Oral history of the Wellcome Foundation Ltd. and Burroughs Wellcome Company

These interviews and transcripts were created in association with the Burroughs Wellcome & Co history funded by the Wellcome Trust c.2000. re the history of the Wellcome Foundation.

Numbers 1-28 are with British employees, whilst 29-49 are with American employees. The British interviews were conducted by Dr Gerald Connolly, for Dr. Tilli Tansey, the American interviews by Jason Burton. The British transcripts tend to be amended in manuscript whilst the American transcripts tended to be edited in electronic format (so a 'clean' copy was printed out and retained as the final version).

Dates given are the dates of interview(s).

Each interview contains:

* audio tape(s) of the interview(s)

* copyright assignment form - assigning copyright to the Wellcome Trust

* typed / ms amended transcriptions

* working notes (such as lists of questions) for the interview

*biographical notes (such as curriulam vitaes, bibliographies, published information, copies of published papers)

* associated administrative paperwork

Questions asked included:

* medical training and education before and after joining Burroughs Wellcome;

* why the person joined Burroughs Wellcome;

* what the reputation of the company was;

* earnings, status and career development;

* supplies of apparatus and chemicals;

* facilities - laboratories, buildings etc;

* computerisation;

* work colleagues and interactions (inc. social);

* work atmosphere and dynamics (hours of work, typical day etc);

* job responsibilities, specific projects worked on, major achievements;

* management of the company and dealings with more senior or more junior staff;

* advertising and the use of qualified chemists as sales reps;

* technical details of research and drug development;

* opportunities for WPRL staff to carry out research and publish (reputation as 'University of Beckenham');

* opportunity for WPRL staff to carry out some teaching duties (in universities);

* collaboration with other drug companies;

* why individuals left the company, continuing links with colleagues, company and friends after leaving;

* relationships with the Wellcome Trust.

The American interviews also refer to:

* the 1962 Kefauver-Harris Food & Drug Administration amendments;

* drug development under Elion & Hitchings;

* drug development with other companies such as Roche;

* comments on relationships with the parent company in England, with the Wellcome Trust and with Burroughs Wellcome Fund in the US;

* Research Triangle Park.

Much of the interviews centre on the people who worked at Wellcome, what they were responsible for, their professional interests, successes, and some personal details. People discussed during the interviews include the following. This is not an exhaustive list. Also, although most were WF staff not all were, some were related professionals:

Kenneth Adam,

Jock Adamson,

June Almeida (virology, electron microscope),

June Ansell (Woiwood's secretary )

