INT: Good. When did you arrive here in Scotland and how old were you when you came? JSS: Well, first of all I did not arrive initially in Scotland but in England on the Kindertransport. I had been working for quite some time in agriculture as a farm labourer or farm pupil, whatever you like. … Read more
JSS: I ran away from that farm, I didn’t tell you this before. INT: Ah so you came over to stay with the…? BSS: Peskins JSS: Peskins INT: The Peskins… JSS: Until about May INT: So only for a very, very short time. JSS: A very short time. INT: And then what happened? JSS: I … Read more
John Herbert Subak-Sharpe (1924- ) was Professor of Virology and Honorary Director of the Medical Research Council Virology Unit from 1968 to 1994. Born in Vienna, Subak-Sharp was brought to Britain by the Kindertransport mission in 1939 and was a farm pupil from 1939 to 1944, before serving in the Parachute Regiment. He graduated with … Read more
Joe talks about his feelings about identity – Jewish, Polish and Scottish. He discusses family and, finally, his enthusiasm for the Citroen 2CV. INT: Of course. I wondered…you were obviously separated from the Jewish world very early on. J.C: Yes. INT: Did you ever come back towards it? J.C: Yes I did when my father … Read more
Joe tells the interviewer what he discovered about the rest of his parents’ family. He mentions continuing anti-Semitism in Europe. Then he describes his last, and favourite, career change. J.C: [Joe is asked about the fate of the rest of his family]. …because I found letters. I’ve got a lot of letters that I’m going … Read more
Joe talks about his early life in Scotland and his mother’s desire ‘to blend in’. He also describes his education and varied career. INT: You wouldn’t have had any contact with other Jewish families would you? J.C: No, not much. No, no. INT: I see that’s very interesting. And then what happened? You were educated … Read more
Joe talks about his father’s military career. He explains why a chance encounter brought him and his mother to Scotland. INT: So how was it you came here to Scotland? What happened? J.C: My father had been in the military cadets which was part of university life in Warsaw during the 1921 attacks by the … Read more
Joe speaks about his parents and discusses the problems his father had in the 1920s because he was Jewish in Poland. Read the Transcript INT: Today is the 15th of August [2012] and I’m here with Angela to interview Joe. I’ll begin Joe by asking you when and where you were born and what was … Read more
Isi talks about taking architecture students to Berlin and the importance of differing housing design. He is proud of the body of work done by firm of architects here in Glasgow. He reflects on the enigma of what may cause anti-semitism. Read the Transcript IM: If you go to Berlin (which I do, which I … Read more
This section describes how Isi Metzstein chose to train as an architect and it goes on to give details of his architectural work and his teaching commitments. Isi talks of his pride in being Jewish but the importance of his secular oulook. He has never been thoroughly involved with Glasgow’s Jewish community. Read the Transcript … Read more