Oral History Project
The romance, the intrigue, the heartache and the triumphs of Armadale's yesteryear are being captured on tape and transcript as part of an oral history project currently underway at the Birtwistle Local Studies Library.
Everyone has a story to tell - that's why the City of Armadale is using 'oral history' as a method of obtaining and preserving the history of the district.
The oral history program has been operating since 2004 and is coordinated by City of Armadale Historian/Local Studies Librarian, Lorraine Pearce. A team of 11 volunteers conduct and transcribe interviews so that they can be made available in written form.
Excerpts from selected interviews are now available in digital form below. The excerpts are sure to whet your appetite and are great for research purposes.
- Molly McGurk talks about receiving the Order of Australia Medal awarded in recognition of her achievements in music (new)
- Kim Fletcher shares his father's experiences as a local Armadale policeman, including the story of the capture of an escaped rapist
- Betty Ayres talking about using outside toilet facilities.
- John Christmass describes the shops in Kelmscott and Armadale in the early 1970s
- Colin Hatfield discussing his idea to build the Roleystone Drive-In and where he obtained the land
- Althea Macri shares the story about how food coupons were used during World War 2
- Joe Bavich telling the story of his father's wine making
- Bert Tyler explains why he established the Bert Tyler Machinery Museum and his reasons for handing it over to the City of Armadale
- Margaret Bettenay speaking about Ivor T. Birtwistle
- Salvatore is describing the differences in dating an Italian girl in the 'old days'
- Brian Powell speaks about his experiences as a boy scout
- Peter Meyrick retired City of Armadale Manager for Environmental Health talking about priorities in Health Services in the
mid 1990s - Madge Hill speaking about Living in Armadale as an Aboriginal and her children's involvement in sport
- Linton Reynolds talks about some of the work involved in being City of Armadale Mayor
- Joanne Harris on the changes she’s seen in Armadale since growing up here in the 1960s
Full interviews and transcripts are available at the Birtwistle Local Studies Library.