look as good as possible! In this first photo you might spot me in the bottom right talking to Professor Virdee. We’re both rather overshadowed by the size of the construction taking place at the time. We shot a lot more footage than you’ll see in the news report and in the photo on the left, you can see me filming some of those very shots.
Colin Grimshaw July 2025
