Notes on Oral History Group Meeting Friday 12th November 2004 at Chequers.

1) Present: Des Mansfield, Sheila Mansfield, Philip Meredith, Val Tunbridge and Heather Woodward. Unable to attend Jan Comerford, Michael Harte, Sue Head, Madilyn Meredith and John Northover

2) Matters Arising:
a) The Harold Meech i/v is now with Peter Collins. Transcription pending
b) i/v list updated with forthcoming dates inserted.
c) Des circulated typed instructions for recording machine
d) Mrs. Skilton’s i/v has been amended and is now to be finally typed. Val is now to i/v Tony and Joan Griffin and thereafter Mr Podger. Heather will be i/ving Roy Reed.
e) Map would be available if we are interested. Could be lent to someone. Philip will follow this up for us. (3)

3) Current i/vs List updated and amended:
a) Some people don’t want to be recorded. Interviewers must watch time on 2½ hour mini-disk because machine doesn’t indicate when it is finished. Important that there is less of interviewer and more of interviewee during the i/v. Important that microphone is nearer interviewee than interviewer.
b) Should we target specific focus with some people? Yes. People not born in Wadhurst can be useful. Target focus would avoid too much overlap of information and also eliminate irrelevant information not related to Wadhurst. Focus all i/vs on Wadhurst. Added bonus – less transcription required.
c) Mistakes?: recorded mistakes can have later amendments from interviewee added in square brackets. Similarly if interviewer knows there is a mistake, the correct info can be put into square brackets. If it is a matter of opinion or information which is contradicted by someone else’s i/v - "but refer also to i/v with J.Bloggs 004/OH/00?" could be put in square brackets.
d) Names: Mrs. Young: daughter-in-law, Hilary, has contacted Des – papers with her. Des will ‘phone Hilary or Colin and ask about documents etc. Pearl Jones: difficult to pin down. Jan will try once more.
e) To be added to list: Gerald Gadd, Mrs. Crowhurst, Barry Luck, Walter Podger, Daphne Ward, Rex Baldock (suggested by Roy Reed), Nora Manktelow. f) Des or someone to provide a finalised transcript to complete his OH file.

4) Technology and Developments:
a) Foot-control is with Peta Adam-Smith to see if it works for a competent typist. Philip is going to try out voice-recognition programme from a mini-disk. Des will record something for him.
b) Des has instructed Heather on the recording process.
c) All still concerned about slowness of knowing where the process is as regards recording and transcribing. MH will be able to tell us when he has the CDs back and that will keep us au fait with progress. Major drive needed to find potential typists (AGM report).

5) OH input to AGM: = Update and Explanation (Heather)
a) General Introduction: who in group, self-contained, statistics explained.
b) What we do and have done. Remind people of confidentiality to the Wadhurst Twinning Association archives – some oral some written. Happy to be published and sign an agreement. Interviewee given transcript which they have the right to edit/correct and must edit. I/viewing usually very interesting. It’s been a steep learning curve. Using trigger questions and comments rather than list of questions.
c) Problems
d) Key Words evolving. Request for all groups to contribute to list.
e) Potential end-products
f) Pleas: for typists, if anyone comes to mind for potential i/v, tell one of us.

6) A.O.B.
a) On BBC TV recently, another film on hop-picking. Joan Griffin now has copy of it. Val will also ask for a copy from the BBC.
b) By next meeting everyone to have recorded or written another i/v.

7) Next meeting: Friday 28th January 2005 at 10 am at Chequers, Stone Cross Road, Wadhurst (783212).