Reg and Molly Buck Award

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Award history

Reg Buck (1930–2007) and Molly Buck (1924–1994)

Reg and Molly Buck together made a huge contribution to Sempre in its early days: Reg as a long-standing member of the committee, and Molly as Membership Secretary. We are delighted to remember them both through the ‘Buck’ Award.

Reg and Molly were born (in 1930 and 1924 respectively) into mining families in South Yorkshire, and from what could have been highly unpromising starts, both had a zest for learning, winning scholarships to their local grammar schools and each sharing a passion and talent for music; he as a chorister, pianist, trumpet and cornet player and she as a soprano with local choirs and amateur operatic societies. Indeed, their honeymoon was spent in London where he was competing in the 1955 National Brass Band Championship at the Royal Albert Hall. They had met just six weeks earlier on a bus, having both attended the same Hallé Orchestra concert at Sheffield City Hall: this was a most fortunate meeting, and Molly was the perfect partner to support Reg throughout his career.

Having first worked as a glass technologist, Reg did his National Service in the RAF. On his return he embarked upon what was to be a life-changing experience: training to be a music teacher at Bretton Hall College, guided by the inspiration of the then Chief Education Officer for the West Riding, Alec Clegg (later, Sir Alec). During his education career Reg taught at infant, junior and secondary level in the West Riding, became a Lecturer in Education at Leicester University, undertook an MA at Lancaster University and subsequently returned to Yorkshire as an Adviser in Primary Education with Wakefield MDC.

Whilst Reg was training teachers at Leicester, Molly worked in the college library and managed the bookshop. Mostly, she was happy being a housewife and mother, but throughout their life together she undertook Reg’s secretarial work. When Reg became more involved with what was then known as ‘SRPMME’ (now Sempre), Molly organised and ran the Membership section from home with nothing more than a meticulously kept card index file held in shoeboxes. As well as being longstanding committee members of ‘the Society’, they always looked forward to attending conferences, not least for catching up with acquaintances and friends, old and new.

Molly died in May 1994 and Reg in November 2007.

Purpose of the award

The Reg and Molly Buck Award is intended to support a post-doctoral research project of someone who has been awarded their doctorate up to five years previously.

Total fund available

The Reg and Molly Buck Award is up to £3000.

Eligibility

The Reg and Molly Buck Award is open to anyone working in an area embraced by the Society’s aims.

Criteria

The criteria by which applications will be judged include the quality, originality and significance of the proposed research, and the likelihood of the applicant being unable to obtain funding from other sources.

Decision-making process

All applications will be considered by the Sempre Awards Panel. Normally, applicants will be informed of the decision within six weeks of the outcome. The award should be taken up within the 12-month period following the decision, or by negotiation. Any award not claimed within this period without notification will be deemed to have lapsed. The decision of the panel is final, and the Society regrets that it is unable to enter into any correspondence regarding its decision. Each application is treated individually on its merits; hence previous applicants are not precluded from applying.

Feedback from award recipients

Successful recipients are expected to write a brief report summarising the outcome of their research, including any related images (with appropriate ethical approval) for posting on the Sempre website. Please contact the Sempre Administrator for more details.

Further information

For further information, please contact the Sempre Chair, Professor Graham Welch, UCL Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL, United Kingdom. Tel: +44(0)20-7612 6550. Email: [email protected]  

Apply

Applicants should complete the application form available by clicking ‘Download Application’ below. The completed form should be sent to the Sempre Secretary, Professor Adam Ockelford, Roehampton University, Queens Building, Southlands College, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5SL, UK. Phone: +44 (0) 7818-456 472. Email: [email protected]   

Normally, in the case of less established or new researchers, as part of the application process we expect all applicants to provide the Sempre Trustees with the name of an academic referee who can testify to the applicant’s competence in undertaking the research and/or development activity successfully.

Download application