Interview with Edmund Potter

This material is held atNational Co-operative Archive

Scope and Content

Interview covers 1960s-2018

[00:00:05] Edmund Potter outlines the background to setting up Delta-T devices. Focuses on the environment of the late 1960s and his role in a small scientific instrument making businesses. Outlines his involvement in the communes' movement and how Delta-T was set up in old barns in the commune [Parsonage Farm]. [00:07:31] Discusses the next stage in development of Delta-T in the early 1970s. Talks about visiting university departments in order to get requests for devices to be made. Mentions communication with Victor J Keating [Keating Pulse Monitor] in which the latter suggested developing a skin temperature meter. Mentions issues faced in gaining planning permission for the barns. [00:12:00] Outlines the reasoning for the name Delta-T. [00:13:05] Talks about increasing interest from medical professionals in the skin temperature meter. Discusses bringing the first partner into Delta-T. Outlines in more detail the communal living at Parsonage Farm. Mentions further people joining Delta-T. Talks about contact from Professor John Monteith at Nottingham University and resulting business agreement between Nottingham University and Delta-T to manufacture instruments for measuring a plant growing environment, including porometers and solarimeters. [00:27:59] Talks about the focus of Delta-T on environmental physics instruments [00:31:04] Talks about the structure of Delta-T in 1975. [00:39:10] Discusses the influence of DEMINTRY and ICOM, and Delta-T's structuring as an Industrial and Provident Society. Mentions equal pay and Delta-T's becoming a workers' co-operative by 1982. [00:52:23] Talks about the development of Delta-T in the 1980s-1990, in particular focuses on how growth affected the structure of the workers' co-operative. [00:58:14] Discusses how Delta-T was able to survive recession in the late 1980s, early 1990s. Talks about Delta-T's relationship with Co-operatives UK. Discusses the development of his individual role within Delta-T over the last 10 years.

Administrative / Biographical History

Edmund was a founder member of Delta-T Devices and has worked within the workers' co-operative from the 1970s to the present day.

(Interviewer) Philippa Lewis worked as the Project Archivist for the Working Together project (2017-2018) based at the National Co-operative Archive.

Acquisition Information

In October 2017 the National Co-operative Archive sent out a request for interview participants from the wider workers' co-operative community to take part in Working Together, a Heritage Lottery Funded project seeing to record and preserve the heritage of the workers' co-operative movement. This interview was recorded in response to this request. The interview was conducted at Delta-T Devices, Burwell, Cambridgeshire.

Physical Characteristics and/or Technical Requirements

Length of interview: 01:09:34

Recording equipment: Zoom H2 Handy recorder

Recording note: Original audio file - WAV 48KhZ/16 bit - Copy audio file - Mp3

Conditions Governing Use

This interview is licensed under a Creative Commons license (Attributon, Non-Commercial, No Derivatives)

Related Material

Transcript and summary of interview.

Material related to Delta-T referred to in the interview available for consultation at the National Co-operative Archive. Reference: GB 1499 DTD.

Location of Originals

Original recording and transcript held at the National Co-operative Archive.