East Midlands Oral History Archive
Rural life
Rural life is covered in almost all the major collections in EMOHA. For example, the EMOHA collection features recordings about diversification in farming, the Leicester Oral History Archive covers farming, rural work and life, Market Harborough Museum looks at changes in agriculture in the Welland Valley during the 20th century, and the Northampton County Council collection covers many towns and villages in Northamptonshire.
In addition, individual villages from across the East Midlands are covered by local history projects and you can search for the names of the villages on the catalogue e.g. Dunton Bassett, Cottesmore, Calver Weir, Colston Bassett.
Rather than list everything in the collections above (it would be a huge list), the following collections look specifically at rural areas, trades or issues.
Fernie Sounds
This collection comprises 11 sound effects from the Leicestershire Fernie Hunt. They were recorded for Melton Museum on 10 December 2011 for use in their fox hunting galleries.
Fox Hunting Collection
This oral history collection comprises 37 interviews looking at foxhunting and the impact of the Hunting Act 2004. This project was initiated in 2005 by Melton Mowbray Museum with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Foxton Locks Collection
This oral history collection comprises two interviews and one speech relating to the reopening of the Welford arm of the Grand Union Canal in 1969. Recordings focus on the use of the Grand Union Canal and history of Welford arm.
Loughborough Market 800
This oral history collection comprises 12 interviews, conducted by telephone and video due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The interviewees talk about their experiences of Loughborough Market and Fair. The weekly market is still held in Loughborough and the fair takes place every November with both events having had few breaks in eight centuries of history. The cancellation of the fair in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic is thought to be one of the few occasions the fair has not been held.
Mountsorrel Memories of Stone, Steam and Steel Project
This oral history collection comprises 25 interviews with residents of Mountsorrel, Leicestershire conducted between November 2011 and June 2012. Interviews focus on industry based within the village, exploring sites such as; the Mountsorrel Quarry, Rolls Royce Factory, Hosiery Factories and Shoe Box Factory. Interviewees highlight the impact of these industries on life in the village.
Natural Heroes
This oral history collection comprises 36 interviews from 2007-2008 looking at Leicestershire's natural history collectors. There is also a recording of celebrated local naturalist Jack Otter (d. 2003) from the 1980s which was donated to the collection by friends. The interviewees vary from photographers and sound recorders through experts on animals and plants, to farmers trying to conserve natural history on their farms, to people who have been instrumental in organising societies and associations. Subjects covered were family, education, career, associates, natural history, achievements, and archives.
Ravensthorpe Festival of Wool
This oral history collection comprises 4 Interviews and 3 Sound effects surrounding the Ravensthorpe Festival of Wool (Northamptonshire) from the 4th to 6th of June 1982, recorded by Anthony Wornum. Recordings comprise several interviews with participants, contributors, experts and visitors to the festival. Sound effects include sheep shearing, morris dance, folk music, wool spinning.
Ruddington Framework Knitters Museum
This oral history collection comprises 14 interviews with people associated with the hosiery trade in the East Midlands. It mainly focuses on the history of framework knitting in Nottinghamshire, the companies involved with hosiery machinery in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, and the decline of the hosiery industry.
Record Office Collection - May Day Songs
Elizabeth Ruddock narrates a collection of May Day songs collected by the Leicestershire and Rutland Federation of Women's Institutes in the 1960s to keep these songs alive and not forgotten. Includes memories of May Day events, traditional songs. Read about the recordings and listen to extracts.
Village Voices
This oral history collection comprises 24 interviews with residents of Leicestershire demonstrating their regional accents, conducted between 2011 to 2012 for the Village Voices: heritage in accents and dialects project. Recordings include responses to a dialect questionnaire, readings of book excerpts and oral history interviews.
Charnwood Roots
- Uncatalogued
Oral history recordings made as part of the Charnwood Roots project, Leicestershire. The project ran from 2013-2017 and was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. It involved over 600 volunteers helping to research the history and archaeology of 35 towns and villages across the Charnwood Forest area.