Welcome to Dent Oral History Project

What is the Project about?

We record interviews with people in Dent, Sedbergh and Garsdale to find out about the changes that have happened to our communities within living memory. What did it feel like to go from horses to tractors, oil lamps to electric light, bikes to motorcars or clogs to trainers? We want to hear from men and women of all ages, people living traditional dales' lives and those involved in newer undertakings.

Who is conducting the Project?

The team includes Anthea Boulton, a long time Dent resident whose experience in oral history comes through working in local radio; Kate Cairns, another Dent resident with professional interviewing expertise; and George Handley, a aretired headmaster and native of Sedbergh who will be known to many Our secretary, Christine Wood, ran a business in Sedbergh, Elsbeth Griffiths is our experienced archivist and Elizabeth Roberts, a distinguished academic in oral history, is consultant to the project. Neville Allen, who runs websites including those for Dentdale and for Sedbergh and District History Society, is our technical adviser. Alison Cowperthwaite, legal secretary, Shirley Tebay, local historian and Alma Wilson local history librarian do the painstaking work of transcribing the recorded interviews.

How will interviews be used?

The aim of the project is to record memories so that people now and in the future will better understand what life was like in our area in the twentieth century.

Copies of recorded interviews, with written transcripts, are stored at Farfield Mill, Sedbergh, and Kendal library where they are available to the public. Parts of interviews may be included in talks or exhibitions or published in a book. The project is non-profit-making and any proceeds over and above costs will be given back to the communities in Sedbergh, Garsdale and Dent.

We thank all those who take part in the Project. We believe it will create a valuable record now and in the years to come.