These were Earth's Best:
Voices of the First World War by Van Wilson |
York is famous as a historic city, but its grandeur and tradition make it easy to forget an equally important side of the city’s story – the local way of life and the experiences of York people.
York Oral History Society was founded in 1982, and is a registered charity and community organisation dedicated to recording and preserving the memories of York people. The society has built up a collection of over 600 recordings, plus transcripts and over 4000 photographs. Subjects range from domestic life, schooldays, work, entertainment and both world wars, to life in specific districts like Hungate, Walmgate, Fishergate and the village of Cawood near York. The material we collect is returned to the community in the form of books, talks, workshops and exhibitions. Most of our work is done by volunteers, and if you would like to get involved, please contact us. If you would like to share your memories with us, or you can identify any people on our photos, please let us know.
York Oral History Society is known for its close links with many other organisations in the city. We have worked with York Castle Museum, York Archaeological Trust, Archbishop Holgate’s School, Age Concern, Bootham School, Millthorpe School, the Park Rangers, Society of Friends, St Sampson’s Centre, York University, York St John University and local history in Bishopthorpe, Haxby, Rawcliffe and Tang Hall.
Due to reorganisation at the York City Archives, where our collection was housed for many years, our material is now in storage. We hope, when the York Library and Local History Archive has completed its extensions, to have a room for public accession of our collection.
We have recently been donated a collection of reel to reel tapes of interviews conducted in the early 1980s by the late Dr Alf Peacock, historian and expert on the First World War, with veterans and others who experienced the war first-hand. We have applied for funding to digitise the recordings and make them available to the public, run activities for York people, and producing a book and exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the war in 2014. Watch this space for more information.
York Oral History Society is known for its close links with many other organisations in the city. We have worked with York Castle Museum, York Archaeological Trust, Archbishop Holgate’s School, Age Concern, Bootham School, Millthorpe School, the Park Rangers, Society of Friends, St Sampson’s Centre, York University, York St John University and local history in Bishopthorpe, Haxby, Rawcliffe and Tang Hall.
Due to reorganisation at the York City Archives, where our collection was housed for many years, our material is now in storage. We hope, when the York Library and Local History Archive has completed its extensions, to have a room for public accession of our collection.
We have recently been donated a collection of reel to reel tapes of interviews conducted in the early 1980s by the late Dr Alf Peacock, historian and expert on the First World War, with veterans and others who experienced the war first-hand. We have applied for funding to digitise the recordings and make them available to the public, run activities for York people, and producing a book and exhibition to commemorate the centenary of the war in 2014. Watch this space for more information.