# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

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Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

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Bangor, 1963

# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Bangor High Street, 1963

# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Bangor High Street and Technical College (Ffriddoedd Road), 1963

# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

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Bangor High Street and the University's Natural History Museum, 1963

# data[].attributes.headline
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Tom Lloyd (Year Abroad student from Ohio, USA, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
UCNW Mountaineering Club on Glyder Fach, 1963

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"The Funeral of Benediceymus", November 1968

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History of the Reichelian Festival of Benediceymus, 1968

"In 1967 the coffin was burned on the playing fields adjacent to Reichel

but in 1968 it was taken in procession to the funeral pyre on the Menai

Straits"

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Martin Briscoe (Electronic Engineering, 1968)

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Martin Briscoe (Electronic Engineering, 1968)

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"The Reichelian Festival of Benediceymus" - A History of the Tradition, 1967

# data[].attributes.headline
Martin Briscoe (Electronic Engineering, 1968)

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Martin Briscoe (Electronic Engineering, 1968)

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"Funeral of Benny Diceymus" Order of Service. Neuadd Reichel, November 1967

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Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

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Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

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L-R (Back): Foster Edwards, Jim Knipe, Brian Charnley, Tudor Jones

L-R (Front): Stuart Turner, Nick Atkinson, Eifion Morgan

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Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

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Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

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Rugby Football Championship Final Programme, March 1968

# data[].attributes.headline
Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

# data[].attributes.subject
Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

# data[].attributes.body
Rugby Football Championship Final Programme, March 1968

# data[].attributes.headline
Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

# data[].attributes.subject
Brian Charnley (Arts, 1969) & Foster Edwards (Agriculture, 1971)

# data[].attributes.body
Bangor University Rugby Team, 1967-68

# data[].attributes.headline
Allan Tucker (Electronic Engineering MSc, 1968)

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Allan Tucker (Electronic Engineering MSc, 1968)

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"Here's a photograph of my memory of Bangor. When the Duke of Edinburgh, in Summer 1968, visited Bangor University and the Department of Electronic Energy, my MSc. Project was one of the ones chosen for him to see. The reason the project was chosen was because it was to do with the Stabilised Rolling of a Boat.

Also in the picture is Professor R.J.A. Paul, the Professor of Control Engineering and Dr. K Edwards who laid the initial work for the project. I don’t know the person in the background."

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I helped on this digging the right eye as you look at the bear. It was real graft. Later when working in Oxford (about 1973) I saw the a picture of the panda in a travel guide with other chalk features.

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I helped on this digging the right eye as you look at the bear. It was real graft. Later when working in Oxford (about 1973) I saw the a picture of the panda in a travel guide with other chalk features.

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Paul Biancardi

# data[].attributes.headline
Andrew Thomas (English / Biblical Studies, 1967)

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Andrew Thomas (English / Biblical Studies, 1967)

# data[].attributes.body
Church Hostel residents, 1964-65

# data[].attributes.headline
Andrew Thomas (English / Biblical Studies, 1967)

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Andrew Thomas (English / Biblical Studies, 1967)

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BANGOR 1964-1968: SOME REMINISCENCES

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Neuadd Reichel Annexe, 1962

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Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Lookout - Bangor Student newspaper, 1962

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
University College of North Wales, Bangor supplement in Liverpool Daily Post

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Y Dyfodol - Papur Myfyrwyr Bangor

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
UCNW Handbook

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
UCNW Arts Festival Choral-Orchestral Concert programme, 1963

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Rockets Hockey Team

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
UCNW "Rockets Club" (Hockey) constitution

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
1963 Graduation Ceremony brochure

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Gilbert & Sullivan Society "The Gondoliers" programme, 1962

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Gilbert & Sullivan Society "Iolanthe" programme, 1964

# data[].attributes.headline
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.subject
Gwyneth Kensler (nee Roberts) (Arts, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
Examination Pass List, 1963

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"Marat / Sade" student production programme, 1967

# data[].attributes.body
"Marat / Sade" student production review, 1967

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ROSTRA Student Production of "The Royal Hunt of the Sun" review, January 1975

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"The Royal Hunt of the Sun" programme

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Royal Hunt of the Sun programme Mike Bor

