| Description | CDR sound recording of an interview with D.A. Black, (Tony Black), (1931-2021), FBPsS, CPsychol, Director of Psychological Services, Broadmoor Hospital 1959-1986 for the British Psychological Society's Oral History project.
The interview was conducted by Paul Devonshire in August 2009.
The following summary is by way of introduction to the full recording held at the British Psychological Society's History of Psychology Centre, London.
Performers
Tony Black (TB)
Paul Devonshire (PD)
Topics covered:
Running order:
PD begins the interview by asking TB 'what made him read psychology in the first place'
TB speaks of his early days during National Service in Malta dealing with issues concerning his comrades, his choice of psychology (part II) at University , tutors including; Oliver Zangwill, Richard Gregory, the academic course influence of neuropsychology,and physiological/ experimental psychology, Roger Davis and hospital visits, Donald Broadbent.
PD asks TB 'what were the issues of the day concerning psychology at that time'
TB talks of Edward G.Boring (influence of his textbook), Langfelt and welt, influence of papers rather than textbooks, enjoyment of Richard Gregory's teaching in perceptual matters
PD asks TB what he did after graduation
TB speaks of the difficulty of entering post-graduate education, options limited to the Maudsley and the Tavistock, his engagement and parents, his decision to take a job (education assistant) at Pilkington Glass Company (for 2 years), selection, training and tests at Pilkingtons, move to Rayne Hill Mental Hospital as trainee clinical psychologist , probationary training (1 year), tests used at Pilkingtons, time at Pilkingtons (including courses)
personal development at Pilkingtons and the Army, talks of his move to the North of England (for work), job advertisements, salaries.
TB speaks of his time at Rayne Hill Hospital, Liverpool with collegaues such as John Graham White, Don Walton, Monte Shapiro, learning approaches, tests in memory and dementia, Robert Payne tests, concept learning tests and papers, origins of the Walton-Black test, papers presented at and experiences of BPS conference 1958 (Birmingham) and subsequent Q and A with P.E.Vernon, Don Walton, John Raven Graham Foulds , May Davidson and other top grades and grades in general. Mahesh Desai and Pat Robertson, EDPP, Grace Rawlings, split into DCP and DEP.
TB speaks of his senior grade at Rayne Hill, Michael Humphrey, Peter Mittler, applying for other jobs, and location influencing his move to Broadmoor Hospital.
TB speaks of working with Don Walton, Tavistock people, reprint requests.
PD asks how he got involved with the BPS
TB talks of the remoteness of his move to Broadmoor and his desire to keep in touch professionally via BPS meetings , consultants and staff numbers at Broadmoor, publishing at Broadmoor, research interests, McGrath and Connell's research, his interview for the Broadmoor job at Ministry of Health, role of Chaplain at Broadmoor, DCP meetings and becoming secretary of DCP, BPS training matters and courses, BPS diploma, regional inservice courses, Rampton and Moss Side Hospitals, Don Walton testing at Moss Side, BPS co-ordinating Committee on Psychologists in the Health Service and its members Alice Silver, Mahesh Desai, Alice Jones, May Davidson , Avis Dry ?, Ralph Maguire, Ewan McPherson, Ralph Hetherington (his role in Liverpool), scientific and practitioner roles , Zuckerman inquiry, professions wanted to be regulated, BPS Criminological and Legal Division, psychiatry and psychology treatments on different models.
PD asks TB about the beginnings of Broadmoor and the testing tools available including report writing in regard to personality assessment
TB talks of testing at RayneHill and Broadmoor including, Wexler and Visual Tension Test, Word Learning Test, MPI, Warsash, CPI, DPI, the MAPS tests for diagnostic purposes, Porteus Mazes, incorporating cognitive and personality testing at Broadmoor and their results, patient assessment at Broadmoor, referrals, whole hospital group testing (block surveys), results and future surveys, assessments, MMPI , Porteus Mazes, MAT, later tests, Maudsley and Tavistock approaches, speed test, the Osgood and Kelly, summer courses in tests, cognitive approach, Ron Blackburn, Kevin Howells, David Crawford and others, John Teasdale?, application of social skills, Feldman and McCulloch, Bannister and Miller Mair.
In reply to PD 's question of how he sees himself administratively TB replies he sees himself as a co-ordinator and facilitator
Ends.
A video interview from 1999 of Carol Sellars in conversation with Tony Black is available upon request. BPS ref: PHO/002/01/02
Total Running Time: 95mins |
| RunTime | On one DVDR disk, running time 95 minutes. |
| AdminHistory | Date of Birth: 29/05/1931
University and Professional Training:
Graduated MA Psychology, Cambridge University 1954
Professional career:
National Service, Malta
Training/Education Department for 2 years at Pilkingtons, Lancashire, (nd)
Rayne Hill Hospital, Liverpool (nd)
Devised with Don Walton the Walton-Black Modified Word Learning Test 1957
Started work at Broadmoor Hospital 1959
Director of Psychological Services, Broadmoor Hospital 1959-1986
Cropwood Fellow, Institute of Criminology Cambridge, 1975-1976
Mental Health Act Commissioner 1986-1990
Involvement with BPS:
First Chair BPS Division of Criminal and Legal Psychology 1977
Fellow BPS (nd)
Chartered BPS Psychologist (nd) |