About us

AROHA was initiated by Lisa Savijn of the Aberdeen City Council Oral History Unit, David Atherton, then Cultural Services Education Officer with the City and Hugo Manson of the University of Aberdeen in 2003. The inaugural meeting of the Association was held in November of that year at the Aberdeen Central Library. Since then, a number of presentations and training workshops have taken place in different parts of Aberdeen and the surrounding region. Fiona-Jane Brown was one of the first speakers for AROHA and helped maintain the website, as well as setting up AROHA's own concert party, A Scots Handsel, which celebrates Scotland's oral culture in music, song and story.

David Atherton (Chairman)

Though I have always had a fascination for the past, I found my way into oral history almost by accident! I was appointed as the Cultural Services Education Officer in Aberdeen City, a post that encompassed both arts development work and gallery & museums education, but in addition and out of ‘councilular’ necessity had a reminiscences project attached to it! Ten years later it proved to be one of the most exciting and naturally rewarding parts of the whole job! My own training and experience is primarily in the arts and education; I studied Fine Art at both Manchester Polytechnic and the Slade School of Art (University College, London) adding a teaching qualification to the degrees through work with the ILEA. I continue to exhibit my work in Britain and abroad, and have undertaken residences in Britain, Hungary and Austria as a painter/printmaker. I have taught in Higher Education (at various colleges including Canterbury College of Art) and Adult Education (at a number of London Adult Institutes), working with both Primary and Secondary pupils/students through the cultural education services in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. David is currently the Arts Education Officer (Creative Links) for Aberdeenshire Council.

Fiona-Jane Brown (Vice-Chair)

I'm a local quine, brought up in Peterhead, and now living and working in Aberdeen. My first foray into oral history was interviewing my grandparents for my hospital radio show in Peterhead back in 1994. My academic background is History and English literature, with a bit of Gaelic thrown in for good measure. I've always loved stories, writing them, and telling them, so it isn't surprising that I should now be associated with AROHA. I met Lisa through reading about her Food project in the local paper, and discovered a fellow enthusiast for other people's stories. I gained an M.Litt. (with distinction) in Ethnology & Folklore from the Elphinstone Institute in 2005, and am now researching the beliefs in Scottish fishing communities for my PhD, which involves quite a bit of oral history! I was involved with the Formartine Project as Oral History Project Officer, and am now employed on a part-time basis by Grampian Police as their new Force Museum Curator.

Lisa Savijn

I joined Aberdeen City Council as the Oral History Officer in 2003. Although my academic background is the medieval period, my personal interest in the social and political backdrop to World War II led me into this particular branch of history. I have never looked back and greatly value the privilege of speaking to people whose personal experiences and memories of their time literally do bring history to life. One of the most cherished experiences I have had in this post is getting to know Aberdeen City through the eyes of those people who were born here and have seen its evolution through most of the Twentieth Century. Lisa, Mrs Ingram these days, has now moved to Wales with her husband James, her son Peter and daughter Daisy.

Dr Hugo Manson

Hugo Manson, a New Zealander living in Aberdeen since 2000, has been working as an oral historian for the last 25 years and was co-founder of the New Zealand Oral History Archive (now the Oral History Centre in the Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington). He has worked on many major oral history projects, most recently on an oral history of the UK North Sea oil and gas industry. Hugo is now employed by UHI working on various oral history projects. He recently completed one on the island of Gigha.

Local Oral History Projects

Aberdeen City Council Oral History Unit

Aberdeen City CouncilThe Oral History Unit (City Council) has been running for over ten years and has worked with groups and individuals throughout the city to record and preserve the memories and history of our community.

Since taking over the role of Oral History Officer in 2005, Arlene Forman has promoted many new projects.

Crombie Woollen Mill, Grandholm, Aberdeen

Arlene interviewed a number of people about their association with the former Crombie Woollen Mill at Grandholm in Aberdeen. These interviews cover a variety of topics which relate to the mill site. Former employees were interviewed about their work at the mill, and this covered a variety of skills needed for the production of this cloth. The Oral History Officer tried to ensure that each department within the mill had an interview representing it, and telling of the trades and skills needed for their part in the completion of this high quality cloth.

The mill site covered a vast area of land, and so former tenants of the mill were also interviewed. In order to secure a Crombie house a member of the family had normally to be employed by the mill. This fact is often mentioned in these interviews. Other people were interviewed about their association with the mill and in her capacity as Oral History Officer, Arlene met a variety of people who told their stories. This might have been about a close relative who worked there, or in one instance about the Weavers Association of the Seven Incorporated Trades of Aberdeen.

Each interview was transcribed and used for a DVD book which was produced and launched at the end of the project. In addition to the oral history work done on this topic, the Community Arts Development Team at WhiteSpace organized for a photographic session in Aberdeen Art Gallery. Members of the public were invited to take along their items of Crombie clothing, and these were photographed by a professional photographer. These have been stored along with the other material gathered for this project. Some of the early interview transcripts were used in the production of a play. This was performed by Donbank Primary School, Aberdeen and the film of this was premiered at the Belmont Cinema, Aberdeen.

The Oral History of Aberdeen’s Food

After a press appeal by the City Council, begun by Lisa and continued by Arlene, members of the public sent in their stories and recipes relating to food. In addition to this the Oral History Officer interviewed a number of groups and individuals about their memories of food. Some people recalled their mother’s favourite recipe whilst others told of their work in the food industry. The Community Arts Development Team at WhiteSpace used the oral history work for the basis of artwork they did with children’s groups throughout the city.

From this work a book was produced entitled The Oral History of Aberdeen’s Food.

Northfield Times

During 2007 a one off newspaper was circulated to all the residents of the Northfield area. This was produced by WhiteSpace the City Arts Development Team to celebrate Northfield’s 50th birthday. Oral history interviews were the basis for the majority of articles within this newspaper.