# data[].attributes.headline
Jenny Watts (Saesneg ac Astudiaethau Beiblaidd, 1970)

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Jenny Watts (Saesneg ac Astudiaethau Beiblaidd, 1970)

# data[].attributes.body
“Yn ystod Wythnos Rag 1968, penderfynodd Carol, fy ffrind o’r llety, a minnau lanhau'r groesfan sebra y tu allan i Undeb y Myfyrwyr ar y pryd. Fe wnaethom godi tâl ar fodurwyr i groesi ar ddarn glân, a chodi tâl ychwanegol ar gyfer capiau bothau ceir. Roeddem yn sefyll yno, yn gafael mewn mopiau ac yn gwisgo ffedogau blodeuog, sgarffiau tebyg i rai’r 1940au ar ein pennau, a sigaréts yn hongian allan o'n cegau. Yn y dyddiau hynny roedd llawer o bobl yn cofio’r ymadrodd 'Can I do you now, Sir?'.

Rwy’n meddwl y buom yno am ryw awr cyn i’r heddlu gyrraedd i’n hatgoffa ein bod yn golchi’r ffordd fawr at Fferi Caergybi… ac wedi achosi ciw o 12 milltir!”

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Y LLETY GORAU YM MANGOR

“Cyrhaeddais Fangor o Tottenham, Llundain, ym mis Hydref 1960. Roedd y daith ar y trên ar hyd yr arfordir yn ddigon i ddangos i mi pa mor brydferth oedd y rhan o'r wlad roeddwn i'n mynd iddi, a byddai enwau’r llefydd yr euthum heibio’n dod yn gyfarwydd iawn i mi. Fel "glasfyfyrwyr", cawsom ein croesawu a threfnwyd cludiant i'n llety. Aed â fy ffrind ysgol Ken a minnau i’n llety yng Nghoed Mawr, lle bu i ni gwrdd â’r wraig a gadwai’r tŷ, ei gŵr a’i theulu. Arhosais yno am 3 blynedd.  Roeddwn i'n meddwl fy mod wedi cael y llety gorau ym Mangor!

Roedd Elizabeth Williams yn fendigedig am gadw’r tŷ ac yn llawn hwyl a thriciau. Un noson fe chwaraeodd dric ar Ken pan ddaeth adref braidd yn feddw, a gwneud ei wely yn y dull ‘apple pie’ fel na allai fynd iddo! Dro arall, rhoddodd becyn bwyd yn fy mag ynghyd â 2 FRICSAN ar gyfer fy nhaith gerdded adref. Mi wnes i eu darganfod nhw tua hanner ffordd adref! Elizabeth hefyd wnaeth deipio fy nhraethawd ymchwil i a thraethawd ymchwil fy ngwraig (gyda chopïau carbon!) yn 1966.”

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Stan Jones (Peirianneg Electronig, 1963)

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Stan Jones (Peirianneg Electronig, 1963)

# data[].attributes.body
MWY DIOGEL AROS YN Y GWELY AM ENNYD ARALL?

“Un bore oer o aeaf yn Stryd y Deon, dechreuodd gyrrwr y craen uchel oedd yn cael ei ddefnyddio i godi’r adeilad peirianneg newydd ar ei waith.  Dringodd i'r caban a rhoi ei fys ar y botwm i symud y craen ar hyd y trac ar lefel y ddaear. Ar ôl ychydig gwnaeth y botwm ddadmer a dechreuodd y craen symud. Yna rhoddodd ei fys ar y botwm stop i'w ddadmer. Yn unol â’r ddeddf beirianyddol enwog honno, deddf diawlineb, y tywydd oer a orfu ac nid oedd y botwm wedi dadmer pan gyrhaeddodd y craen ddiwedd y trac, ac mi gwympodd. Disgynnodd y gwrthbwys concrit enfawr ar do'r hen adeilad. Aeth drwy hwnnw, a thrwy’r ail lawr, a dod i stop tua throedfedd o fowlen toiled yn nhoiledau’r llawr gwaelod. Yn ffodus ddigon, nid yw myfyrwyr yn foregodwyr (neu o leiaf doedden nhw ddim yn y cyfnod hwnnw) ac nid oedd unrhyw un yn yr adeilad ar y pryd.

