WHAT IS ORAL HISTORY?
Sudbury Silk Stories interviews are examples of oral history. Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life.
Watch the Sudbury Silk Stories film
What do you learn about Sudbury and how silk weaving began in the town?
How did the geography of the town help the industry?
What do you learn about the silk industry from the film?
What do you notice about the interviews?
How would you describe to a friend what it is like inside a silk mill?
Explore the interviews on this website
What do you notice?
Listen to the recorded interview between Richie and Stacey Teager
What job do they do?
How are they related to each other?
What sort of things do they mention most?
What surprised you about their stories?
What new things have you learned about what it is like inside a silk mill?
What questions would you like to ask them?
Oral history interviewing
There are three key principles to the process or oral history interviewing:
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Listen – listen carefully to the person speaking, give them time to answer your questions.
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Reflect – reflect on what they are saying, is there anything else you would like to know.
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Question – follow up with additional questions or move onto a new area of discussion.
Who would you like to collect oral history from?
What subject would you like to ask them about?
What questions might you ask them to begin your interview?
Why not carry out your own oral history interview? You can record it on a mobile phone or take notes and produce a written interview.
Take your time, find a quiet place to sit and listen, somewhere free from background noise. Enjoy it!
