Stonesfield Voices
Lindsey Thornton had a cassette tape of interviews and carried out some on-line research during lockdown. Lindsey discovered that these were recording from BBC Radio Oxford from a series called ‘People and Places’ on Stonesfield, recorded in May 1987. Mickie Taylor of Hats Off Studios, Stonesfield has kindly transferred the cassette recording onto digital.
The details of the interviews are:
- George and Ted Laughton: Farming family since the mid 1800s. The village in the 1920s. The slate industry, a life, workers digging in narrow passageways or adits, with candles. Collecting old farm implements, hoping to start a small museum with these and slaters’ tools.
- Richard Chancellor: Chair of Stonesfield Society. History of the village, the slate industry and why it declined, the Friendly Society, founded in 1765, a forerunner of the Welfare State.
- Canon John Grimwade: The church and the congregation’s involvement with poorer parishes in East London and overseas. The village school.
- Jean Hall: The Women’s Institute branch and assistant in the village shop.
- Dominic Hamerton: Describes his cycle ride from John o’Groats to Land’s End in aid of leukaemia research.
- Avis Ushaw: Chair of the Parish Council, as was her father. Old village family. How village is kept clean and tidy.