Cafodd yr adeilad ei gau ar unwaith er mwyn i arbenigwyr allu asesu'r difrod. Penderfynwyd nad oedd yn mynd i ddisgyn i lawr, felly cafodd y myfyrwyr ymchwil (a minnau yn eu plith) eu gadael i mewn i barhau i weithio. Gwelsom rai craciau yn y waliau a rhoi gwybod amdanynt, a daeth yr arbenigwyr yn eu holau. Dywedodd yr arbenigwyr wrthym nad oedd craciau fertigol yn broblem mewn gwirionedd, felly fe wnaethom ddangos un llorweddol hir ger lefel y llawr iddynt. Peidiwch â phoeni, dywedodd, ni fydd yn un dwfn, a rhoddodd bren mesur metel 6” i mewn i'r hollt. Diflannodd yn llwyr, a chlywsom yr arbenigwr yn mwmian “O diar”. Ni chlywsom unrhyw beth ar ôl hynny ac mae'r adeilad yn dal i sefyll."

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“Mae'n rhyfeddol nodi bod carfan gwyddoniaeth ym Mangor yn y 1950au wedi cynhyrchu enillydd Gwobr Nobel a thri arall a gafodd eu hurddo'n farchogion am eu llwyddiannau gwyddonol diweddarach.

Dyma gyfnod gwirioneddol ryfeddol i wyddoniaeth ym Mangor a braint oedd cael fy addysgu yno yn y 50au.”

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“Fy atgof mwyaf byw o fywyd ym Mangor yw cael brecwast cynnar ym Mhlas Gwyn ar ddiwrnod gaeafol oer a rhewllyd er mwyn bod yn y Ddarlithfa Electroneg ar gyfer darlith am 9:00 y bore, dim ond i gael gwybod bod craen wedi disgyn ar ben y ddarlithfa a bod y ddarlith wedi ei chanslo!!”

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“Fe wnes i wir fwynhau fy amser ym Mangor a dysgais lawer am nifer o ddiwylliannau gwahanol.  Roedd gennyf ffrindiau o Gymru, Lloegr, Irac, Uganda, Swdan, Ghana, De Affrica a’r Caribî a dysgais lawer iawn drwy siarad â nhw.  Roedd y trafodaethau hynny’n addysg go iawn mewn sawl ffordd.”

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“Yn gymdeithasol, y dawnsiau nos Sadwrn oedd yr uchafbwynt. Fe’u cynhaliwyd yn Neuadd Prichard-Jones a bu rhai grwpiau ac artistiaid enwog yn perfformio – gallaf gofio Amen Corner, Julie Driscoll a’r Brian Auger Trinity, Joe Cocker ac, yn anhygoel, Fleetwood Mac!”

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UCNW Admissions list, 1969

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“In the sixties I remember seeing Al Stewart ("Year of the Cat") in the Curved Lounge. Normally it was populated with students trying to learn "Angie" on their guitars....”

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David Clarke (Educational Studies, 1969)

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David Clarke (Educational Studies, 1969)

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“When I arrived in ‘66 the curved lounge was all there was in the way of a Students’ Union building but it seemed to be all we needed for two years until the opening of the large building alongside.”

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Brian Perera (Electronic Engineering, 1970)

# data[].attributes.subject
Brian Perera (Electronic Engineering, 1970)

# data[].attributes.body
PLAS GWYN RESIDENTS LATE 1960s

# data[].attributes.headline
Brian Perera (Electronic Engineering, 1970)

# data[].attributes.subject
Brian Perera (Electronic Engineering, 1970)

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LATE 1960s CRICKET CLUB

# data[].attributes.headline
David McCreadie (1970, Sŵoleg gyda Sŵoleg Forol) 

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David McCreadie (1970, Sŵoleg gyda Sŵoleg Forol) 

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Yn 1969, gwnaeth grŵp o fyfyrwyr Bangor benawdau newyddion cenedlaethol fel rhan o wythnos RAG. Dyma David McCreadie yn dweud wrthym am ei ymdrechion yn enw’r elusen.

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David McCreadie (1970, Zoology with Marine Zoology) 

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David McCreadie (1970, Zoology with Marine Zoology) 

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In 1969, a group of Bangor students made the national headlines as part of RAG week. Read their efforts in the name of charity!

