I hope to visit the Liddle Collection at Leeds University next week.

Will anyone else be around?

I'd appreciate some feedback after the visit about "arrangements" there, for accessing documents, etc. Do you need to prebook to visit or can just turn up?

John

I phoned to tell them I'd be coming John. Not having been there I don't know how much space they have, but I know the IWM appreciate prior warning, and the very welcoming lady on the other end of the phone has noted my visit, and I assume is saving a place for me.

Kate and John,
I've been before....it's in the 'Brotherton Library' (if it hasn't moved) and as you say Kate you can book a seat I think I booked via the internet.....plenty of room there....you order what you want and it arrives.....very much like the NA....no browsing of the files!
On my two visits I was the only person in the 'archive'.....

I take it Kate this is part of your northern tour after Lancaster on Monday night?

Is the big bearded bear coming too?

NC

Dead right Niall. I going on Tuesday to learn something about the subject I'm speaking on the night before.

No, my own personal poilu is staying at home, on the basis that a good time for him is when and where I am not speaking. The cats will point him in the directionof the tin opener.

Is there a good fish and chip shop thereabouts?

Kate,
I hope to be there Monday and so will see oyu then.....I live about 30 miles form Lancaster so only go there fro the WFA meetings and there are severla F&C shops ni the town centre....but as to the quality I'l have to say pass......in any case I thought you were a bit more upmarket than F&C....there is a Kentucky Fried R*t, Burger King and McDonald's in Lancaster.......

No, sorry, I meant fish & chips in Leeds.

You're in student central with the Brotherton - plenty of good sandwich shops etc directly opposite the building.
Not sure about fish and chips, think there is one but can't recall.

Liddle has limited space, you may find the reading room (special collections) is extremely warm in weather like this! Photocopying is a nightmare in triplicate, at least it was last time I went. In fact, I have never had anything photocopied from the Liddle at all in several visits - all hand written. Costs are interesting and permissions convoluted. It may have changed, but I wouldn't expect to walk away with armfuls of A3 afterwards.

Despite this it remains a fantastic collection and well worth the visit.

Unfortunately I am Very Busy Tuesday - if you need anyone to look at material in the collection in the future, let me know. I need to visit the collection again soon to follow some things up and I can manage a few requests.

Glad you're not map reading round Salonika then!

Thanks for that Simon. I'm planning to be there on Wednesday too, and treating myself for writer's cramp thereafter.

I have been there several times. The staff are usually very helpful and service is normally quick.

1. You have to book
2. They appreciate it if you check the archive on line and notify them in advance what you want to see but you will still need to fill in forms for the specific file when you get there
3. You can use a digital camera but you need to tell them in advance as they have one table set aside for people doing this. However, I have been allowed to use a camera (usual conditions as at the NA) on other tables as they sometimes use the special table for meetings, etc.
4. Photocopying is by the process of indicating what you want, paying for it and then they post it on as the IWM and the British Museum tend to do.
5. If you plan to use something in a publication you must check with the archive and, where possible, with the copyright holders. I had an issue with a memoire which I plundered heavily as I thought the Liddle Collection couldn't locate the copyright holders. A year later the copyright holder contacted them demanding to know what was going on. Luckily I had retained the email from the Collection saying they had no contact but I spoke to the copyright holder direct and explained what was going on and they were happy and gave their approval for its use.
6. There is a refreshments area inside the main building to the right of the main entrance (the stairs, normally covered with students). They serve sandwiches, etc., and hot and cold drinks. Loos are nearby.
7. Parking is awful and you are unlikely to find anywhere nearby. I normally stay in a hotel in Headingley and get a taxi there and back.

Have fun. There is some great stuff there. Also remember that the catalogue is a bit iffy. For example, Martin Middlebrook has donated quite a lot of the interviews from his book research and they are often filed under his name rather than a unit.

Many thanks for that Bill. Very useful.

If this is his collection of the original 1 July interviews, recollections, etc then it will be a positive goldmine for anyone researching a unit on the day.

The collection used to be in the custody of a friend of his. Martin very kindly allowed me access to the 17th Manchester stuff some years back (and his friend sent me photocopies in return for a donation to the Star & Garter Home.

J

I think Bill's points 4 & 5 must have become confused on the days I've tried to copy material. I'm sure I was clear about what I was after (personal research), I think issues got confused.

Simon,

As at the IWM you have to sign a form concerning the uses of anything copied or photographed. It should only become an issue if you plan to then use the results in a book or article. My problem emerged about 9 months after my first book was published.

