Interview with John Course, northern editor for the Guardian. Conducted by Leslie Plommer on 17 March 1998. Also includes a data sheet containing biographical details about the subject and information about the recording.
Summary contents of interview (with rough timings):
Disc 1:
Track 1
00.45 Outlines the various jobs he has held at the Guardian
03.10 Changing role of northern editor, largely due to change in geographical focus of the paper
04.20 Talks about the 'Guardian misprints legend'
06.00 Division of labour between London and Manchester, and how the production and printing processes worked
09.45 Joe Minogue as foreign editor and as northern night editor
11.00 Stress of being northern night editor
12.40 Discussion about arts notices
17.30 Further discussion about the amalgamation of paper
18.25 Editor moved to London in 1960s
19.20 Role of adverts in forcing the move and the significant increase in ad. revenue
20.00 Changing role of 'the north' in national affairs
21.33 Definition of a 'flong'
23.00 Anecdote about 'mats' stuck on a train between Manchester and London
25.30 The winding down of the features operation in Manchester, and its move to London
28.20 Copy came up from London in parcels via trains. Mats sent down in the mornings.
31.30 Editing a grassroots page 'what's not happening in London'
33.00 How the staff felt as operations moved to London
34.45 Working with Mary Stott
35.40 First to employ a woman (apart from Stott) in Manchester
39.00 Further discussions about Mary Stott
43.20 Discusses Brian Redhead.
48.00 Features department going to the pub every night
50.30 No doubt that there were frequent office rows but doesn't remember it being too bad
51.00 Psychological reasons for the paper moving gradually and the circulation-related reasons
52.55 Feelings of superiority of those in Manchester compared to the way things were done in London