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RAG WEEK 'KIDNAPPING' 1969

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ROGER WHITTAKER AND THE ENTS. COMMITTEE

“My sincere thanks will always go to the Entertainments Committees who organised the weekly dances, the balls, the rag week functions and theme dances and the concert evenings. But, occasionally one of the students entertained us on a Saturday night playing a guitar and singing when the band was having a break. His name was Roger Whittaker and went on to become a well-known Folk Singer, famous for his whistling and guitar playing.

One beautiful summer evening a group of us decided to walk up Snowdon after the Saturday dance! We went up to the summit using the railway track. It was a great way to see the sun rise over Snowdonia.”

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THE GIRL IN THE YELLOW DRESS

“At the beginning of the second year (Oct. 1961) John and I decided to go early to the Saturday night hop rather than the pub, which was the tradition. We walked into Neuadd Reichel and I immediately saw a young lady across the hall wearing a bright yellow frock. I asked her to dance. Less than 3 years later we were married. Angela was from Colwyn Bay. It was her first year of a Biochemistry degree and in 1964 she was awarded an Upper Second Honours and a grant for a two-year biochemistry MSc which was awarded at the end of 1966.”

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THE BEST DIGS IN BANGOR

“I arrived at Bangor from Tottenham, London, in October 1960. The train ride along the coast was enough to show me what a beautiful part of the country I was going to and the many places whose names would become very familiar to me. Us "freshers" were met, organised and provided with transport to our accommodation. My school friend Ken and I were taken to our "digs" in Coed Mawr where we met our landlady and her husband and family and I stayed for 3 years. I reckoned I had the best digs in Bangor!

Elizabeth Williams was a wonderful landlady and full of fun and tricks. One night she made an apple pie bed for Ken when he came home a little drunk! Another time she placed a packed lunch in my bag plus 2 BRICKS for my hitchhike home. I discovered them about halfway home! Elizabeth also typed my wife’s and my thesis (with carbon copies!) in 1966.

My major was Zoology but I had chosen Bangor as they had recently started a year's marine science course year which I studied as one of my subsidiary subjects. At the end of year 2 I was accepted into the honours year. In June 1963 I was awarded an Upper Second Honours in Zoology which automatically entitled me to a grant to study for a PhD in Marine Science at the Menai Bridge laboratories. I finished the thesis in late 1966 and the examiners awarded the PhD early in 1967. My wife and 6-month-old son flew out with me to New Zealand in early February where I started my career in Fish and Fisheries and Marine Aquaculture.”

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VICE-CHANCELLOR, PROF. W. CHARLES EVANS

“Prof. W. Charles Evans was an inspiring teacher who greatly stimulated my, and many others’, interest in Biochemistry.

His obituary in the Guardian 1988 remarked that “He taught from the laboratory—shunning formal lectures”. This is absolutely true but, understandably, what this obit. doesn’t mention is that in the lab. he was never without his Petersen pipe. Supervising our practical work he'd move around the lab.  benches, with burning pipe clenched between his teeth, checking out how our designated work was proceeding (usually extractions involving highly flammable petroleum ether!!); none of this was carried out in fume hoods. Although low flash-point vapours and a nearby lighted pipe are not to be recommended, Prof. lived to a good old age as I have, and hopefully many of his students of this time.

I recall another occasion in the biochem. lab, when Prof. needed some blood for this particular demonstration and asked if anyone in the class would be prepared to donate. There was only one amongst us brave enough to volunteer. A three-inch needle was produced, sterilised in a bunsen flame, and then appeared an enormous (ca. 50ml) syringe (Prof’s research mainly involved cattle and these were his normal implements !!). Needless to say, our brave fellow student passed out during the ordeal, but not until Prof. had drawn sufficient blood for his demonstration needs; which, sadly, the unfortunate student was not in a fit state to witness.”

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PRE-HEALTH AND SAFETY!

