Marconi Instruments - 1963 Diary and Notes.

I continued writing notes to myself on Management issues - for example around January 1963 I outlined the means for getting better value from product development. 63a00 .

Around the 8th February 1963 we moved at long last into our new house at 6 Manland Way, Harpenden. We had spent 5 months in very cramped and uncomfortable conditions in the rented bungalow at 37 Meadow Walk, made far worse in the last 5 weeks because of exceptionally severe winter conditions which had prevailed from Boxing Day 1962. Indeed the builders had not completed their work by the time we moved in - snow and ice covered the ground and the drive had had not been laid - it was quite some time after we moved in that this took place.

Not long after we moved into our new house, my next door neighbour and Brother at 4 Manland Way, Len Pinner, greatly perplexed me by strongly advocating that I should look at some 5-bedroom, 2-bathroom houses being built at Foxton, near Cambridge. It crossed my mind at the time that he was encouraging me to return to the Cambridge area but I had no idea why. In view of REB's and Mick Spooner's "next door neighbour" remarks I wondered if he was acting on behalf of someone else.

Conversely, Ray Burnett mystified me by saying that as it turned out it was fortunate that I had chosen to live in Harpenden for that gave me easy access to the M1 so that I would be able to make my journeys to the North very easily as well as South.

It seems that decisions were being taken about my career of which only hints, conflicting at that, could be given to me.

On one occasion Ray Burnett said I simply wasn't ambitious enough. I hadn't set my sights on £10,000 a year. Two or three weeks' later he said that in all his career he had never known anyone so determined as me to steal his job.

On 22nd March 1963 I received a Memorandum from E. Garthwaite saying that the Managing Director had approved a salary increase of £100 from 1st April. It was an agreeable send-off on a visit to the USA.

On 23rd March 1963 I left for New York to attend the East Coast Electronics Convention, RCA & Lumatron.

I paid a visit to an RCA plant near New York. The RCA people were quite open about what they were doing and I think it was on this occasion that I asked questions about the fields in which transistors would take over from thermionic valves and the time scales involved. When I got back to M.I. I wrote up what I had gleaned. REB circulated my report within the Group and I heard that he gained much kudos from it, particularly from English Electric Valve Company at Chelmsford.

The visit to the Lumatron plant near New York was to explore the possibility of obtaining a manufacturing and sales licence for their Sampling CRO. There were detailed discussions on licence possibilities which I wrote up and presented to a PPC meeting shortly after my return.

After I joined M.I. I met John Coales at the IEE from time to time. Then John Coales invited me to lunch with him at Sydney Sussex College, to expound some of the ideas I was putting forward in the IEE Afterwards my boss, R.E. Burnett, said that Mr. Coales had rendered a good report of me. J.F. Coales and R.E. Burnett were Governors of Hatfield College of Technology, which became Hatfield Polytechnic.

REB asked me if I would be his P.A. He said he had been P.A. to Neil Sutherland, M.D. of Marconi. I politely declined.

REB hinted on several occasions that the company would be mine in so many years' time, said A.G. Wray should be looking for another job and told me I should not be so concerned with detailed technical aspects. He wrote out new terms of reference which made it clear I was responsible to him, not the Chief Engineer. 63d00 .

It must have been around mid-1963 that I moved into a new building so that my office and conference room was part of the 'golden corridor', i.e. the row of offices occupied by the company's top managers. My new laboratory was directly opposite my office. The Engineering Department was housed in six sections on the floor above. I think I retained some rooms in the pre-fab building.

In mid-1963 I got to know quite a few people in Government departments and establishments, especially those concerned with measurement. Among those with whom I was in contact were Roly Friend, Don Woods and Paul Vigoureux of NPL. I was to come in frequent contact with these later.

It seems I was being tested for something. For example around this time I was asked to reply to a letter which had been received at E.E. House from a troublesome English Electric shareholder. I sent a reply in my usual diplomatic vein , which satisfied the shareholder. REB commented favourably on the way I had handled it.

Hints from REB of me being P.A. to the Group Chairman, election as FRS, joining Government committees, becoming known as distinguished engineer, getting knighted.

Just as the title of my post at the Cavendish Laboratory had, for University political reasons, borne no relation to the duties I was given so it was with my Chief of Advanced Development post at M.I. Clearly I had management functions, which I was carrying out even though they were not reflected in the title. Then there were the regular hints of high office and the testing which went with it. I might have responded to these if there had been progress at M.I. along the lines I thought desirable. In fact I was still up against the opposition of the Chief Engineer and my efforts were getting nowhere. As a result, by mid-1963 I had become disenchanted with M.I. and had begun to think about finding a job elsewhere.

