The Oral History Society's Blog
Sharing Stories
Welcome to the Oral History Society’s blog. Here we share stories and updates from oral history projects all over the United Kingdom and beyond – from community projects to student research and museum curation. Whatever your involvement in oral history, we would like to hear from you.
If you want to follow up on any of these posts and discuss them with other oral historians, do join our OHS members’ discussion groups.
Featured post
Using oral history to contextualise changes in local news practice
An Oral History Society Press and Journalism SIG blog post There is no doubt that the local news industry has undergone profound change in the past 25 years. As esteemed
More posts
How intelligent is artificial intelligence? Oral history and AI
Artificial Intelligence (AI), specifically ‘machine learning’, is becoming increasingly embedded in our lives. Tools like ChatGPT, Mistral, Llama, Gemini, Copilot and Claude are changing the way people work.
‘Growing out into the world’: A new oral history of the British Council
The inside story of a British Council oral history project, sharing themes and questions that have emerged from the interviews and some interesting reflections on the value of oral history for organisational learning and storytelling.
Stories that Should be Told
The new UK South Asian Digital Archive (UKSADA) project aims to create a comprehensive and accessible archive of the rich heritage of South Asians in Britain. It has its roots in an award-winning temporary exhibition, ‘Rebuilding Lives: 50 years of Ugandan Asians in Leicester’ in 2022, which highlighted the need for a more resource that will also raise awareness about the cultural heritage of South Asian communities through exhibitions, educational resources and events.
The Porcelain Podcasts: a school project to create podcasts from oral histories
Experiences of two Year 7 students on making podcasts from archived oral history interviews with workers at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory. Reflections also from their teacher Lauren Thatcher who
Temples of Industry: a volunteer project for Gunnersbury Park Museum
In 2022 Gunnersbury Park Museum (a recently renovated museum in a Grade II* listed heritage park) won an Everyday Heritage grant from Historic England. The project aimed to explore the impact of heavy industry on life
Taking the Past into the Future at the University of Stirling
Reflections on some of the colourful memories revealed in oral history interviews from the beginning of the radical, new, post-Robbins Scottish university Almost 20 years ago a group of newly retired staff,
Authentic Encounters: Oral History in the Classroom
This blog post considers how using oral history clips in creative and thoughtful ways can be a powerful learning tool for students of all ages.
Confessions of an oral historian, part 3
Embarrassing mistakes We all make mistakes, some worse than others. I’ve always thought it important to admit to trainees that things do go wrong and that they are not alone.
A Labour of Love – 60 Years a Baker
“One of St Helens’ most iconic bakeries is to close after its doors for the final time to bring to an end an era lasting nearly seven decades.” St Helens Star,