Bill

PS Yes, John, the Middlebrook material is as you say. Some excellent stuff.

Kate, will you be looking for Salonika material by any chance?

Predominately concert parties Charles, though top of my hit list is a man who produced shows in Salonika. If I have time there are a few Northampton references I'd like to inspect too.

In an ideal world I would discover a female impersonator who played the mandolin in a 26th Division pantomime at the Kalinova Gaiety.

Enough with the fantasies, already

Hi Kate,

To answer the important question, the best chippy in Leeds (IMHO) is in Harper Street which is a good mile or more from the university. This is over the road from the multi-story car park near the markets. There are bound to be plenty of places closer to the campus to cater for the students. From memory of when I used to work at the uni there is a pizza shop over the road which won awards for it's food.
You could always aim for Headingley in the opposite direction to the city centre. Lots of food pubs and chippies up that way too.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers,

Nigel

Its probably too late for this last visit, but next time, the best fish and chips in Leeds ( in my humble opinion) is Arkwrights Fish and Chip Parlour, at
No5 Johnston street. Its about a mile from the main enterance to the University but well worth the journey to sample these exellent examples of the Fish friers art.
Its a shame my daughter has just graduated and the regular trips to Leeds are a thing of the past, I used to look forward to my lunch out of paper......

regards
Tom

Following up a litte late - but just found this thread.

One of the first tank crews, Robert Tate, recorded his memories of his service: [TATE, R (Tapes 1677/444). Tank Corps; Early training; Flers, Sept 1916; Cambrai, Nov 1917; Gassing; Whippet Tanks.] which are

Does anyone know how to order a transciption

Stephen

Give them a ring Stephen.

I met mruk during my visit, and he was most helpful, and alerted me to the fact that you can buy copies of the interview tapes for £2; in addition to photocopies etc

I've not yet come across a tape at the Liddle Collection that has a transcription and it is not a service I think they offer. Also, the quality of some of the tapes is awful to be honest.

Kate, Alan - many thanks for the fast feedback - I will contact them tomorrow

S

Hello ,
When I went to research Liddles at Leeds I was able to order and purchase " A typed transcript of an interview recorded with Peter Liddle { March 1978 }.
I think it was more than £2-00 though, but it contained many pages .
Alan

Alan - thank you

S

Delta

As your interest is Tank Corps u might want to try the Lincoln Tank Group as I own a medal to Sgt Emans (previously discussed with u) and the Lincoln Tank Group met him and interviewed him and kindly sent me a tape of the interview. I presume they met quite a few other tankers who could be early ones as well.

Simon

Thanx Simon

Just to add;
Cassette tapes can be bought for £2. There's also a £5 invoice charge - unless you can pick them up in person and save on the admin. I can't testify to the quality of the tapes because I am fortunate to live on the doorstep and have easy access to the archives. I also think photocopying is 25p per sheet - or it was the last time I needed anything copying.
'Your man in Havana' Kate.
Chris.

Chris - many thanks - I have sent an email to Leeds - it was very promptly acknowledged and passed on to the special collections archivist.

I'll report back

S

I like visiting the Liddle Collection & have found the library to be very user-friendly.

To gain maximum benefit from a day visit it is vital to do a thorough computer search of the archives beforehand and know what you wish to see.

Be prepared to find interesting pieces of equipment in some of the boxes.

It is excellent that we have such a free facility available for our research.

Just an update - have now had several e-mails from the Liddle.

The records are of three interviews, with the questions being the same. Sadly there are no transcipt so I aim to transcribe all three and "compare and contrast". Could take some time but might include a nugget or two.

Cost per tape is £2 (no mention of admin fee yet).

Stephen

OH YES,
When I offered to send a copy of the transcripts, the Liddle said they would be happy to receive them

Dave Mruk suggests that there is a service fee, handling charges and VAT on top of the £2 for each tape. Anyone thinking of ordering a tape may wish to ask about additional charges before they order. :-)

Just for info - total invoice was £12.74 - being
6-00 for tapes
2.34 P&P
2.50 handling plus
1.90 VAT

Not as bad as I was expecting

Stephen

It's certainly a lot cheaper than travelling if you live outside Leeds!

