A County Remembers: Oral Histories

Through the project, A County Remembers, Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies is working with a small group of local volunteers to explore War Memorials in the county. We have created an exhibition on this subject which is on display at Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies until the end of June 2022. In addition, we’re hosting a talk on memorials by Dr Roger Bowdler on 23 March.

Royston War Memorial

We’re also keen to explore contemporary attitudes, views and thoughts of Hertfordshire people to the county’s war memorials. We’d like to talk to you about public and private remembrance, the politics of remembrance, ie who or what is remembered, and who or what is forgotten and how this is done both within families, communities and publicly, through acts of national remembrance. We’d like to talk to people of all ages, both civilians and veterans.

What would I have to do?

• Interviews will be conducted by volunteers interested in local history, who are
specially trained in oral history interviewing.
• Interviews will be conducted online in the first instance (although it may be possible to record in person if needed)
• You will be video-recorded via an MS Teams meeting. We will send you the link for the meeting and instructions on how to access it.
• Interviews are likely to last 30 minutes-1 hour.
• You may find it helpful to have some prompts to hand, but we will be referencing images and documents to support the interview and these will be shared on screen.
• We will do our best to put you at ease. The interview should feel like a conversation, not a series of questions
• With your permission, the interviews will be stored at Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies and clips will be featured on this website and as part of the exhibition.

When will I be contacted for an interview?

• Once you get in touch with us, we will contact you to set up the interview and send you the relevant information and agreement forms.
• Ideally, interviews will take place between 28 February and June 2022.

The Small Print

• In order for your interview to be used on the Herts Memories website and as part of the exhibition, you will need to give copyright to Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies. You can choose not to do this if you wish.
• We will need to collect some personal information such as your name and date of
birth, these will be kept in line with data protection regulations. We may want to use
your name in the exhibition with your permission, but you can opt-out of this in the
interviewee agreement.

What next?

• If you are interested in being interviewed, please get in touch with Janice Brooker, Senior Librarian, Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies (janice.brooker@hertfordshire.gov.uk), 01992 555106 or,
• Llinos Thomas, Senior Librarian Hertfordshire Archives & Local Studies (llinos.thomas@hertfordshire.gov.uk), 01992 555106.