Parwich & District Local History Society

Oral History

The Oral History Group has been working on a less formalised basis  talking with some of the more senior members of the village who may have lived here since birth or for many years and who have a wealth of knowledge about the village and what it was like in their childhood.  This has been a most fascinating and rewarding avenue of research as the results of it will show as recorded in the Society's Newsletter in the following articles:-

Extracts from 1950's    Issue 6, page 4
More from 1950's    Issue 7, page 6

Any of the residents or former residents of the village who would like to participate in this research would be most welcome.  It can been done either in your own home, or around the fire at the Sycamore Inn over a draught of ale, or around the kitchen table over a cup of coffee or tea in the home of one of the Group members.  Do get in touch either by Emailing the Website Editor.

Since this page was first published the Society have published a book Voices: Women of a White Peak Village Compiled and edited by Gillian Radcliffe, which tells of the changing lives of women in the Peak District village of Parwich over the last one hundred years. Told in people's own words, it grew out of a number of extensive interviews Gill undertook, when preparing a display on domestic life for an exhibition held in 2002.  This mosaic of extracts creates a vivid picture of a community in relation to universal themes, such as the changing seasons, childhood, courtship, wartime, work and old age.  The photographs bring the text alive, and the voices, including those of the children of the village, join together in celebrating a community that thrives despite the threat of rising houses prices and the changing rural economy.  Its production was supported by an Awards for All grant.  For further details refer to the bookstall.

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