The author looks back over a scientific career of almost 50 years spen
t mainly in research on liquid crystals (LCs) and carried out largely
in University service and latterly for about five years in Industry. I
n this review, the development of UK LC research is traced mainly thro
ugh its rapid escalation starting in the early 1970s and stemming from
the development of applications for LCs in electro-optical displays,
itself set on course by the author's own discovery of the first materi
als enabling the production of commercially viable, long life twisted
nematic displays. The author's other contributions in the field are di
scussed and widened into a general review of current trends and activi
ties in the field, with some emphasis being placed on threats to funda
mental research posed by diminished funding and the current pressures
on researchers to engage heavily in short term, 'wealth creating' proj
ects.