“The Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry was an academically distinguished Scotsman, who was also an inveterate chain smoker. He would enter the lecture theatre with a cigarette in his mouth and continue to smoke while delivering, in a broad Scots accent, what for me was the most difficult part of the syllabus. I might have coped with this had there been continuity in the discourse, but sadly there was none. When the cigarette burned down he would stub it out in the theatre bench sink, this was followed by an alarming bout of emphysemic coughing; at this point we would put our pens down and patiently wait for his recovery. However, upon recovery he would light another cigarette, and thereby this cycle of events would be repeated throughout the hour-long lecture.

Unfortunately, this same academic once turned up to supervise our work in the laboratory. Here, two students, with their designated projects, would work opposite each other on a bench, divided along its length with the services required jointly, ie, water, electricity, gas and a lead trough with running water for the disposal of any used solvents (such practise being inconceivable today).  My fellow student and I had just disposed of some waste solvent in the trough; solvent which, although highly flammable and immiscible with water, should nevertheless have been swiftly transported to the drains; but on this occasion not swiftly enough. Hitherto, our aforementioned supervisor had been smoking a cigarette at a relatively “safe” distance, until he approached the end of our bench and stubbed out the blazing fag-end in the trough.

Immediately a sheet of flame ran the length of our bench; the fire alarm sounded as other members of the laboratory supervisory staff rushed over with fire extinguishers. Fortunately, the conflagration was extinguished as quickly as it had ignited. Such were those days.”

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Jenny Watts (English & Biblical Studies, 1970)

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Jenny Watts (English & Biblical Studies, 1970)

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RAG WEEK 1968

“I won't mention the spoof investiture nor partying with men in Caederwen behind the door that locked us in at night (hmm!) but another Rag Week in 1968…

Carol, my digs mate and I decided to clean the zebra crossing outside the then Students’ Union. We charged motorists to cross on a clean bit, with extra for hub caps. We stood there, mops in hand, in flowery pinnies, 1940s style scarves on our heads, with cigarettes hanging out of our mouths. In those days lots of people remembered 'Can I do you now, Sir?'.

We did quite well with fundraising. I think we were there for about an hour but then the police turned up. They were very nice - they just reminded us that we were washing the main road to the Holyhead Ferry … and had caused a 12 mile tailback! We stopped.”

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HEARING OF THE ASSASSINATION OF JFK

“Another Bangor adventure during my year there (1963-64) occurred in November, when US President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I don't think I would have believed it if most of my friends brought the news to me, but I learned it from the most serious person I knew (I was in Neuadd Reichel).

I decided to gather signatures on a petition from people from many countries and send it to the US Embassy in London.  It expressed our great sympathy and called on the new president to carry out the policies of Kennedy, everyone was still in shock and immediately agreed to sign it.  I came across two young women from South America, who had not heard the news.  When I told them, they began crying. That is what Kennedy meant to people of all sorts. I sent the petition to the US Embassy and received a very grateful letter in response.”

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"The Italian lecturers I remember with affection are Doctor Ronco and a young lady from Milan who took us for conversational classes. I have retained my love for the Italian language ever since.

I was lucky enough to reside in Neuadd Reichel throughout my 3 years in Bangor. My roommate in my first year was Trevor Payne, who, despite hailing from West Malling in Kent, professed to be a Manchester United supporter! The Warden at the time was Aled Eames whom I remember fondly. Also remembered with affection is the caretaker(Dai Williams I think) who would open his personal bar promptly at 8.30pm every Sunday evening to compensate for the fact that Sundays were dry in Bangor at the time(unless you were a member of the Crosville Club!)

Being a keen footballer I represented Bangor for 3 years, mostly playing for the 3rd XI. The attached photo shows regular members of the team. We went on some great away trips transported by Purple Motors of Bethesda. I can particularly remember playing Swansea University away. The coach left at 4pm on the Friday, B&B in Mumbles, then the match on Saturday afternoon. The evening was spent in the Students' Union Bar with the coach departing for the long return journey at midnight- we arrived back in Bangor at 6am! Also memorable was the epic Soccer Club European tour in April 1968. We covered 3,000 miles in 10 days by coach and played matches in Linz, Austria, Prague and Olomouc in Czechoslovakia. At half time in our match in Olomouc the hosts kindly provided a crate of strong Czech beer- we went on to lose 5-1!

