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  1. Explore
  2. 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.

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      1. Kathleen Perkins Holidays

        Track_01.mp3
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      2. Paul Ross Park Keepers and Scouts

        Track_02.mp3
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      3. Dorothy Ludlow The Morris Dancers 

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      4. Roger Phipps Cross Country Running 

        Track_04.mp3
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      5. Nigel Lloyd Warley Woods Pacers 

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      6. Sharon Williamson Fallen Tree 

        Track_06.mp3
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      7. Kate Slade Santa

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      8. Jim Haycock Courting 

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      9. Beryl Paramore Courting 

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      10. Roger Phipps Sledging 

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      11. Bernard Cox Sledging 

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      12. Joy Ricketts Sledging 

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      13. Nigel Lloyd Sledging 

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      14. Robert Jones Sledging accident 

        Track_14.mp3
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      15. Alan Reynolds Sledging 

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      16. David Gray The Icehouse 

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      17. Steve Cemm The fence 

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      18. Anthea Kirk Near the Abbey 

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      19. Robert Jones Inside the Abbey 

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      20. Derek Ward Inside the Abbey 

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      21. Anthea Atherton Inside the Abbey Clubhouse 

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      22. Peter Munn Inside the Abbey 

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      23. Jack Yates Inside the Abbey 

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      24. Keith Hutchinson The Pool  

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      25. Paul Ross The Rose Garden 

        Track_25.mp3
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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.  

    Published: 30th April, 2018

    Updated: 22nd May, 2020

    Author:

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    Warley Woods Community Trust
    The Pavilion,
    101 Lightwoods Hill,
    Smethwick
    West Midlands
    B67 5ED

    +44 (0)121 420 1061 office
    +44 (0)121 429 2440 shop and golf
    [email protected]

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