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The Generator: Stories & Memories
The Generator: Stories and Memories An oral history project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund
The project captures the voices, recollections and experiences of those who studied, worked and created in the historic Packe Street building over the decades. Through these personal stories, we are preserving the building’s rich creative legacy while sharing it with new generations as The Generator begins its next chapter as a vibrant community arts venue. With thanks to Institute Loughborough for their continued generous support and for providing the filming location. Click on any picture below to read or watch the full interview.
"He Wouldn't Take No for an Answer": Ernie Miller on Schofield and The Generator's Origins
Ernie Miller has spent decades piecing together the history of Loughborough's educational institutions. As a former associate director of staff training at the university and passionate local historian, he knows the stories that official records often miss. When we asked him about The Generator building, he had tales that sound almost too incredible to be true – German submarine engines, midnight power outages, and a man who got his own American car serviced as part of "training on production."
Engineering Education and German U-Boat Engines: Colin's Memories of the Generator
Colin Salsbury. joined Loughborough Technical College in 1963, teaching engineering subjects to apprentices from local firms. In this interview, he shares his memories of teaching at the Frederick Street building during a time of industrial growth in Loughborough, and offers fascinating insights about the German U-boat engines that once powered the Generator.
From Fine Art to Final Vice Principal: Pete Wheeler's Generator Journey
Pete Wheeler, former Head of Fine Art and Vice Principal of Loughborough College of Art and Design, shares his memories of the Frederick Street building and the Generator Gallery in this illuminating conversation. With a career spanning from 1971 to 2000, Pete witnessed the evolution of art education in Loughborough and the transformation of historic buildings that now form part of the Generator cultural center.
