Explore Our history An oral history of Warley Woods Ever since Warley Woods Community Trust began managing Warley Woods in 2004, people have been coming into the Trust’s office sharing their memories. It became clear that people wanted to share them and that these fascinating stories should be recorded for others to hear. This was the impetus behind planning this oral history project and we were keen to ensure we recorded as many memories as we could. The Community Trust has been able to undertake this project thanks to the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. Their grant provided funding for training, equipment and professional support with sound editing, video production and transcribing. Beginning in February 2012 with the first training course for interviewers, our volunteers have been out and about around the area responding to people who offered stories for our collection. Thirty-nine people have shared the part that Warley Woods has played in their lives and their stories span from the 1920s to the present day. A book of these stories has been published by Warley Woods Community Trust which is available at the shop at The Pavilion, Lightwoods Hill. We think it does paint a fabulous picture of experiences and detail which ordinary history books could never tell. Part of this project involved the students of two local schools: Abbey Junior School and St Gregory’s Catholic Primary School. In spring and summer 2013 Julia Letts of the Oral History Society visited the schools over a number of weeks, training the students in how to be good interviewers. The students then interviewed seven local residents about their memories of Warley Woods on camera, filmed by a professional film company, Scraggy Dog. The book and DVD can be bought at The Shop at the Pavilion or in our online shop. The book includes a CD with some of the stories we recorded. If you love Warley Woods, its history and care for its future, please support the Community Trust with a donation. [DonationAmounts/4b9c4ed6-d4cc-41b8-9442-29bbf0d31f35] Kathleen Perkins Holidays Track_01.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Paul Ross Park Keepers and ScoutsTrack_02.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Dorothy Ludlow The Morris Dancers Track_03.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Roger Phipps Cross Country Running Track_04.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Nigel Lloyd Warley Woods Pacers Track_05.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Sharon Williamson Fallen Tree Track_06.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Kate Slade SantaTrack_07.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Jim Haycock Courting Track_08.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Beryl Paramore Courting Track_09.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Roger Phipps Sledging Track_10.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Bernard Cox Sledging Track_11.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Joy Ricketts Sledging Track_12.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Nigel Lloyd Sledging Track_13.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Robert Jones Sledging accident Track_14.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Alan Reynolds Sledging Track_15.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file David Gray The Icehouse Track_16.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Steve Cemm The fence Track_17.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Anthea Kirk Near the Abbey Track_18.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Robert Jones Inside the Abbey Track_19.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Derek Ward Inside the Abbey Track_20.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Anthea Atherton Inside the Abbey Clubhouse Track_21.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Peter Munn Inside the Abbey Track_22.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Jack Yates Inside the Abbey Track_23.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Keith Hutchinson The Pool Track_24.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file Paul Ross The Rose Garden Track_25.mp3 Your browser does not support the audio element. Please click here to download the file We have reached the maximum number of sound clips for an individual webpage. You can find the rest of our sound stories on this second page. Manage Cookie Preferences