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Trigger warning: some description of animal remains

William Hall was born in Netherton on 3 May 1892. He claims to have started school at the age of three years and was helping his father and grandfather to shoe horses by the time he was seven.

In this oral history recording that was made on 15 October 1971 (T/10), he talks about the family blacksmith business and the fate of his favourite horse.

You can also read about his experience as a scout master on our blog: https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/2021/04/28/mr-william-hall/

You can listen to the complete recording at Northumberland Archives: https://northumberlandarchives.com/test/contact-us/

Northumberland Voices

Archie Dagg was born in Coquetdale at the very end of the nineteenth century. His father and grandfather were shepherds and when he left school at 14 years of age, Archie joined the family trade. Many of the tasks related to the job were dictated by the seasons and the weather.

This is an extract of Archie’s oral history recording that was made in 1978 by Northumberland Archives.

In 2011, Berwick Record Office (part of Northumberland Archives) was involved in an oral history project to collect the memories and experiences of sheep farmers and shepherds in Northumberland. Links to the website and clips of the interviews can be found below:

Sheep tales website

Sheep tales website oral histories

Women’s History Month, March 2021

Recorded in 1975, Northumberland Archivesholds a fascinating oral history recording of Norah Balls, a suffragette. Norah talks to the archivist Amanda Arrowsmith about her life and campaigning. She reminisces about joining the Women’s Social and Political Union and the people that she met, including the Pankhursts. She describes brushes with the law and the end of the struggle at the beginning of the First World War. After the war, Norah threw herself into the Girl Guide movement and local government.

Hear her story in her own words by downloading this podcast.

Northumberland Voices

Northumberland Archives actively collects oral histories to document the experiences of people living in the county. We hold a collection of recordings from the 1970s to the present day. Many more can be heard by visiting Northumberland Archives at Woodhorn or Berwick (see website below).

Do let us know if you have enjoyed this podcast or if you have any suggestions for future episodes!

Northumberland Archives website

Northumberland Archives blog

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