Oral history project

Ramsbury & Axford Community

Oral History Project

Welcome Community Organisations News & Events Contact Us Village Map

What is Oral History? About the Project Fascinating Stories Get the CD! Ethics & Confidentiality
	Fascinating Stories Have Been Told
	What is Oral History? History is not just about momentous events on the national or international stage, it is all around us in our daily lives. Everyone's personal memories and experiences, whether of the Second World War or a speech day at a village school, are a unique record of life and times. Oral history collected these individual stories to complete future generations' understanding of an era.
		About the Project The British have a proud tradition of preserving memories down through the generations by word of mouth. Nowadays, while national events are thoroughly documented, valuable local recollections are in danger of being lost forever. The Ramsbury Oral History Project was been set up by the Parish Council to capture for posterity memories of everyday village life. The project concentrated on recording memories up to the end of 1947. Both written transcripts and sound recordings relating to topics of village life are now available to present and future generations for reference.
	Fascinating Stories Have Been Told Did you know that milk used to be delivered by bike and that it was poured directly into the customers’ own jugs? Or, that the lake at Ramsbury Manor used to freeze over during the winter? Or, that the muffin man’s bell was heard whenever he came to the village to sell his wares? Or, that the politician, Sir Oswald Moseley, infamous for supporting Hitler, lived in Crowood House at the start of the war? These, and many more personal recollections of life in Ramsbury, in the first half of the twentieth century, have been captured by the Oral History Group.
		Get the CD! The archive has now been assembled and a CD-ROM of highlights, entitled "Ramsbury Recollections", is now available from Ramsbury Post Office - see the official poster for details. If you would like more information, please contact: Paula Stephens +44 (0)1672 520681 Email: oralhistory@ramsbury.org c/o Parish Council Office Memorial Hall High Street RAMSBURY Wiltshire SN8 2QP
	Ethics & Confidentiality Naturally, all our work is governed by ethical considerations. All our interviewers and custodians of the recorded and related materials are bound by strict guidelines. Copies are available on request.
	Thanks to Barbara Croucher and Dennis White for permission to use the photos. Ramsbury Oral History Group is a sub-committee of Ramsbury Parish Council.