Originally the hub of the area had been the local church, where people had gathered to worship, but to also met and mingle with their new neighbours. People’s memories of this were recorded for the project and also of the various clubs ran from the church. In addition to this, people also spoke about their new homes which had been created in Northfield.

Northfield isn’t only a housing estate, and so people were also interviewed about their work in the area. From these interviews, Arlene heard about such organisations as the Royal Oberserver Corps, and Hall & Tawse the Aberdeen building company. To help them relax the inhabitants of Northfield also built up a fine golf club, and a thriving junior football club, which although only a few years old in expanding at an amazing rate.

The artwork within this newspaper was done by the children of Northfield area at some of the many projects carried out by the WhiteSpace Arts Development Team.

Mastrick

The Mastrick area of Aberdeen was also celebrating their 50th birthday and for this a number of recorded interviews were carried out at the local Community Centre. This material was used at the Centre for the enjoyment of their members.

Torry Oral History

Arlene was asked by Archaeological Department of Aberdeen City Council to undertake an oral history of the Torry area. For this, a number of group sessions were set up in one of the sheltered homes of the area. At these sessions small groups of residents recalled their early lives living in Torry. In addition to this, one to one interviews were also conducted and the information from all of these sources is to be used in a leaflet expected to be produced during 2009 by Aberdeen City Council.

Duthie Park

During 2008 the Duthie Park in Aberdeen celebrated its 125th birthday. For this, Arlene interviewed a number of people about their memories of the park. Many people recalled their weekend leisure time there, whilst others told stories of playing cricket at the park and of their ambition to play on the ground kept especially for the First Grade Teams. The Duthie Park is often associated with the wonderful flower arrangements that have won the City the Britain in Bloom competition on a number of occasions. One of the gardeners from the Park was interviewed about his apprenticeship there, and also about the work the team carried out in order to ensure this prize was often won for Aberdeen.

The recorded interviews for this project were edited, and these sections were played during the birthday celebrations on 14th September, 2008.

Holocaust Memorial Day

Holocaust Memorial Day 2009 is to take place on 27th January. For this Arlene is interviewing a number of people regarding their story which is in line with this year’s theme of “Stand up to hatred”. Edited sections of these recordings are to be played during the Memorial Day in the Cowdray Hall.

Other Work

Whilst participating in these projects, members of the public have been happy to allow the City the use of their personal photographs. Therefore Arlene has scanned a used a number of these images and used them for the purpose they were loaned for.

In addition to these projects, as Oral History Officer, Arlene has recorded other one off interviews on a variety of subjects. This material is presently being stored at Aberdeen Art Gallery

Previous Projects

During Lisa Savijn's time as Oral History Officer, aided by David Atherton and Trevor Davies, within the city as a whole, the Oral History unit produced several large-scale oral history books:

  • Far Wis Ye When The Sireen Blew?
  • We're Far Fae Hame Now
  • Work, Welfare and the Price Of Fish
  • The Backie Washhouse Sauna
  • Auld Torry: O' Fish And Fowk

Working with smaller groups, usually self-appointed groups within community centres or housing complexes, the council have produced many smaller books that have concentrated on particular areas within Aberdeen:

  • Woodside Nae Mair
  • Here's Tae Us, Faa's Like Us
  • Frae A The Airts To Haudagain
  • A Richt Bourachie O Fowk
  • From Stockethill And Back Again
  • No Way To Live

Also a book of short stories and poems written by local writers and inspired by art, reminiscence and everyday occurrences in Aberdeen:

  • Whigmaleeries: A Word In Your Lug

The oral history unit has an extensive archive of World War II reminiscence, including photographs, recordings and written accounts, memories of local industries such as granite, the mills and of course the fishing industry.

Independent Projects

The Formartine Oral History Project

Lead by Fiona-Jane Brown between 2006 and 2007, this was an HLF project which was supported both by AROHA and the Formartine Partnership, (a rural partnership with links to Aberdeenshire Council) where a dozen local groups in the Formartine area of Aberdeenshire - from Balmedie and Belhelvie to Turriff and everywhere in between - set out to record interviews on a number of subjects including the changes in rural life across two generations and the native Doric dialect. The project resulted in 96 interviews being gathered in total, a third more than originally planned. Sets of the interviews are available on CD at Turriff, Ellon and Oldmeldrum Libraries, as well as the three Academies in those areas. Everyone interviewed also received a copy of their interview as a thank-you for their contribution.

The archive was launched in April 2008 and the groups, including Turriff, Methlick and Meldrum Heritage Society, Barthol Chapel Community Association, Woodhead & Windyhills Community Trust, Collieston Over 60s group, Turriff and Ellon Academies have been so inspired by the oral history work that they have been offered the opportunity to continue to make use of the recording equipment provided by the Partnership through the Lottery funding. Methlick and Meldrum are already reporting new interviews they are carrying out for their own group archives.

The Project is detailed online at http://formartine.pbwiki.com where you can hear clips of some interviews, view the summaries and index, and find out more about accessing a treasure of great stories and reminiscences

Lives in the Oil Industry

This project was lead by Hugo Manson. Oil Lives Oral History Project was one of the biggest projects of its kind comprises life history interviews with nearly two hundred people throughout Scotland, the Northern Isles, the UK and beyond. The sound recordings from the project are available to researchers through the University of Aberdeen and the Sound Archive at the British Library in London. As well as documenting the oil and gas industry, the recorded tapes - some seven hundred hours in all - contain valuable information about Aberdeen and the North East of Scotland for the use of researchers now and in the future.

Full details about Lives in the Oil Industry can be found at www.abdn.ac.uk/oillives