Pete Miller e-mailed the webmaster in September 2005, and is keen to hear from anyone who knew him at QEC :

Hi,

I'm Pete Miller and I was at QEC from 1980 to 1982, studying Biochemistry (at the time, we referred to it as a joint honours course in Beer and Pinball).  I was a research assistant at Leicester University 1982 to 1984 and at Warwick 1984 to 1987.  I realised, far too late, that I really wasn't cut out to be a research scientist (too many really clever people about!), so I eventually joined the Inland Revenue in 1988 and stayed nearly 10 years.  I rose to the dizzy heights of Grade 7 with various Somerset House posts before I left in late 1997 to join the private sector.  I am now a Tax Director with Ernst & Young, specialising in advising on corporate tax issues.

I have barely been back to Campden Hill since I graduated, and I haven't really kept in touch with anyone, either.  I have had sporadic contact with a couple of folk through Friends Reunited.  Ian Bottomley ("Botz", 1979-1982) is now living in Spain running a hotel/guest house.  We used to do practical classes together - great fun but nothing ever really worked correctly.  No one who knew us would ever wonder why!!

I have just had an email from Hermia Figueiredo, also 1979-1982 Biochemistry.   I'd love to know what has happened to Dave Ball ("Squaddie Dave") and Lesley Beavan, who married Dave?  I have just found some photos from their wedding in an old box at home.  And where are Martin Lewis, David Bentley, Mark Littleton, Chris Wale (President of the Union 1981-ish), Denise - my flat mate for a year, Hairy Pete, Mark Bede and Andy Cakebread, who was a college technician and who introduced me to Isle of Jura, the best whisky in the world.

Also, where are some of the staff I remember: Susan Malcolm, Brian Winchester, Norman (?) Dance?  Some of them may have retired by now, I guess.

I now live in Leicester with my second wife, Tracey.  No children, unfortunately, but shedloads of nieces and nephews!!

I look forward to future newsletters, etc. and I shall check out the site regularly.

If you want to contact Pete just send an e-mail to the webmaster and I’ll forward it.

Clive Troubman contacted us in May 2005, saying that ‘has a horrible suspicion’ that he recognizes himself in the SU Committee meeting photo. That’s him with the beard leaning forward. Clive also admits to being the person who bought ‘that parrot’.

Eric Chantler e-mailed the webmaster on 28 April 2005 to confirm that it is indeed he on the right of the picture of the Wrabness field trip. He also identified Richard Cansdale in the picture. Eric is now Senior Lecturer in Biochemistry at St. Mary’s Hospital, University of Manchester.

Jennifer Anderson (nee Austin) contacted us in April 2005 from her home in Australia. Jennifer worked in the library from 1977 - ‘79. I’m sure she won’t mind us repeating her e-mail to us here:

“My name is Jennifer Anderson (nee Austin). I worked in the Library at QEC 1977-1979. I recently returned to London for the first time in 19 years and went to visit my old place of employ. Sad to see it no longer a University but at least it is still standing. I would love to become a part of your association (of course she can, as it is for all former students and staff of QEC - Ed.). I live in Australia again now, the home of my birth and currently work for the Federal Minister for Education, Science and Training, the Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson. After I left QEC and returned home I worked at the University of NSW for nine years before stopping to have four children.

Whilst at UNSW I met Prof Garlick, who had also worked at QEC for some time. I understand he passed away suddenly a few years ago. I have kept in touch with several of the girls I worked with at QEC who are English and so remain in the UK. Our boss at QEC was Dr Ray Lester, the Chief Librarian, who retired a year or so ago from the Museum of Natural History. I think he was at the London School of Economics straight after moving from QEC. I fondly remember many of the students. I returned for a short visit in 1985 and found the place no longer QEC but Kings College (I think). One of the postgraduate students from the 70s happened to be in the Library the day I visited-about to complete his PhD-think he was from Mauritius. It was lovely to see a student I recognised. I don't get to London very often but plan a trip at Christmas 2005 to show my four children the sights of London. Best wishes in keeping the spirit of QEC alive.”

Colin Love, 1973 -’76, found his picture on this web site in April 2005  whilst checking out some of his own web sites. He is still into acting, currently rehearsing for his 83rd and 84th stage plays. Colin, after a varied career, is now working for a clinical chemical diagnostics company.

