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LIST OF INTERVIEWEES
(in alphabetical order)
Kenneth Agnew: Responsible for designing the RCA prototype King's
Fund Bed. Recruited to work on the Hospital Equipment Project in 1961,
after graduating from the Department of Design Research(Engineering) at
the RCA. Previously qualified as an architect. Became a central figure in
the King's Fund Bed Project and many subsequent projects in the
Department. Left to become Professor of Design at the University of Ulster
in 1978. Retired 1998.
Interviews: 6.8.98, 22.6.00, 9.8.00.
L Bruce Archer: Leader of a research unit originally established in the
Department of Industrial Design(Engineering) at the RCA in 1961 to work
on hospital equipment, including the King's Fund Bed. Qualified in
mechanical engineering and engineering design after the war and worked
in production engineering. Guest lecturer, Hochschule fur Gestaltung, Ulm,
1 960-61 . Made a professor at the RCA when an independent Department
of Design Research was created in 1972, self-funded by outside contracts.
The Department was disbanded in 1986 following reorganisations at the
RCA. Archer retired from the College in 1988. He was a member of the
Design Council fromi 972-80. A leading figure in the Design Methods
movement from the 1960's onwards, he remains heavily involved with
design methodology and its offshoot, computer aided design.
Interviews: 14.5.98, 10.5.99, 9.5.00.
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Lawrence Brandes: Personal Private Secretary to Enoch Powell, Minister
of Health, from1 959-62. Then Assistant Secretary and Undersecretary,
Ministry of Health until 1976.
Interviews: 16.4.98, 2.10.00
Kenneth Crisp: Engineering designer for Evered and Co., Birmingham,
designed their version of the King's Fund Bed circa 1 970. Joined the
Company after leaving the army. Now runs own business making hospital
beds and other equipment in Walsall.
Interview: 20.7.00
Kenneth Dobbie: Electrical Safety Engineer at the Ministry of Health and
DHSS, 1963 -1976. The post, created in 1950, was abolished on Debbie's
retirement in 1976.
Interview: 6.6.00
Mary Larret: Matron, Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield, 1964-71, at the time of
the King's Fund Bed trials there. Formerly at St George's Hospital, London.
Interview: 10.5.99
Shirley Locltett: Sister in charge, Wellington Ward, Chase Farm Hospital,
Enfield, at the time of the trials of the King's Fund Bed.
Interview: 10.5.99
Doreen Norton: State Registered Nurse co-opted onto RCA Hospital
Equipment and King's Fund Bed projects, 1961-1963. Co-author of /An
Investigation into Geriatric Nursing Problems in Hospital m\\\ the
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geriatrician, A.N.Exton-Smith, in 1962. Well known to the Royal College of
Nursing and a member of 'the proppers', an informal group of senior
nurses interested in nursing research who met in the 1960's at the King's
Fund. (So-called because they were improving nursing the 'proper' way,
and also supporting each other.) Left RCA team to work for the National
Corporation for the Care of Old People in 1963.
Interview (telephone): 22.4.99.
Gillian Patterson: Originally employed as Archer's secretary at the RCA in
1961. Became Information Research Officer on the King's Fund Bed
Project and subsequently ran many projects in Archer's unit when they
inclined more to information handling than design. Became an expert on
'user specifications' and a Research Fellow in the Department of Design
Research. Retired 1988.
Interviews: 29.1.98, 14.9.98, 29.4.99
Irfon Roberts: Secretary to the King's Fund Working Party on Hospital
Beds, 1963-7. Joined the King's Fund Bursar scheme to train in hospital
administration after the war. Secretary, Westminster Children's Hospital,
then at the King's Fund central offices from 1 961 . Became an Assistant
Director of the King's Fund Hospital Centre. Retired 1981.
Interview: 27.7.98
Peter Siddall: Family member and junior manager at Siddall and Hilton
Ltd., long-established hospital bed makers in Halifax, when they produced
their King's Fund Bed in the early 1970's. Chairman from 1992.
Interview(telephone): 19.6.00
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Toby Weston: Director of J.Nesbit-Evans and Co. Ltd. largely responsible
forgetting the King's Fund Bed into production in 1967. A career naval
officer, he entered commerce after retiring from the Royal Navy aged 39.
Interview: 25.11.98.
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