Top Stories
These are some of our favourite stories from the archive.
To hear the full story, click on 'Listen' to go to the text/audio interface page for an interview.
Picture: Ian Ashdown
(2008, CC BY-SA 2.0)
A Need for Speed (1960s)
Female 51-60
He says "Mam", he says, "You've always said you'd love to go on the back of a motorbike". I says "I was on motorbikes before you were born pet" ... He says "I'll take you for a ride". I says "It'll have to be a fast one mind" ...
Picture: 'Their History'
(CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Discipline in Schools (1960s)
Male 61-70
Oh good God, those days, blimey ... the teacher could murder you practically and nobody would dare say a word to them ... I don't think myself there's the discipline now ... they can sort of please themselves what they do ...
Picture: Juliette Culver
(2010, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Floating Voters (1960s)
Female 31-40
I used to think I was a socialist, but I've rather changed my mind, because everyone's entitled to change their mind about politics ... my brother's flirting with the idea of being a liberal ...
Picture: Ian Harris
(2010, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
I Don't Watch TV, except for ... (1960s)
Male 31-40
Do you watch television? -- I don't ... Sunday afternoon, if a picture's on like ... eh sport on a Saturday, I like to watch the racing ... oh comedy aye ... I only usually watch it on a Monday afternoon like ...
Picture: Kevin Dean
(2010, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Our First Telly: channel hopping (1990s)
Female 41-50 & Female 41-50
It was only one channel, BBC ... that was wor first telly ... and then when Tyne Tees came out, I used to go down to the neighbours, two doors down, to watch the other programmes on the Tyne Tees ...
Picture: Alexander Baxevanis
(2008, CC BY 2.0)
A Geordie James Dean (1990s)
Male 61-70 & Male 51-60
You saved up, didn't you, for the James Dean jeans ... and you put them on, and you sat in the bath ... So I gans to this dance, I've got my Marlon Brando jacket ... James Dean jeans ... and wellies ...
Picture: Anthony Georgeff
(2006, CC BY-NC 2.0)
Too Many Cooks (1990s)
Female 16-20 & Female 16-20
There's millions of chefs at my work. There's loads of them. There's loads of like big ones, and then littler ones, and lower ones, ones who have to do all the stupid little bits ...
Picture: Valerie Everett
(2007, CC BY-SA 2.0)
Speaking 'Ever So' (1960s)
Female 21-30
I think there's a great number try to be 'ever so', more than are 'ever so'. You find the ones who have been 'ever so' all their lives are quite pleasant to talk to ...
Picture: Adam Piggott
(2010, CC BY 2.0)
Football, Pigeons and Pigs (1960s)
Male 61-70
I used to like football ... I started to play for the scout team. I got a medal there. I thought "I'll get pigeons" ... I got interested in them, so on the Saturday, well, I couldn't play football for looking after pigeons ...
Picture: A. Evans
(2010, CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Memories of the War: cold beds, lino and igloos (1990s)
Female 51-60 & Female 51-60
I can remember lying in my bed in the War and waking up so cold that I couldn't straighten my knees ... and then I used to get up in the morning, went to the lino ... eeh it was, eh, oh, they don't know they're born ...
