PowerPoint Presentation

Waltham Forest Oral History Workshop

1Formation and First ProjectFormed in 1983 out of an adult education class in 1982 . Around 8 people signed up.First project was childhood illnesses Touch Yer Collar Never SwallerRecordings on dentistry, killer viruses and bacterial infectionsFever and isolation hospitals15 interviews undertaken Book printed by members of the Workshop

2Water House Walthamstow for tooth pulling

3ButchersNext project was on the meat trade locally Pigs Head & Pease Pudding in 1985.18 people interviewed.12 members of the WorkshopThe book described local slaughter-ing, meat auctions, poverty. Again printed by members of the Workshop

4BakersNext title in 1986 was about bakers - Cottage Loaves & Plain Bricks.7 main and 11 other interviewees.10 members in the WorkshopChange from local corner shop bakers to Wonderloaf production baking.Next book was on sweet making a spin off from some of the breadmaking interviews

5Example of early recording: Ivy Williams VHMOH 1036Born Stratford 1909.Her father was shot through the head and bayonetted in no mans land in WW1. Never worked again. Talks about the inadequacies of his war pension (27/6 per week for the whole family).Mother took in washing describes what she did. Kept chickens.Ivy left school at 13 worked in various jobs, making ties, Clarnicos, as a maid, describes them in some detail.Aged 19 she learnt shorthand typing. Worked for a steamship company and various factories became a book keeper. Describes working conditions.During WW2 she worked as a cashier in a department store in Leytonstone poor conditions.Wartime events and life locally.Talks about husband and ways of making do his mum also took in washing. He was a butcher (we used a couple of paragraphs in the Pigs Head book).

Ivy Williams interviewed 1984We Want Winns working with intervieweesIn 1991 we started a project on education too big a subject we soon realised. We were rescued by a woman who said she had been involved in a school strike which we knew nothing about.

We worked with a group of four former pupils to produce the book about the closure of their elementary school in 1945 and the strike school their parents set up.

7Developments8Fairly soon there was recognition that we needed to undertake generic, open interviews.Up to then interviews largely thematic. Beginning of a more life story approach although often with a theme as the reason to interview.Interviews tended to be between one to three hours long often tied to the length of the cassette tape .Although we did advertise in the local paper many interviewees came through Home Help staff in Social Services or the museum.

IndividualsTwo publications on individuals Jenny Hammond, a Labour Party councillor, We used her autobiographical notes as well as two interviews for the book.The book about Tom Atkins, who had caughtpolio at the age of 3, was the result of over seven hours of re recording. Both books relied extensively on archival material as well as the interviews. Tom Atkins on work

9Electronic Publications10

The Road to Jeremys Ferry a neighbourhood study done on a 200 regeneration grant.

Coronation Gardens Study of a park in Leyton part of a successful HLF bid to refurbish the park.More Electronic Books11

Boats Billets and Letters HomeA story of wartime evacuation from Dagenham to Norfolk by paddle steamer undertaken by a member of the Workshop (+hard)

Brandon Road Leading to Stocksfield Road Another neighbourhood study this time of a small council estate in Walthamstow won a LWT TV awardBehind the Bar A study of the licensed trade in the borough.Interviews plus massive amount of archival material

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Exhibitions at

Vestry House Museum13

Transformer LivesThe story of the former Hawker Siddeley Power Transformers factory over seventy years (closed 2004) as told by around 10 former staff.

Walthamstow High Street E17

The longest street market in Europe.Old and new recordings (thematic and life story) of the recent history of this historic street for an exhibition in 2012.

More Exhibitions14

Behind the BarToys, A Serious Business

Bill Regan, formerly Company Secretary Britains

Strengths and Weaknesses15Rich collection of recordings dating back to 1972 includingGas Works interviewsTwo neighbourhood studiesMany memories of working in shopsInstitutions and hospitalsHorses as main means of transportMunicipal and political life1990s African Caribbean recordings1948/2012 Olympics memoriesIssues for reuseEarly recordings are generally poor sound qualityNeed to digitise at least half of the collectionA member of the Workshop needs to proactively support researchSummaries not always availableEarly paperwork not digitisedSearch facility quite basicSome communities not represented16Waltham Forest Oral History Workshop

www.wforalhistory.org.uk

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