A good friend from my Minehead days, Charles Bryant, turned up at M.I. one afternoon. He had travelled from Wales on his motor bike to ask me for a job. I gathered his practice as a solicitor had come to an end - I never found out why. I was so unsettled myself at M.I. that I was of no help to him.

In conversation with Dr. J.S. McPetrie, a Director of Racal with whom I came into regular contact at the IEE, he thought there might be a job at his Company. I followed this up and as a result received an offer from him of a Research post, which was almost identical to the one which, from the title, I already had. In early August 1963 I wrote Dr. McPetrie declining the Research post & expressing preference a post with recognised Management content. 63h06 . Some weeks later I received a response from Dr. McPetrie suggesting that I should get in touch with him if I changed my mind. 63i20 .

At some time I discovered that there was an Engineering Employers' agreement that confidential formal offers could only be made if the post was the same in level and scope to the one held by the applicant. If the post was at a higher level or was greater in scope only informal offers could be made. Before making a formal offer of the superior appointment the applicant's company had to be informed.

REB hinted at a Board appointment for me. He got a consultant to take my wife and I out to dinner the evening before or on the day of the Board meeting. I got impression (from REB) that Sutherland had turned me down.

It was at this point, on 19th September 1963 that there was a highly significant development at M.I. A Technical Committee was formed. Its purpose was to generate long-term policy and act as an advisory body or sounding board for research projects.

The first meeting of the M.I. Technical Committee took place on 19th September. It was one long wrangle between myself and E. Garthwaite. I felt REB could have controlled the meeting better.

The following day, 20th September, REB came into my office in a state of excitement, made several points in quick succession leaving me no time to respond and promptly walked out of the office. The 'meeting' was so extraordinary that I made a note of the points straight away, adding a query of my own. 63i20 .

We could hold another Technical Committee meeting in mid-November or early December.

Advanced Development would not expand as much as hoped. There had been horror about this on the Board. He (REB) had to find £50,000.

The effect of this on me was most unsettling. I had been looking out for another post; now I enquired more diligently.

It later became clear that the Technical Committee meeting on the 19th was the day before a Board meeting - perhaps Garthwaite was spiking my guns. REB's communication on the 20th must have been after he returned from the Board meeting, at which Prof. H.E.M. Barlow (who I knew very well in the IEE) was made a director. The proposed mid-Nov/early Dec Technical Committee probably tied in with another Board meeting.

In mid 1963 I produced some handwritten notes on CRO design, including shape. Then from September 1963 I circulated a series of Product Policy Notes. Nos. 1 to 5 were respectively on Large Screen Oscilloscopes, CRO classification, CROs for 1965/7 (essentially asking for more details on proposals) and CRO Development (examining development efforts in greater detail).

At some time REB asked me whether I would be prepared to come in one Saturday morning to explain my oscilloscope policy. He said the Chief Engineer would not be present. I agreed to do so but he did not implement his request. It may have been another test - to REB it no doubt meant one thing, to me it showed his inability to follow through.

After pondering on the events of 19th and 20th September I wrote on 30th September to Dr. J.S. McPetrie CB of Racal reviving the suggestion of a job at Racal. 63i30 . I got a reply dated 4th October apologising for not replying sooner (!) and saying:-

Could you come along to Bracknell at 1130 on 10th October. Mr. R.F. Brown, Chairman of Racal, would like to have a chat with you then.

On arrival at Racal on 10th October I was not taken to see the Chairman, Mr. R.F. Brown, but was instead received by a relatively junior manager on the electronics side of the Group (corresponding to Marconi Company), who showed me over the premises. At one point he asked me with a puzzling smirk if I would like to visit the finished goods store. Nothing lothe, I agreed and it was in that location that my guide pointed out the Chairman standing a little way away, talking to someone but throwing sidelong glances at me. No attempt was made to introduce us and I did not press the matter. After this incident I was taken to see the Managing Director and another Director of Racal's instrument company - the equivalent of M.I. in their Group. They treated me most cordially, made it clear that they regarded me as a key man in M.I. and that as such they would welcome a visit from me any time I wished. I realised straight away that there had been intervention in my confidential application to Racal but it was some while before I got the message of the evidently pre-arranged encounter with R.F. Brown - namely, Group Chairman in store! For ingenuity in indirect communication it took some beating. There was no offer of a job.

In view of a much later event I was interested to note that Item 2 of the IEE Council Bulletin of 10th October1963 conveyed the best wishes of the IEE to The Earl of Mount Edgcumbe, Past President, Hon. Member - and scientific instrument doyen - on the occasion of his 90th Birthday. In 1965 a Council Bulletin recorded that he had died on 10th February.