Sure is!
And prompt friendly service too

Tapes turned up last week but I have not had the chance to listen to them - will let you know more when I do

S

First tape completed; the quality is not too bad - at first the voices sounded as through the tape was oeprating at three quarters speed but quality has improved since I have re-wound the same. Details I have picked up so far:

Robert Tate was the eldest of seven children; none others served in the Great War but his youngest brother served with the Tanks in WW2. The family home was in Sunderland. Robert volunteered to join Army in early 1916; his friends having all done so. Having some mechanical knowledge, he initially sought to join ASC as a motor car driver but the local Recruiting Staff stated they were looking for older applicants. He then travelled to Leeds to join the RFC but, as a single man, was not accepted as “RFC ground crew were considered as non-combatants!” –as a result only married men were accepted. On his way back to Sunderland, he bought a copy of the Motor Cyclist, saw an advertisement about the MMGS and applied to join. He travelled to Coventry where he undertook a series of test with about 70 others; only 27 passed and all were immediately sent by train to Bisley.

He undertook MG training (Vickers, Lewis and Hotchkiss) for two months before being posted to Thetford. Prior to posting he was issued with the leather tank helmet. On arrival the crews initially trained on Little Willie, then Mother then the service tanks (which he described as Marks 5s). Training included cross-country driving and night drives using compasses; this latter activity failed due to the inability of the inboard compasses to cope with the deflection of metals from other tanks. He was present at a number of demonstrations for dignitaries including Lloyd-George and drove King George V during one visit to Elveden over a particularly bumpy ground. He makes much of the need for secrecy and opwrational security.

He deployed to France, about four months after he joined the army (he must therefore have gone to Bisley in late Mar 1916). He trained at Yvrench before moving forward for the action on 15 September; he states that his wheels were blown off as he went into action.

He continued to serve with C Battalion and was at Cambrai where he saw his friend Harry Tiffin’s tank destroyed (C53?). He later drove Whippets and was injured by mustard gas in the last three weeks of the war. He was in hospital at the time of the Armistice.

More to follow!

Stephen

Would folk who know Leeds tend to agree with Bill's parking assessment (the Uni's website mentions an on-site car park)?

I'd planned to drive as it's only a quickish schlep down the motorway (and certainly quicker than mucking about with trains)

John

The visitors car park costs a fiver, however it fills up quick so get there by 10:00hrs if possible.

If you get there later it's still worth a try, at weekends and after 16:00hrs it's free.

Steve.

Thanks, Steve.

Sounds like a case of an early start, park there and search for the fry-up.

John

Don't worry there's plenty of nosheries, if you want a decent fry up try here, it's near the Faversham, which is a pub, so every student will be able to point you in the right direction!!!

Perish the thought that Pals might think I was only interested in feeding my face - but did you find one?

I find that a hard morning's research works up a right appetite.

Good research trip today.

Nice friendly chatty staff who go and get your stuff and bring it quickly (3 items at a time) and treat you like a real person not a nuisance.

I thought Manchester's traffic was bad but Leeds is a nightmare. Took ages both ways(including a crawl along the last 8 miles of the M62/621). Uni car park had quite a few spaces left at 9.40 but was filling up quickly. If driving, it seems to be the only car aprk around the immediate area.

Ponte Fractus's recc. for the fry-up was spot on (although the coffee was the vile tasteless milky stuff so beloved of the Brit caff). Bought a butty for lunch from the caff thingy in the Library.

I intend going fortnightly now I am retired. Some of you have mentioned tapes. Some I have listened to are not very good in sound quality. I have a new digital recorder which could record the stuff and enable you to shove it on to a CD. I will ask if I can do this. I wonder if the library (and others) have a plan to do this as the old casstte tape thingies must be coming to the end of their useful lives, and will need conserving.

Edwin

Arkwrights in Woodhouse Street is the only decent Fish and Chip shop near to the Uni, it's only 2 mins by car but just a bit too far to walk (unless you're feeling fit).

Mention to the gate staff that you need to nip out and they'll let you back in without having to pay again.

Steve.

Arkwrights Fish and Chips, Mmmmmm! makes me wish my daughter was still at Leeds Uni.

I'm going tomorrow to do some research (searched online and there's fifteen people that are definitely relevant, five others and plenty to keep me occupied for the rest of the day if I finish those!).

Is anyone going to be around, and are laptops allowed? I have a feeling i'll be doing a lot of typing so may as well do it straight onto the laptop rather than trying to translate my scrawls later on.

Cheers, Rob

Laptops and digital cameras were allowed when I went last summer.

Enjoy!

But they require you to fill in a form for each "file" you digi-photo (it may even have been one form per document). All to do with copyright issues, I think - on which they are quite keen (but not half as keen as IWM). In the end, I scribbled notes.

John