How Oral Histories Can Give You a New Dimension

Do you ever wish you’d asked your grandparents more questions about their earlier lives? Even those of us with quite large photo collections from the early 20th century typically don’t have anything to listen to. It would be the little things that we might like to hear about – the walk to school, their first movie at a cinema, their first day at work.

We are extremely lucky, here at the Society of Genealogists, to have two people who know a lot about oral history collections coming to give a talk on Wednesday 19 September.

Mary Stewart and Cynthia Brown give a brief introduction to oral history and how oral history techniques can be used by family historians. 

Through case studies from the British Library and from local history research in the Leicestershire area, Mary and Cynthia will also discuss how archived recordings can add crucial context to family research.

Finally they will explore how some families have reacted when accessing a relative’s audio interview, and how the interview intersects with existing family histories.

Anyone interested in oral history is very welcome. There are no special entry requirements and you do not need to be a Member of the Society of Genealogists to attend. Expect a friendly atmosphere, expert tutors and lots of detail.