Socially, the Saturday night dances were the highlight. They were held in Pritchard Jones Hall and there were some famous groups and artists booked to perform - I can remember Amen Corner, Julie Driscoll and the Brian Auger Trinity, Joe Cocker and, unbelievably, Fleetwood Mac!

I feel privileged to have spent 3 years of my life at a fantastic University which hold so many happy memories for myself and , I am sure, many others."

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A TRUE CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCE

“I have always thought of my year in Bangor as the best year of my life. Back in those days, international folk dancing was very popular, and since I had some experience, I joined the university's international folk dance club.

When it came time for the Eisteddfod, a group of about ten people decided that we should join the competition.  I don't remember what town it was in, but we drove there, and only when we got there did we see our costumes for the first time.  They were good for all of us, except one young man, whose pants kept starting to fall down, so we were all laughing throughout the dance.

I think that the dance we chose was from a Slavic country.  It was a circle dance. We must have done a good job, because our club (from what was then the University College of North Wales) won a prize at the Eisteddfod.  Kind of amazing.

I loved it, and learned a lot about multiple cultures.  A true cross-cultural experience and a big part of the value of my year at university in Bangor was the diverse community.   My friends include friends from:  England, Wales, Iraq, Uganda, Sudan, Ghana, South Africa, Caribbean countries, and multiple other countries.  I learned an immense amount from talking with them.  These discussions were a real education in many ways.”

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“My most vivid memory of life at Bangor is having an early breakfast in Plas Gwyn in order to be in the Electronics Lecture Theatre for a 9:00 am lecture on a cold icy wintery day only to be told that a tower crane had fallen into the lecture theatre and the lecture was cancelled!!”

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Stan Jones (Electronic Engineering, 1963)

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Stan Jones (Electronic Engineering, 1963)

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NO RIVER IN THE VALLEY?

"Did you ever wonder why there is no river in Bangor in the valley between the two hillsides? Well there is and it runs underground. This means that much of the centre of Bangor, including the cathedral, goes up and down several inches depending on the water level. Most of the buildings are on long piles or on concrete rafts. When building the new engineering building early attempts at piling resulted in them disappearing without trace in the soft ground.

The old chemistry building was perched on the rocky side of the valley, hence could be multi storey, but I understand that was still a risky decision.”

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Stan Jones (Electronic Engineering, 1963)

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Stan Jones (Electronic Engineering, 1963)

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SAFER TO STAY IN BED A BIT LONGER?

“One cold winter’s morning in Dean Street the driver of the high crane being used to build the new engineering building turned up for work. He climbed to the cabin and put his finger on the button to traverse the crane on its ground level track. After a while the button thawed out and the crane started to move. He then put his finger on the stop button to thaw it. In accordance with the engineering law of perversity (SOD’s), the cold weather won the race and it hadn’t thawed out when the crane reached the end of the track and toppled over. The very large concrete counterweight descended on the old building roof, went through that and the second floor and ended up point down about a foot from a toilet bowl in the ground floor toilets. Fortunately students aren’t (or at least weren’t) early risers and no-one was in the building at the time.

The building was immediately closed so experts could assess the damage. It was decided that it wasn’t going to fall down, so research students (of which I was one) were let in to continue working. We noticed some cracks in the walls and reported them and the experts returned. They told us that any vertical cracks were not really a problem, so we pointed them to a long horizontal one near floor level. Don’t worry he said it will be shallow and stuck a 6” metal ruler into the crack which duly completely disappeared, as did the expert muttering “Oh dear”. We heard no more and the building is still standing."

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The Beatles and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi at Bangor's Normal College 1967

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The Beatles – at that point riding high in the singles charts with All you Need is Love, while their Sgt Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band LP was number one in the album charts – came to Bangor with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, leader of the Spiritual Regeneration Movement (now better known as Transcendental Meditation).

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was addressing the Movement’s Conference being held at Bangor’s Normal College. The Beatles were interested in eastern religions, and, following a meeting in London, they all decided to follow Maharishi to the Conference already under way in Bangor.’

Back in Bangor, the news had broken that the Beatles were on their way and Normal College staff made hurried arrangements to accommodate them and manage the media which would follow. As the London train arrived at Bangor station, local fans on the station platform screamed their welcome, and there was intense interest in the conference proceedings, which were extended to include a press conference, attended by The Beatles, and a public meeting in the College’s John Phillips Hall.