Meanwhile I had seen an advertisement by the London County Council (LCC) for the post of Director of Development Group, which had appeared on 1st October. The job of the Group was to develop apparatus for science teaching. The closing date for applications was 28th October. I applied for the post. 63j01 .

It was at this stage that G.S. Bosworth (E.E. Director of Personnel) appeared on the scene. I do not know if R.E. Burnett brought him in or G.S. Bosworth himself initiated his visit to me at M.I., perhaps after news of my job-hunting reached him. It may have been whoever arranged the 'message' at Racal.

George Bosworth asked if I would like a job at H.Q. I said I would and soon afterwards E.R.L. Lewis, E.E.'s Controller of Education asked me to see him about a University Liaison Officer post. At our meeting Bob Lewis surprised me by saying I had the amiable disposition but with a touch of steel that was needed for a post at the top. He said he would let me know about the post in a few days.

It was at this point that REB came to my office one morning, asked me to accompany him to his office and there told me he had sounded out the senior managers of M.I. and found they all liked me. He asked me to draw up an organisation chart with myself and Mick Spooner at a level immediately below him and the Commercial Manager (R. Chaffey) and the Deputy Chief Engineer (A.G. Wray) at a lower level. He expressed dissatisfaction with the Engineering Department. The Chief Engineer (E. Garthwaite), REB went on, would be relinquishing the post and becoming his consultant.

When I went to lunch that day I found I had been placed by Ray Burnett in his position on the table he normally occupied while he sat at the junior table. The underlining on the plan of the places at the table, which REB used to show seniority, was the reverse of the normal practice for although I was in the senior position it was Arthur Wray's position opposite which was underlined. Then, just after we sat down REB turned round and winked at me conspiratorially. A simplified version of the events of that day is depicted in the Table Game Case Study.

I straightaway drew up a chart as requested but recommended that for an interim period the Deputy Chief Engineer and myself should work on the same level and then I should step up. I told him that the fundamental problem was to put the engineering side right first, i.e. to improve technical competence of the Engineering Department and orientate engineers towards the market. I also recommended a special staff appointment for engaging good engineers. REB asked me to work out an arrangement with A.G. Wray, which I started by drawing up proposals for our respective functions. 63k05 .

In the first few days of November 1963 the LCC people phoned me at work about my application for the post of Director of Development Group. They seemed very keen to have me, disadvantages I pointed out were countered. I was in fact practically the only one to have written papers dealing with the rather specialised field with which the post was concerned. I decided to let my application stand.

[In view of my later career it is interesting to note that on 7th November 1963 I proposed the Toast to Hatfield College at the Dinner associated with a Measurements Symposium organised there by J.R. Thompson.

]

The next day I received a letter from E.R.L. Lewis offering me the job at H.Q. of University Liaison Officer. He referred to REB proposing a new job for me at M.I.

A day or two afterwards I received a letter from the Education Officer of the LCC inviting me to interview on 14th November.

Meanwhile, while my negotiations with Arthur Wray were proceeding, Ray Burnett invited me and my wife at short notice to attend the Annual Scientific Instrument Manufacturers' (SIMA) Convention at the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne on 13th & 14th November. I accepted.

I felt I should keep my options open so on 10th November I wrote to the LCC explaining my job uncertainties (referring to an offer of a HQ job or a new M.I. post) and asking if I could be interviewed on 13th or 18th to 20th November. I also gave V.E. Cosslett and Dr. G. Walker as my referees. 63k10 . The LCC replied by return that my position regarding an interview would be explained to the sub-committee handling the appointment. 63k11 . The next day V.E. Cosslett wrote saying that he would certainly support me regarding the LCC job and that he had just received a request for a reference from the LCC. 63k12 .

On 12th November I visited Professor James Greig at my alma mater, King's College London (KCL). He made me very welcome. Probably the invitation came from an encounter with him at an IEE function.

On 13th November 1963 my wife and I travelled to the Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, for the SIMA Convention. Sheila & I were very well looked after at Company expense, M.I. providing us with a sumptuous bedroom and paying for all meals.

The business part of the Convention on the 14th took place in the morning and afternoon. One of the speakers was Tom Margerison. Eric Eastwood visited during the day.

At the Convention Ball Ray Burnett, while dancing with my wife, said of my future with M.I., "He'll be allright at the company, he really will".

We returned from Eastbourne on the 15th to find a copy of a reference from V.E. Cosslett (missing) with slip saying he thought it would go through allright. However a letter (undated) from the LCC - said that the Sub-Committee had decided not to make special arrangements to interview on another date. In the event the invitation to the Conference at Eastbourne lost me the chance of the LCC job. 63k18 .

