Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
An industrialist and chairman of Imperial Chemical Industries.
On the island
Eight records
Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines
I marched to the band of the Marines for many, many years. I have a great admiration for the marines, and I love brass bands.
I had quite a lot of difficulty choosing this, because I suppose like most people of the pre-war generation, I love jazz, and I greatly like jazz pianists. and he's one of the less well known ones, who I like very much.
it was the song when my wife and I were courting, and my wife and I courted during the war in all sorts of unlikely places like Tynemouth and Colombo.
I'd like to have a Russian song, because until I joined ICI I'd spent quite a bit of time living with Russians. and a lot of time working with Russians. And I like Russian music and I love choral music.
Symphony No. 1 in B-Flat MajorFavourite
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
He's a composer that I and my family greatly enjoy.
We always as a family play this at Christmas. I haven't heard it too often.
Practically all the records I've chosen are things which we as a family enjoy. We very much like Renaissance music.
is a song about one of my factories. How did that come about? I mean, ordinarily people don't write songs about factories. Well, that's what I told Eric, and I took him up to look at my factory, and to my great delight. He was moved to write the song, and I must say, I think the song says a lot of things that I feel very much.
In conversation
Presenter asks
3:17Do you remember those days [in India] very vividly?
I remember them in vignettes, I suppose, like most people remember their youth. And it was a life of, in some ways, ludicrous luxury. … I must confess I lived in a palace, and I do remember my fifth birthday. which was in a red marble palace where the state band came and played happy birthday to you out of tune
Presenter asks
4:18Was life tough though? I mean, how old were you when you enrolled [at Dartmouth]?
I arrived just before my thirteenth birthday, and indeed the decision to enter had to be made when I was ten. Looking back on it, the discipline was draconian, but I loved it. It had a sort of predictability to it. I was bullied very much at my prep school, and I hated my prep school. But darkness I felt secure and I loved the knife.
Presenter asks
5:19You got out of destroyers into submarines. Was that because of your unfortunate experiences?
Partly, yes. I I've always wanted to be where the action is, and I must say that submarines attracted me from that point of view. But also. I had a horror after those two experiences of being wounded in a ship. … One of the good things about a submarine was you either all went or nobody went.
The keepsakes
The luxury
I'd like to take my wife, but she'd be a practical use... So I'd like to take my donkey and trap... I guess I'll have to settle for the trap, then hope I can find a donkey.
Presenter asks
8:11Did you find any suspicion? Were you able to get on with them [the Russians] well as allies and comrades?
No, I think there was quite a bit of suspicion at the time. But I must say Russians individually are tremendously warm and nice people. And I have seen A couple of them many times since.
Presenter asks
9:23A young lieutenant commander, a very experienced sailor, you decided in your early thirties to quit the service?
Yes. … I decided to quit the service because my daughter got polio and I didn't feel that I could go on globetrotting. and I wanted to do something which I thought had social worth. and I wanted to do something which was secure. And so I decided I wanted to join heavy industry.
Presenter asks
24:53How long are you going to do this very demanding job [as chairman of ICI]?
Well, I have a five-year contract, and I have two more years to go. I don't think it is a job that people should go on doing too long. The job is essentially about change and about leading change. … And I think with the best will in the world people get A bit out of date and a bit tired.
“I've enjoyed life most when life slows down and when I feel close to nature, one of the reasons I miss the sea very much.”
“I think music is very important. I think living without music altogether is almost impossible.”
“the industrial base and industrial competitiveness was one of the most important things for our country. And I I come from a family that has always believed in service. And I need to do something that I feel is worthwhile.”
“I have reckoned, and stated publicly, that we need to make a thousand million pounds of profit a year to sustain the company in its present size. And that's actually arithmetically provable.”