Finished the background data re-structuring but the view is driving me nuts!
I have successfully created the view that incorporates the changes thusly:

CREATE ALGORITHM=UNDEFINED DEFINER=`hcmc`@`lettuce.tapor.uvic.ca`
SQL SECURITY DEFINER VIEW `view` AS select
`SLIDES`.`slide_id` AS `slide_id`,
`SLIDES`.`accessionID` AS `accessionID`,
`SLIDES`.`period` AS `period`,
`SLIDES`.`definer` AS `definer`,
`SLIDES`.`has_img` AS `has_img`,
`SLIDES`.`keywords` AS `keywords`,
`SLIDES`.`old_location` AS `old_location`,
`SLIDES`.`location` AS `location`,
`SLIDES`.`notes` AS `notes`,
`SLIDES`.`title` AS `title`,
`SLIDES`.`view` AS `view`,
`SLIDES`.`date_modified` AS `date_modified`,
`COUNTRY`.`country_name` AS `country_name`,
`COUNTRY`.`country_code` AS `country_code`,
`PHOTOGRAPHER`.`photographer_name` AS `photographer_name`,
`SITE`.`site_name` AS `site_name`,
`TYPE`.`type_name` AS `type_name`,
`TYPE`.`type_code` AS `type_code`,
`LOCATION`.`location_name` AS `location_name` from
(((((`SLIDES` join `COUNTRY`) join `PHOTOGRAPHER`) join `SITE`) join `TYPE`) join `LOCATION`) where
((`SLIDES`.`country` = `COUNTRY`.`country_id`) and
(`SLIDES`.`material_type` = `TYPE`.`type_id`) and
(`SLIDES`.`site` = `SITE`.`site_id`) and
(`SLIDES`.`photographer` = `PHOTOGRAPHER`.`photographer_id`) and
(`SLIDES`.`location` = `LOCATION`.`location_id`));

but the view is empty. I'll have to pick this up later.