The Ceredigion Oral History Project

The Ceredigion Oral History Project aims to collect an archive of personal testimonies from people who are living witnesses to the twentieth century. Open to everyone who has lived and worked within Mid-Wales, the project seeks to create a lasting resource dedicated to the community, culture and language of this historic county. Organised through the Centre for Historiography and Historical Cultures in the Department of History and Welsh History, this audio archive offers an unparalleled learning resource for the University and public. A variety of topics and themes will grow to form a unique collection of recordings generated by undergraduates engaged in research directly contributing to their degree.

Oral history offers a rare glimpse into the lives of ordinary people. Yet, these recordings also offer firsthand accounts of the changes that have swept Britain within living memory. Exciting and rewarding, oral history encourages people of different ages, gender, and backgrounds to reach out to those around them. Sharing in the co-creation of archive recordings allows students and narrators to develop a deeper appreciation of their own, and their community’s relation to history. By talking to older generations we surpass the limited horizons of our own lifetime, and in so doing gain perspective upon the past. We at the Centre for Historiography and Historical Cultures sincerely hope that by encouraging research into local and oral history, a greater awareness and understanding may be forged between Aberystwyth University and the population of Ceredigion.