We are delighted to announce that we have recently published catalogues for two oral history collections.

Glasgow Working Lives

Glasgow Working Lives oral history project (SOHC 42) includes 28 interviews with men and women who give an insight into job conditions in areas such as: the armed forces, the civil service, education, factory work, farming, fire service, healthcare, insurance and finance, and retail.  

These interviews provide a window onto the physical and psychological experiences of the working environment in Glasgow from the 1930s right up to 2000s. Several different sectors, and a large range of occupations, are covered. Interviewees reflect on how they found employment, the interview process, career progression, colleagues they met along the way, and everyday experiences in the workplace environment. 

Explore the Glasgow Working Lives oral history project catalogue.

Jean Wark: Life in a Mining Cottage

Another fascinating resource, now described on our catalogue, is an interview with Jeanie (Jean) Wark about life in a mining cottage (SOHC 28). Jean speaks about living in South Ayrshire from the 1920s to the 1950s, describing the small and basic interior of the mining cottage, games the children used to play, local customs, and the implications of mining on the health of the miners. 

Discover Jean Wark's story on the online archive catalogue.

Browse our catalogue and get in touch if you would like to listen to these incredible oral histories!