From Christine Bate’s file titled Bob Barrie.rtf

From: Christine Bate <batece@yahoo.com>

Subject: Bob 

Date: January 15, 2015 at 3:09:24 PM PST

To: “dhemer@shaw.ca” <dhemer@shaw.ca>

Cc: Christine Bate <batece@yahoo.com>

Hello Morag,

Thank you for your prompt email. I have delayed a couple of days to give me time to think things over – old memories are there but if I stir my brains more falls into place. I even printed out a copy of your email so that I can be sure to cover everything. 

First, I do feel for you. I knew Bob had a stroke a long time ago and that he had difficulty communicating but I had no idea that it had been as long as 20 years. How frustrating for him and for you with all your questions. I looked at the website for the obituary and was pleased that he had such good care for all those years. Last evening I was talking to Matthew in Montreal and told him about the website. Bob was Matthew’s godfather. One time Bob visited us in Poughkeepsie NY when he was on a business trip. He looked at our crew of offspring and said, pointing to Matthew, “Is this one mine?” I was really touched. I have a photo of the christening gathering, black and white of course, and will try to get a copy to you.

Now to SERL. I am pretty sure that the work was classified but never discussed that with Geoff. However, I don’t remember that we talked about what Geoff did at work. He occasionally told me anecdotes about the people he worked with but I never talked to him about what I did at school either (I was a school teacher). I never heard of gallium arsenide until we were in Vancouver. I never knew why he went up to the Admiralty in London from time to time except to a “meeting” and I assume I never asked. 

As for the radar, the government had three research laboratories. SERL, one in 

Worcestershire near Malvern, and one in the south of England. I know that the one in the south was concerned with atomic energy, but I have a vague feeling that the one in Malvern worked on radio communication. One of Geoff’s PhD classmates went there to work. Perhaps Bob had some involvement there. For all of them, it was offered as an alternative to doing their two years of National Service that they still owed. 

I have several boxes of black and white photos and may take a look at them one day. I remember we took photos on the ship going over and have some of us with Phil and Margot Gribbon, but I’lll check. Did Bob ever mention Phil and Margot? I am still in touch with them in St. Andrews in Scotland. They were part of what you might call our group, all recent immigrants from the UK. They left to go back after a couple of years or so. 

I have your mailing and email adress so can stay in touch. It was lovely to talk to you. It brought back many happy memories of times long ago. I’ll try to find the christening photo. 

With Very Best Wishes,

Christine

Sent from my iPad