What threw Bangor into the national spotlight, and marked Bangor in the history of The Beatles, was that it was during their stay in Bangor that the news broke of the death of Beatles manager, Brian Epstein. Suddenly the story shifted from being a local news story to a national, or even international story as the press clamoured to get the Beatles’ reaction to their manager’s death.

A plaque providing a visual reminder of The Beatles’ visit was unveiled in 2002 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the group’s visit to Bangor.

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Peter Curle (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Soil Sci, 1968)

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Peter Curle (Chemistry, Biochemistry and Soil Sci, 1968)

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"Unfortunately I guided the team to the wooden spoon in the UW Championship"

“During my time in Bangor, in sport I progressed from 20th reserve for the 3rd XV, to Social Secretary and then to captaincy of the 1st XV in my final year. Another case of if at first you don't....  Unfortunately I guided the team to the wooden spoon in the UW Championship and was presented with it at Cardiff Meds. Not a good day.  Winning the North Wales Sevens was a consolation though.  Many of the wooden spoon XV were to reach the UAU final at London Welsh against the ever-present Loughborough in the following year.

The highlight as Social Secretary was emerging from the Castle Hotel around 5am after the club's Summer Ball, having shared a late supper or possibly breakfast with the owner.  I had defied his ban on hiring a pop group!

Although my wife claims not to remember, I met her first at the Freshers' Hop. I came across 4 girls dancing with one boy so armed with plenty of dutch courage I muscled in.  Shock horror when it was discovered they were from St. Mary's with an 11pm curfew! Dutifully we walked them up the hill to Bryn Kynalt (luckily not Barlows) and I was left to walk through the rain to my lodgings in Menai Bridge. The following Saturday night I found myself walking a girl back to the Normal College. That was OK as it was enroute to Menai Bridge and it wasn't raining.  It was over 2 years before I came across my wife to be again.  The second time was in the prefab shack known as Tanrallt.  Jen was dancing (again) but with only one girl this time. Mary was to wed John Tovey (MSc. Electronics), a rugby player who also pole-vaulted for the college.  He became my Best Man.

I remember my time in Bangor with fondness tinged with some sadness.  However best of all it brought Jen and me together.”

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Anthony Heeley (Chemistry / Biochemistry, 1960)

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Anthony Heeley (Chemistry / Biochemistry, 1960)

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“I owe my later fruitful career primarily to the quality of undergraduate teaching I received at Bangor(UCNW) 1957-60 (Physics, Agricultural Chemistry, Chemistry(hons)).

During this time, of the four basic science departments three of these were headed by Fellows of the Royal Society. Bearing in mind that classes in that era were relatively small (1959 Hons. Chemistry was a class of eight), it is remarkable to note 1950’s science in Bangor produced from its cohort, (undergrads, postgrads or junior academic staff), a Nobel Laureate and three others who were Knighted for their later scientific achievements: furthermore, all were of Welsh heritage, notable because science student intake at this time was ca. 50% English, mainly from the NW.

A truly phenomenal period for science at Bangor and a privilege to have been taught there in the 50’s.”

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UCNW Choral-Orchestral Concert programme 1959

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Anthony Heeley (Chemistry / Biochemistry, 1960)

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Anthony Heeley (Chemistry / Biochemistry, 1960)

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“I was at UCNW 1957-1960 and played violin in the orchestra of the Choral and Orchestral Society 1957-1959. I believe these years were quite noteworthy in that both Reginald Smith-Brindle and Bernard Rands were in the music Department and were influential composers in contemporary classical music. Reginald Smith-Brindle became Prof of Music at Sussex and Bernard Rands at Harvard.

The society played some quite difficult music for the amateur members of the orchestra, including 1st performances by contemporary Welsh composers. I think we were playing a new work by Alun Hoddinot and I was struggling on the violin back desks when a voice hissed from right behind me “For heavens sake, stop tapping your foot you are completely at odds with the conductor and you are putting me off “, this was Smith- Brindle who was an accomplished clarinetist as well as a contemporary composer.

Having retired to Anglesey, whenever I go to a concert in Prichard-Jones Hall, I am always reminded of my humiliation many years ago on that stage!”