Marilyn Airstone
Marilyn came to live with her grandmother during the Second World War. The recordings are her recollections of her life in Thame from the 1940s to the 1970s.
Memories of Thame
During 2007 and 2008, some of the older people of Thame were invited to record their memories and these were compiled into a series of fascinating recordings by Thame Museum volunteers. You can listen to some of them on the links below. They contain significant insights into Thame’s past – told by the people who experienced them. Over 40 people were interviewed, some were in their nineties when the recordings were made. Sadly most of these people have since died, but their memories can still be listened to and appreciated.
In the recordings you will hear about
- The type of shops in Thame in the 1940s and 1950s
- The stationing of American soldiers in Thame during WW2 and stories of espionage in occupied France
- The changes brought about through Local Government and Planning which changed the character of the town.
- Recollections of growing up in Thame, working in the kitchens at Thame Park, and the origins of the Thame Courthouse
- Recollections of Thame Show, a local bakery, and travelling to Thame looking for work in the 1930s
- Memories of getting a job at the BBC and recalling an internationally acclaimed violinist.
- Helping to set up Rycotewood College and how agricultural engineering came to be at the College.
The memories are local but they are set in a time of national upheaval and uncertainty. The recordings make up a valuable historical archive and give a voice to the people of Thame in the post war period.
When you next visit the Museum you will see a number of push-button Audiopoint stations in the main gallery, allowing you to play the clips aloud.
Some of the original recordings often last over an hour in total. However we have published some short extracts from 16 of these local residents here, in order to provide a flavour of the oral history programme.
Just click on the name of the person to find out more about them and to hear their stories in their own words.
