Oral history audio recordings of original residents born within existing towns and villages later designated as Milton Keynes (1904-1960).
People's History of Milton Keynes - Original Residents logo.
The ‘Peoples History of Milton Keynes’ project included approximately 324 Oral history interviews recorded by and on behalf of the Living Archive. This first selection of 22 interviews were recorded between April 2000 and December 2001 with original residents who were born within the area that would subsequently become known as Milton Keynes. The interviews in most part cover the interviewee’s reminiscences prior to the urbanisation and their thoughts on the subsequent changes.
Creator
Living Archive
Extent
22 audio tape cassettes
Reference number
PMK/001
Records in this Group
Ron Perry was born in Fenny Stratford and met his wife, who came from London when he was fifteen. They married in 1945 and were together for fifty three and a half years. He discusses Bletchley, Bletchley Park and Bradwell Village, the school farm. He refers to the decline of local farming and the last ...
Reg Westley has been a Wolverton Urban District Councillor. He discusses local politics and the effects that the coming of Milton Keynes had on the community.
Eric Brown was born in Bradwell and worked as a coach finisher at Aston Martin’s for 20 years until he purchased a newsagents in 1972. He talks about his childhood, growing up in the area before the development of Milton Keynes, mentioning the changes to the countryside and the effect of urbanisation on the area.
Gerald Stratton lived in Newport Pagnell all his life. He discusses his career path in the newspaper industry, beginning as a printer then progressing to reporter and editor on various papers. He also refers to the old cinema in Newport Pagnell, which has been replaced by shops. He is positive about the new Milton Keynes.
N.B. The sound quality of this interview is poor.
Monty Woollard was born in Stony Stratford, to a farming family. He describes life on a working farm, his childhood and education in Wolverton and then describes his farm work after an apprenticeship. After his parents sold their leather business in 1926, they bought him a ...
Kathleen Catalanotto was born in Bletchley. She discusses the changes that she has witnessed to the area and describes Bletchley’s place in new Milton Keynes.
Sheila Roberts talks about New Bradwell (where she was born) and Old Wolverton before the development of new Milton Keynes. She also mentions the changes that she has noticed to the local area.
Mr. and Mrs. Tucky both lived in New Bradwell as children. They talk about Milton Keynes before the new devlopment. Mr Tucky was a member of the Borough Council.
Henry Dewick was born into a local Milton Keynes family and has lived all of his life in the area. He talks about the confusion caused by naming the new development after the original Milton Keynes village. He also mentions how Wolverton residents disliked the Agora shopping centre.
Susan Sapwell has lived all of her life in New Bradwell and talks about life in the local area before the new Milton Keynes was built. She reflects upon the changes to the area since the re-development.
Alan Morris was born and grew up in Bletchley and talks about his childhood in the area before Milton Keynes was developed. He mentions the disappearance of the countryside, as well as other changes to the landscape due to urbanisation.
Valerie Gomman was born in the area. She discusses the loss of community spirit in the local villages and refers to the poor transport services, especially the bus service. She also describes her various jobs, which included cleaning and mid-wifery.
Lesley Moore was born in Wolverton, and her family lived in the villages in and around the area. She became a teacher, but later applied for a position as a community worker with Milton Keynes Development Corporation. She discusses her role of supporting new residents, working in collaboration with the arrivals workers. She describes ...
May Kearns was born in Old Wolverton, and both of her parents were also born locally. The family lived in Slated Row in Stony Stratford. She recalls her childhood, school days in Wolverton, and working at McCorquodales, the printers. Talking of the development of Milton Keynes, she refers to the gradual changes she saw in ...
Lesley Moore was born and brought up in Wolverton. She describes her various employment, including Hanslope Park, teaching and then social work with the Milton Keynes Development Corporation. She first heard of Milton Keynes’ development in the early 1970s when she was training as a teacher. She talks of her work as a ...
Interview with a male resident who has lived in the Milton Keynes area all his life.
The interviewee has requested that the content of this interview be used for educational purposes only.
The content of this interview may be accessed at the discretion of Living Archive
Pat Old was born in New Bradwell. She talks about her schooling, and shopping as a child, talking of the urban hierarchy – Bradwell, Wolverton, Stony Stratford. and going on the train to Woolworth’s in Newport Pagnell. She recalls some pop concerts she went to at the Palace Ballroom, Wolverton: Billy Fury, The Animals, ...
Colin Gear was born and brought up in Wolverton, and both he and his father worked in Wolverton Works. After being made redundant in 1970 he had difficulty finding work. He talks of how important the Works was to Wolverton, Stony Stratford and New Bradwell and remembers Wolverton when he was young: steam trams, ...
Linda Doherty was born in Milton Keynes village, lived and worked in London briefly then returned to MK village when her daughter was born; she moved to Newport Pagnell 30 years ago. She remembers her ‘idyllic childhood’ and talks of her grandfather’s and father’s lives in MK Village, and the old farming methods; she talks ...
Ray Bellchambers has lived in the area all his life. His local knowledge, from working on Newport Pagnell farms during the war, proved useful in the development of Milton Keynes. As a long-serving Councillor on Newport Pagnell Rural District Council, he was selected as one of the first two Local Authority representatives on the Milton ...
Sir Ralph Verney was Chairman of the Finance Committee of Bucks County Council when the Ministry of Housing proposed to build a new town for London overspill in North Buckinghamshire (in about 1964). He describes their initial plans to extend ‘Metroland’, in the Chilterns area, and how the County Council was able to convince the ...
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