David Cook, 1965 - ‘68, found this web site after registering on FriendsReunited in March 2005.

Rod Webb registered on FriendsReunited in February and received a ‘welcome’ e-mail from the Association. This prompted him to go and look at the QEC website, and lo and behold he found a picture of himself. Rod is now a Professor in the Department of Biology at York University in Toronto, Canada.

Joe O'Sullivan, Ph.D 1970 e-mailed the webmaster in May 2005 :

I have been reading the King's newsletter In Touch for years now and wondered about the great absence of QEC from its pages.  I complained about it to someone at In Touch and she directed me to Ann Wood and to the QEC website.  Glad to have found you.  I graduated in 1970 (Ph.D Microbiology) and my wife Christine (Leybourne) in 1968,  B.Sc Microbiology and with a Ph.D 1971.  We have lived in Switzerland, Oxford and Princeton since leaving QEC.  And we have lost touch with QEC and forgotten most of the names but I expect your website to jog our memories.  What's happened to Pirt, Trinci, Matheson, Bainbridge?  Who was the Scot in Botany called Ian?  and the blonde Irish gal in Chemistry/Microbiology, Maeve?  Where are Sue and Tina and John Harwood? and many more?

Best wishes
Joe O'Sullivan 1970

(Webmaster’s note - Ann Wood sent a long reply to Jo as of course Ann is also part of the Microbology set, and for you Microbiologists out there who want to walk down memory lane of the 1970’s and 1980’s we include Ann’s reply here. Jo did come to the 2006 reunion and there are pictures of him and his wife on the Kensington Walk.

Anne Mack, nee Westbrook, Household and Social Sciences 1959; is now retired but active in the community as a school governor, and on the council of St. Ann’s Hospice.

Neville Marsh, Physiology and Zoology, 1965; Neville wrote the definitive history of the College. He recently told us “As Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research), I am now a full-time administrator responsible for all research at the University of Adelaide. I recently met up with John Rickard (Mthematics, 1966), Vice-Chancellor at Central Queensland University, who was Student President at QEC 1965-66”

Joyce Mellors, nee Leckenby, Nursing Studies 1972, was one of the 20 nurses who did the ‘sistor tutor diploma’. She has been enjoying retirement since 1994, when nursing and midwifery education moved from the NHS and into the university.

Mark Bickerton, Mathematics and Management, 1983, is now Director of Student Recruitment at London Metropolitan University, which he really enjoys. During the last 15 years he’s been a lecturer in maths, Head of Management, Assistant Dean of Business and Director of the International Office. He travels a lot but still lives in Brixton.

Marie-France Weiner, nee Rheims, Biochemistry 1984; tells us “I am married and a full-time mother of three children aged 15, 14 and 11. I am working part-time on medical legal work for a spinal injuries consultant and teaching French to adults.

QEC cures bad breath!

Our chair, Ann Wood, has been in the news recently following a paper by her and her colleagues on the causes of bad breath.

According to Kings College, “Researchers have isolated bacteria which can grow on and ‘mop up’ smelly compounds in the mouth that are linked to bad breath. These smelly, highly reactive ‘one-carbon’ compounds are naturally produced from the breakdown of sulphur-containing amino acids in the mouth.”

All this has of course forced Ann to become a media star, with appearances on, or interviews by, Radio Wales, Radio 5 and Radio Hereford and Worcester. Ann was also interviewed by a journalist for Science News in Washington. She has also been interviewed for a piece to appear on Radio 4’s The Material Word, due to go out on Thu 04 Aug 2005.

There have been articles in The Washington Times, on the BBC web site, and of course on the Kings web site.

Professor Nancy Rothwell (Professor of Physiology at Manchester University; former student at QEC in Physiology 1973-79) gave the Fison Memorial Lecture at KCL on 05 October 2005. She spoke on 'Science and Arts: the great divide or common themes?'

A fascinating article about Nancy appeared in the Autumn edition of the Kings Alumni magazine, InTouch. We have scanned the article and you can see a copy by clicking here; it is a biggish .JPG file at just under 500kb

This page last updated 25 February 2007