Oral Histories & Artefacts - Stamford Town Council

Oral Histories and Artefacts

Doris

Local Oral Histories of WW1

Oral histories can provide a unique insight into people's memories, experiences and opinions. Sharing this living history of unique life experiences was an important part of the research and education programme undertaken by the commemoration project. A series of road shows, presentations in schools, and a lunch at Stamford Town Hall on Friday 21 March 2014, were organised to collect and share stories of families’ experiences in World War 1; anyone who had a family tale that had been passed down to them from a war veteran or someone living locally at the time was invited to the event to share artefacts, photos and documents as well as family tales of life in the Stamford area in 1914.

These are some of the oral histories that were shared, more details can be found in the pdf at the bottom of the page:

Richard and Catherine Webb

Kate Riley shared her family artefacts and accounts including a map brought back by her grandfather after he was wounded at Passchandaele and her grandmother’s journal of 1918 when she was working as a volunteer nurse at the Stamford & Rutland Infirmary. Her grandparents were married at St George's Church and after he was discharged from the Army he made a life for himself and his family in Stamford.

Sidney Allen

In an interview in March 2014 Mrs Doris Borowik recalled stories told to her by her father, Sidney Allen, of his service in the Army in WWI, and her own reminiscences of family life with him afterwards in Stamford.

Plant family

In February 2014, Mr Ken Plant attended a road show in Stamford Town Hall when he brought a display of artefacts and related the experiences of the members of his family in the Armed Services during WWI – his mother Mary Laughton, and uncles Pte J.W. Bentham, Pte Hugh Steele, Pte J.G. Swanson, and Pte Bert Cunningham

Frank Newbon

In an interview in March 2014, Mrs Maria Jackson displayed personal items of her grandfather, Mr Frank Newbon, from his service in the Lincolnshire Regiment during WWI. She also recalled many tales and memories of him in Stamford afterwards.

Black family

Mr Edwin Black recalled, in a home interview in April 2014, the service of his father Pte Edwin Black in the Royal Engineers, and of his uncle Pte Alfred Black in the RASC and the Royal Flying Corps during WWI.
Mrs Marylyn Black also spoke of the experiences of her uncles L/Cpl Charles Henry Read and Cpl George Henry Hubbard D.C.M both of whom were killed while serving in France in WWI.

Pte Edward Henry Patrick

Mr James Kudlinski related, in a letter, the history and service of Pte Edward Patrick, who died in action at Passchendaele in 1917 and whose named is inscribed on the Stamford War memorial. He also speaks of other family members who served in the Armed Forces in WWI.

Download the Oral Histories pdf here. Please find here at complete list of the artefacts used as part of the Research and Education Programme..