File 64 - Penelope Phillips

1 minidisc, 2 cds, 1 file, 8 AIFF files (839.4 MB)

Interview with Penelope Phillips, assistant to the literary editor for the Observer. Conducted by Stephen Pritchard on 7 February 2002. Also includes a data sheet containing biographical details about the subject and information about the recording.

Disc 1:
Tracks 1-3
Test

Track 4
00.08 Worked on Observer Books desk from 1965
00.28 Had previously worked for the Times
00.42 Remembers interview
01.10 Discussion of working with Terry Kilmartin
02.30 Smoking at the Observer
02.38 Working at Tudor Street
03.06 Myth that one office in Tudor Street had a bath
03.15 Discussion of Charles Davey
03.55 Office moved to Queen Victoria Street
04.20 Parking at the office
04.30 Discussion of childhood
04.40 What it was like to work at the Observer in the 1960s
04.55 David Astor and his success at the Observer
05.18 Discussion of Kilmartin, David Astor and their wartime service
05.52 Disagreement between Kilmartin and Astor
07.50 Kilmartin and his approach to publishers
08.40 Kilmartin's team of reviewers including Malcolm Muggeridge
09.05 Muggeridge's help when she got married
09.53 Muggeridge's coverage of the Kim Philby affair

11.00 Discussion of the 1960s
11.45 Drinking at the Observer
12.45 Discusses Muggeridge's book on God
13.25 Discusses her educational background
14.20 Philip Toynbee's dislike of literary circles
14.40 Discussion of memorable colleagues including Clifford Makins and Hugh McIlvanney
15.20 Printing during this period
15.35 Remembers the political editor Nora Beloff and John Silverlight
17.40 Remained at the Observer until 1969
18.50 Death of Kilmartin
19.20 Remembers Kenneth Obank and his friendship with Kilmartin
19.50 Remembers Maurice Richardson and his coverage of the Moors murders

21.10 *
21.50 Remembers John Gale and his suicide
22.58 Social events at the Observer
23.30 Discusses Kilmartin's early life
25.00 Literary criticism today
25.55 How the Observer was seen in the 1960s
26.15 The effect of the Observer on her political beliefs
26.45 The effect on the newspaper when moved
27.28 Death of Francis Hope
27.40 Remembers Mary Holland's early career
28.00 Remembers Willi Guttmann who joined during the early years of Astor

31.20 Left work when had first child
31.40 Worked part time as an English teacher
32.40 The legacy of the Observer
34.00 Remembers working and socialising with Kilmartin
35.25 *
35.50 Remembers colleagues including Naomi Lewis and Stevie Smith

Restricted - Access to edited version via GNM Digital Repository

Copyright: Guardian News & Media Ltd and Penelope Phillips