Ike talks about his family and his B & B in Ullapool. We hear how grateful he is to May Wiles and learn what happened to his parents who were in hiding in Belgium INT: Right, so you had already had your family? IG: I had two children and I always joke with people they … Read more
Ike becomes an academic in bacterial and viral genetics and his eventual early retirement to Ullapool IG: Then I came out and for a little while had no job and then…. INT: How old were you at this time? IG: I must have been 20/21. INT: Yeah. IG: And then I finally got a job … Read more
Ike relates his experiences as a King’s Scout and taking part in the Coronation celebrations. He describes his life during National Service. IG: I can remember the huge celebrations in the Main Street in St. Ives but beyond that nothing really. And then May absolutely wanted me to go on to the 6th Form and … Read more
Ike helps the war effort by raising pigs. INT: So you were telling me earlier about life during the war, about how May gave you a job? IG: Oh yeah with the pigs, the three pigs that we had in the sty across in the allotments. And that’s where she met Ted Gibson who used … Read more
Ike recounts his journey from Germany as a Kinder. He describes his difficult arrival in England INT: So what happened, when Kristallnacht happened… IG: Yeah. INT: Life changed. IG: Yeah. INT: Can you remember any of that? IG: Not really. I was kept, sort of ticking over. INT: Yeah. IG: So I don’t really remember. … Read more
Ike tells us about his early life and his family INT: So the first thing we ask you is what was your name at birth? IG: Izak Goldberger. INT: OK. IG Spelled with a ‘z’ and an ‘ak’ INT: Oh, OK. And when was that? IG: 1934 INT: Where? IG: In Hamburg. INT: In Hamburg, … Read more
Henry tells of his love for skiing and his commitment to helping disabled people learn to ski. He feels completely at home in Glasgow and is very satisfied with his life there. INT: Yeah, such is life. Henry can I ask you about something you haven’t mentioned but I know is the love of your … Read more
In this section Henry explains how he trained as a chef and finally set up a successful catering business. He talks of the political, musical and other interests pursued by the Jewish refugee community in Glasgow. He describes how orthodox religious rules in Glasgow caused him some problems as a caterer. INT: Yes. So when … Read more
Henry describes how the Kindertransport system enabled him to leave Germany and come to Britain. He was initially looked after by relatives of his mother who lived in Glasgow. These relatives and other Jewish families helped him to settle in. I came to Glasgow on Kindertransport. My mother asked the committee [who] found a place … Read more
In this section Henry describes his life when he reached Britain as a Kindertransport refugee. His first placement when the war broke out was in a farm in Perthshire but fairly soon he found himself being treated as an enemy alien and was interned in various places, eventually on the Isle of Man. H.W: Now, … Read more