Oral Histories - Wakefield

Since March 2026, Our Oral Histories project, Our Stories, funded by the Heritage Lottery, has continued to grow across the Wakefield district, collecting memories and life stories from people living in communities throughout central Wakefield. 

Following the success of our exhibition in Normanton, the project has since been showcased at Wakefield Cathedral and the National Coal Mining Museum, bringing these voices and experiences to an even wider audience. Over the past few months, we have had the privilege of speaking to people with remarkable stories to tell, including Harry, a Second World War veteran who served as a driver in the Royal Army Service Corps; people who made the journey from their homelands to build new lives in Wakefield before the digital age; former miners; and one of Yorkshire's first female colliery timekeepers. 

Together, these recordings capture memories of work, family, migration, community life and the changing world around us. You can listen to a selection of these stories using the audio links below.