Oral History Training

I attended training on 19 May 2018 with 6 other volunteers.

Oral history - this is of 'that moment' of recollection.

Chewing gum ad - link of taste of spearmint to optimism of the time.  Paints a clear picture.

Each person's story is valid.  Therefore they differ from each other.

Difficult to tell fiction from truth; fact from opinion.

Oral history relies on people's memory and this is affected by emotion and environment.

Oral history and women's history - co-incides for Eastside Museum.

Powerful tool to capture voices of women.  Women downplay their experience and importance.  We are interesting and will write it own.

Truth - what you don't forget.  - Greek etymology.

How to look for candidates and what to ask to gain buy-in:

Themes - Women; Local History; Factory Stories; Personal experiences
What was life like in the factories?
Did the equal pay act make any difference?
Tell me about your early experiences of going to work:
- what did you do?
- where did you work?
- how did you find your job?
- what were conditions like?
  Noise
  Smell/taste
  Visualise
  Health & Safety
- Rates of pay/hours
- How did you get to work?
- What were the fiddles?
- What enjoyment did you get from work?
- How did your community/friends/family react to your job?


A - Family History/Barking & Dagenham
B - Factory trips and parties; fashion
C - H&S (danger) Hospitals; Care
D - Unions, Tribunals, strikes, rights, equal pay.
E - Childcare issues

Women of colour, at present, are largely unrepresented.

Thank you - do you have anything to add?

Do you have any photos?  May I copy them?
Do you know anyone else?

Invite to open day of museum.

Consent forms

Email saying thanks
Letter with CD and consent form
Right to change.