I continued to do my job at M.I. while negotiations with Arthur Wray were proceeding. Thus in the evenings of 19th and 20th November I was in attendance at walk-in recruitment evenings at English Electric House. One person who came along was a Dr. Colin Simister Gaskell. Ten days later he came to M.I. where I interviewed him for a job, which he declined. Years later he became Managing Director of M.I. in succession to Ray Burnett and his successor, Richard Foxwell!

On 21st November I took a day's leave to consider my options. I jotted down a few job possibilities. I noted, for example, that if I wanted to be Chief Executive I should "Take life less seriously - be more adaptable - friendly to engineers". 63k21 . The next day agreement was reached with Ray Burnett about the Research Manager job and with Arthur Wray about our respective functions. The immediate outcome of the negotiations was that Arthur Wray would be Engineering Manager and I would be Research Manager, both with defined duties and both members of top management committees. I was to look after advanced development and basic design (instrument concept) side and Wray most of the activity as it then existed of the Development Department.

Having arrived at a basis of agreement with Wray and REB I decided that trust was necessary and did not insist on a formal and detailed setting out of our respective duties. I wrote to E.R.L. Lewis explaining that R.E. Burnett had cleared away some of the difficulties which had led to my applying for the University Liaison Officer job at H.Q. and declining "with misgivings" his offer.

He replied expressing his disappointment, adding that it was probably more sensible to stay at M.I. "for the present".

It was around this time that I learned that E. Garthwaite was being proposed by Sir Gordon Radley for full membership of the IEE. I have no doubt that R.E. Burnett had arranged this development as part of a package by which E.G. in effect relinquished the post of Chief Engineer though, much to my surprise he kept the title. I did not consider him suitable for election to corporate membership of the IEE and I wondered whether I should make my views known in the statutory one month for voicing objections after a list is published of those proposed for Member and Associate Member grade. I decided against taking action, largely because I did not want to offend Sir Gordon Radley.

Since negotiations between Wray and myself had begun, it became known that the Commercial Manager, Ramsey Chaffey, was leaving to join STC. On request I gave advice on what kind of person and functions were needed in the Commercial Manager position, and had made it clear that I was not myself interested.. I thought the message had 'got across'. However . . . .

In the late afternoon of Friday 29th November 1963, R.E. Burnett wandered into my office and chatted me up about the importance of marketing, the 'perks' of being on the commercial side etc. I had little doubt that he was hinting that I should take the soon to be vacant post of Commercial Manager.

On Friday 6th December, late in the afternoon, R.E. Burnett for the second time came into my office and talked about marketing, sales, commercial policy, travel, etc. At one point he criticised Ramsey Chaffey's departure saying it was ungrateful of him considering all the investment M.I. had made in his travel etc. This time I was no doubt that he was hinting that I should become Commercial Manager. I commented on the points he made in a detached manner. Friday afternoons were presumably chosen so that the hints would sink in over the weekend.

In the late afternoon of December 13th, i.e. for the third Friday afternoon in succession, R.E. Burnett came into my office and talked about marketing, sales, commercial policy, travel, etc. This time I said I could see what he was hinting at but we had just come to an agreement which reflected my view that the engineering side needed closest attention and I could not give it the attention needed as Commercial Manager in the sense already established. If a sales manager were to be appointed to take off the selling side it might be possible to combine the strategic aspects of the Commercial Manager's job with that of Research Manager. R.E. Burnett was not interested in this arrangement and I decided to disregard all hints and make the agreement reached with him and A.G. Wray work.

Around this time I heard of what proved to be a highly significant Feasibility Study project - MATE (Multi-system Automatic Test Equipment). This arose out of a General Staff target for a comprehensive test facility to be carried on a jeep to diagnose any fault in every type of Army electronic and electrical equipment. Four parallel Feasibility Study contracts were to be awarded by the Ministry of Aviation and to this end there was much 'Paul Jones' type activity by companies, leading to the formation of about ten teams or consortia to put in bids.

Just before Christmas 1963 one or more of my children attended the Marconi Instruments Childrens' Party, no doubt enjoying the antics of Smartie Artie the Clown. Then, basking in our new appointments, the M.I. Christmas Luncheon on 18th December was particularly enjoyable.

There was however a physically uncomfortable end to the year when I went into St. Albans City Hospital for a hernia operation, carried out by Reginald Murley under a private insurance scheme. A Best Wishes for a speedy recovery card was received from Research Department staff. 63l29~ . (Later a hernia on the other side was repaired in the same hospital under the NHS by his Registrar. Later still I chaired an SHO Appointment Committee at the hospital of which Sir Reginald, by then President of the Royal College of Surgeons, was a vociferous member).