John Apps,

Avrustksy,

Ellis Baker,

Alan Ball,

Gareth Ball,

Richard Baltsley,

Paul Barrett,

David Barry,

John Bauer,

Irene Batty,

Bob Baxter,

John Beale,

Richard Beams,

Morris [Maurice?] Beer,

Bennett,

Leo Bernstein,

Claude Berry,

Tim Betts,

Betty Beveridge,

John Billinghurst,

Collin Binnie,

James Black,

Jimmy Black,

Gustav Born,

Alan Boura,

Bosphotti,

John Boyd,

Bradford-Hill,

Donald Bradshaw,

Eugene Braumweld,

David Bridgen,

Russell Brock,

Broome,

George Brownlee,

Jim Burchall (RTP),

Derek Burke,

J Harold Burn,

Stan Busby (Margaret his wife),

Butterfield,

Carol Bye,

Gordon Caldwell,

Jack Cameron,

Moran Campbell,

Kari Cantell,

Roy Calne,

Paul Capstick,

Bill Castell,

Allen Cato,

Don Clive,

Fred Coe,

Adam Cohen,

Jeff Coker,

David Collard,

Peter Collins,

AH Cooke,

Freddie Copp,

Harold Craxton,

Dr Creasey,

Ronnie Cresswell,

Dr Csonka,

Pedro Cuatrocasas,

Henry Dale,

Robert Deeprose,

Warwick Dench,

Bob Deschardis,

Tom Dewing,

Brian Doe (estate manager / gardener),

Doll,

Colin Dollery,

Keith Dorrington,

Chris Draper,

Chris Drew,

Mark Duffin,

Wilf Duncan,

Anthony Dyan,

Caird Edwards,

Ffoukes Edwards,

Keith Elcome,

Gertrude (True or Trudie) Elion,

Bert Elphick,

Duncan Empie,

Dr Evans,

Merdyn Evans,

Prof Evart,

Tony Everett,

Elvira Falco,

Karl H Fantes,

Felberg,

Ernest Fenton,

Rita Ferrari (personnel),

Norman Finter,

Rod Flower,

Arthur Fowle,

Jennie Fox,

KJ Franklin,

David Freestone,

Mark Frisch,

Horsely Gant,

Philip Gardiner,

Lawrence Garrod,

Paul Garrod,

Gibson,

Angela Gilbert,

Girdwood,

Ivor Godfrey,

Goldberg,

Peter Goodford,

Len Goodwin,

Andy Gray,

Alan Green,

Brian Green (solicitor),

Alwyn Griffiths,

Harry Groom,

Wyn Gutteridge,

John Hamer,

Ruth Hamilton,

Tom Hanley,

Mort Harkness,

Bill Harrison,

Haslem,

Keith Hazelwood,

Prof Heilbron,

Hennessey,

Werner Henle,

David Henry,

T A Henry,

Arthur Herbert,

Les Hewson,

Sam Hignett (Head of Research at Frant),

George Hitchings,

Cecil Hoare,

Peggy Hodder (nurse),

Sally Hodder,

Harold Hodson,

James Howard,

Leslie Hoyle,

David Hughes,

John Hughes,

Roy Hughes,

John Hurford,

Barry Hurn,

Wesson Hurst,

David Hutchinson,

Raymond Ing,

Isaacs,

Iverson,

Ron James,

Lawrence Jenkins,

Hershel Jick,

Michael Johnson,

Trevor Jones,

Tudor Jones,

Dick Joyce Kellaway,

Basil Kent,

Richard Kiernan,

George Klein,

Gerald Knight,

Joe Knight,

Tom Krenitsky,

Miriam (& Arthur) Krim,

Susan Lader,

David Langford,

Vicky Latter,

Desmond Lawrence,

Rita Levamontalcini,

Eric Letley,

Chalie Lineberry,

Hugh Linstead,

David Long,

Julia Long (nurse),

Tom Lunder,

Chris Madden (Kit),

Freddie MacCallum,

McCance,

John McDermott,

Frank MacFarlane-Burnett,

MacMichael,

Macworth,

Archie Martin,

Marico Martorelli,

Claude Matons,

Harry Mendlesson (personnel),

Peter Medawar,

John Mentha,

Salvador Alistair Miller,

Geoffrey Milwall-Timass,

Harry Mitchell (solicitor),

GA Mogey,

Salvador Moncada,

Dr Montgomery,

Bill Moore,

Bob Morrison,

Douglas Munro-Faure,

Colonel Mulligan,

Ralph Neil,

Tony Nethersaw,

Arthur Newman,

Ron Newman,

Tony Nicholson,

Bob Nimmo-Smith,

Max Norris,

Oakley,

Hal Openshaw,

Urwick Orr,

Peter Palmer,

Parrish,

William Paton (Bill),

Tony Peck,

Frank Perkins,

Perrin,

Laurence Petty (Laurie),

Arthur Philips,

Tony Phillips,

Pickering,

Tony Pink,

Eric Pollard,

Dr Pope,

Noel Poynter,

John Posner,

Freddy Prescott,

Terry Priestman,

Mike Prosalono,

Ken Pullen,Pedro Quatre,

Jorge Quesda,

Prof Quilliam,

Clifford Raison,

Ted Reynolds,

Harry Richards,

Richard Riley,

John Robb,

Ian Rollo,

Rosenheim,

Barbara Roth,

Rudik,

David Ryencroft,

Dave Sawyer,

Sol Schneider,

Howard Schaeffer,

Mr Scott (supplies manager),

Eric Scowen,

Bob Sellers,

Bob Sharland,

Prof Sheehan,

Mary Lou Shenck,

Alfred Shepperd,

Michael Sheppard,

Mr Sherlock,

Ted Shotten,

Anne Simmons,

John L Simonson,

David Smith,

Graham Smith,

Robert Smith,

Sydney Smith,

Spickett,

Owen Standen,

John Stenlake,

Barry Stern,

George Stewart,

Michael Stoker,

Hans Strander,

Fred Streinger (in Spain),

Bill Sullivan,

Andrew Sutton,

Mrs Taylor (departmental secretary),

Robert Thomson (Bob),

P Torkington,

Jerry Tracey,

David Trevan,

David Trist,

Sidney Truelove,

WE Tucker (Bud),

David Tyrell,

Vernon Udall,

Peter Upton,

John Vane,

Verney,John Wagner,

Leslie Walls,

Eric Walton,

Tony Waterson,

Miles Weatherall,

Wenyon,

Dennis Wheeler,

John Whisnant,

White,

Geoff White (Berkhamsted),

Norman Whittaker,

Woody Wilson,

Sam Wilkinson,

Albert Woiwood (head of biochemistry),

John Woodruff,

Arnold Worlock (marketing director),

Martin Wright,

Fred Wrigley (sales director),

Peter Young,

Dave Yeowell,

Alan Yuen,

Eleanor Zaimis.

1997-2001

16 boxes, 1 digital item 40.6 MB (42587660 bytes)

Copyright assigned to the Wellcome Trust

Restricted until 1 January 2053.

Please see main WF collection description (ref. 'WF').