Made in Britain
'Made in Britain' is one of the four themed strands of the Oral History of British Science project, an initiative of National Life Stories and the British Library in association with the Science Museum.
Generously supported by The Arcadia Fund
Airmen wheeling out a Spitfire, 194
Image courtesy of DHA/NMeM/SSPL
'Made in Britain' considers important discoveries in science and technology that have been pivotal to new industrial applications. It will cover some applied sciences (such as condensed matter physics) as well as engineering fields (chemical, electrical, civil and structural) and the interviews will be selected from amongst a wide range of professionals.
Aspects of the history of computing will also be addressed. The title refers to the fact that an analysis of these breakthroughs in science should also be looked at as something that has boosted national pride, while arising from research conducted by experts of different ethnic backgrounds.
The sometimes problematic relationship between ways in which discoveries have been propagandised and the ethnic background of the discoverers will be explored. Given the significance of industrial applications deriving from these discoveries, ways in which inventions have been protected through patents, and whether the existing intellectual property agreements were satisfactory to the interviewees, will also be explored. The economic exploitation of the inventions will be analysed in terms of impact on British industrial concerns.