GORDON, Martin Laing
Economic Development of Singapore,
Accession Number 002384
- The British Library Sound Archive
Source
- 21
Total Reels
- Louise Brodie (British Library Sound Archive)
Interviewer
- 10:18:08
Total Running Time
- English
Language
Copyright Notice
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Reel/Disc 1 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:15
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Born in London in 1938. Chinese, Scottish and English roots. His grandparents. Divorces were considered disgraceful in the early 20th century. Two divorces within his family, and the consequences. Age his ancestors died. Father studied in Oxford and worked as a statistician and economist. Interviewee's siblings. Family was evacuated from London during Second World War (WW II). Father was involved in rationing during the war. Memories of the war. Holidays outside London. Events in central London at the end of the war. Searchlights during the war.
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Reel/Disc 2 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:30
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Family moved to Brussels in September 1945. Black market activities. Continued visiting Belgium during his school holidays. Brought up with international mindset. Religious outlook of his family. Supported the church despite being an atheist. Interests of his brother. Learning classics at Harrow. Advantage of liberal education. School years at Harrow. Learning good handwriting. What students did in their spare time. Parents stayed in Belgium for 32 years. Father worked as a journalist until his death. Social life as a teenager. Final impressions of studying at Harrow.
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Reel/Disc 3 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:30:16
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Studied at Oxford University on a scholarship. Impressions of lectures and tutors. Rhodes scholars at Oxford. Recollections of his National Service in the United Kingdom between 1957 and 1959. Class consciousness during National Service. Training and discipline. Accounts of various postings in National Service. Could not tolerate those waiting to be demobilised from National Service.
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Reel/Disc 4 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:29
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
First impression of the furniture at S. G. Warburg. Attempts to purchase paintings after appointment as Deputy Head of the International Department. Failure of his proposal on breakfast meetings in the mid-1970s. Reasons for joining S. G. Warburg. First posting to Investment Department. Anecdotes concerning Charles Sharp and Henry Grunfeld. Poaching of employees from rival firms. Relationship between Sigmund Warburg and Deutsche Bank. Problems with Latin American finances. Recalled Sigmund Warburg's hatred for dictatorships and apartheid.
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Reel/Disc 5 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Impressions of Sigmund Warburg. Rotated among different departments at S. G. Warburg. Recollection of his first year at work. Structure of the bank. Colleagues in the Syndicate Room. Anecdotes concerning the accountant Frank Smith. Working long hours in the bank. Office memorandums. Continuity of staff at S. G. Warburg. Impression of the three "uncles" - elderly management - of S. G. Warburg: Sigmund Warburg, Henry Grunfeld and Eric Korner.
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Reel/Disc 6 of 21
Metadata
- 8 Aug 1996
Recording Date
- 00:26:14
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Impression of the three "uncles" - elderly management - of S. G. Warburg: Sigmund Warburg, Henry Grunfeld and Eric Korner. Bank's invitation into American equity deals. Involvement in Austria and Japan. Working with elderly gentlemen at S. G. Warburg. Outlook of the bank.
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Reel/Disc 7 of 21
Metadata
- 18 Sep 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:17
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Impressions of the Warburg family. Hermann Abs of the Deutsche Bank (DB) and his relationship with Sigmund Warburg. First Eurobond issue candidate was European Coal and Steel Community. First borrower was Italian Autostrade. Anecdote of a young officer sent to DB for training. Aggressive policy of DB to poach staff from other banks. Jiro Shirasu and the Japanese connection with S. G. Warburg. Japanese attitude towards staff of S. G. Warburg.
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Reel/Disc 8 of 21
Metadata
- 18 Sep 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:25
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Involvement in Japan through Toray Industries. Keisuke Egashira and Nomura Securities. Impressions of Japan when he visited there in 1972. Takagaki and the founding of Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi. Doing business in Japan. Importance of personal meetings in Japan. Dealings with Eddie George and the Bank of England. Expansion of S. G. Warburg in the Far East. Importance of relationships to Sigmund Warburg. Relationship of S. G. Warburg with Toray Industries and other Japanese firms. Building relationships with the Japanese.
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Reel/Disc 9 of 21
Metadata
- 18 Sep 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:20
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Japanese business mentality. Business proteges of Jiro Shirasu. Shirasu's wife. Why it was difficult to understand Japan. Responsibility of S. G. Warburg in Eurobond Market. Worked under Raymond Bonham-Carter on L. M. Ericsson Eurobond issue. Met representatives from Stockholms Enskildabank and Svenska Handelsbanken. Impressions of Marcus Wallenberg. Effects of Investors Overseas Services scandal on Rothschild Paris, Smith Barney and Drexel.
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Reel/Disc 10 of 21
Metadata
- 18 Sep 1996
Recording Date
- 00:31:32
Running Time
- MP3
Format
- Citation/reproduction requires written permission from interviewee
Conditions Governing Access
Synopsis
Business transactions in Eurobond Market. Impressions of his role as an executive in the transactions. Relationship between S. G. Warburg and Luhn Loeb. Business relationships with the Japanese. Joint opening of Euroyen Market between S. G. Warburg and Daiwa Securities. Effects after the joint opening of the Euroyen Market. Issue for Sumitomo Finance International. Dealing with the World Bank. Corporate issues with Nomura, Nikko, Vamaichi and Daiwa.
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