Oral History Seminar

The eighteenth annual Oral History Seminar, organised to encourage and inform those recording people’s memories, is being held in Wessex Film and Sound Archive Cinema at Hampshire Record Office, Sussex Street, Winchester, from 10am to 4pm.

This year we are delighted to welcome Padmini Broomfield from the Oral History Society.  As a very experienced oral historian, she has carried out projects in the Southampton area and abroad, including ethnic minority work in the community, and is now a committee member of the Oral History Society and deputy co-ordinator of its Regional Network.  Padmini will be talking about the principles and ethics of recording people’s memories, particularly regarding community projects, illustrated by extracts from recordings.  This session will be followed by a practical demonstration of recording equipment and techniques by David Lee of Wessex Film and Sound Archive, using items on display during the Seminar.  Plenty of opportunity will be given for questioning the speakers by those attending.

After lunch, Dominique Rawlings, Project manager of Hampshire County Council’s Ethnic Minority Learning Disability Project, will be talking about her work with the Proud2B group in the Fareham area.  They devised a project to make a short series of oral history recordings about people’s favourite places, which inspired the making of three textile panels for display in the Ashcroft Arts Centre.  Dominique said later that “it was a very positive project to engage with; a lot of learning (and fun!)”.  After tea, Bryan Jerrard of the Portchester Civic Society will be talking about the Portchester in Living Memory oral history project to re-tell some of that town’s story through the memories of more than 60 people, old and young.  Notable for its scope and ambition, this project resulted in colourful illustrated booklets, one containing a CD compilation of extracts from the recordings, exhibitions, school and community work.  It is a model of its kind from which much can be learnt by similar projects wishing to use oral history to bring alive the recent past for their own communities

The Seminar is open to anyone who wishes to attend, subject to advance booking, at just £22 per person (£11 for senior citizens and students).  Coffee and tea is provided free, and there are several good places near to the Record Office for lunchtime meals and snacks (or bring your own snack to the Record Office, where an area is set aside for the purpose).  There is very limited parking for visitors to the Office, which must be booked in advance on 01962 846145, but there are public car parks close by, and a Park & Ride scheme (disembark at the ‘Station’ stop).  Winchester rail station is also very close.

Further information

Please contact David Lee of Wessex Film & Sound Archive at david.lee@hants.gov.uk.