I signed up with LSP, as it was known, to study photography and graphic arts at the original building in Back Hill, Clerkenwell, long before the college moved to the Elephant and Castle. It was at a time before photography had entered the modern age. All photographs were black and white and were taken using plate cameras - half plate size  6.5" by 4.75" and in the studio there were no shutters used, exposure was made by taking the lens cap off and on. For architecturial shots we had lenses with shutters.

35mm cameras like Leica or Contax were riddiculed. The only acceptable small camera was a Rolleiflex or Rolleicord (for the poorer amongs us).

I only had a 1935 Ikoflex with a f3.5 Triotar lens which I used throughout my time there. A student in my year (jane Gate) had a Hassleblad 1000f of which we were all very envious. Some years later I bought it from her for £50 and still have it today  - and it still works.

It was a 3 year course but after the second year I applied for the Shell Petroleum Training Scholarship, which I won. If I had stayed at LSP the 3rd year would have been colour photography, which I did at Shell anyway.