{"id":12349,"date":"2026-02-26T07:37:05","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T06:37:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/videoarchive\/?p=12349"},"modified":"2026-04-01T09:21:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T08:21:54","slug":"elections-for-beginners-1976","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.imperial.ac.uk\/videoarchive\/elections-for-beginners-1976\/","title":{"rendered":"Elections for Beginners: 1976"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\u201cElections for Beginners<\/em>\u201d was shown on STOIC 50 years ago today. It was during STOIC\u2019s 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<\/a> (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.<\/p>\n

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 \u201cType A\u201d 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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

John has kindly added some additional insight into that particular year\u2019s elections, as well as the union staff members:<\/p>\n

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\u201cPerhaps of interest to note that there were only the three sabbatical roles back then\u2014even the Deputy President (Riz Shakir) was a full-time student. We were supported by an admin staff of three\u2026 Jen Hardy-Smith and Pat in the first-floor office, and a lady called Pam, I think\u2026 who had her own booth at the main entrance to the union building<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

So let\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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