Arts & Culture
The Box Oral History Project
The Box Oral History Project
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Year
2023
Year
2023
Year
2023
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Industry
History
Industry
History
Industry
History
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Intro
Launched in September 2023, The Box Plymouth’s Oral History project was commissioned by the ‘High Street Sparks’ programme, part of Plymouth’s wider High Street Heritage Action Zone. Led by The Hundred Hands, the project collects, preserves and shares the personal stories of residents, shopkeepers and community members who have witnessed the city centre’s transformation over the decades.
Objective
The aim was to capture Plymouth’s living memory and celebrate its post-war heritage by creating a permanent archive of interviews. By documenting the voices of those who have shaped the high street, the project honours local identity and provides a valuable educational resource for future generations.
Challenge
Documenting personal history demands sensitivity, trust and attention to detail. Interviews were conducted in places of personal significance, such as family homes and places of work, to put participants at ease and create a sense of place. The challenge was to balance technical quality with the intimacy required to make contributors feel respected and heard. Our role was to listen, rather than instruct. We wanted to capture uninterrupted storytelling to retain authenticity, in keeping with oral traditions.
Result
We produced two short documentaries: one exploring the high street’s transformation and wartime legacy, and the other capturing the evolving narrative of nightlife. Interviewees included well-known business owners such as Larry Speare (carpets and beds) and John Lawson of Lawsons Hardware, alongside a local photographer, an engineer and a theatre runner. Together, the films form part of The Box’s growing archive of Plymouth's cultural memory and paint a vivid portrait of the city’s resilience and character.
Latest Projects
Arts & Culture
The Box Oral History Project
The Box Oral History Project
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Year
2023
Year
2023
Year
2023
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Industry
History
Industry
History
Industry
History
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Intro
Launched in September 2023, The Box Plymouth’s Oral History project was commissioned by the ‘High Street Sparks’ programme, part of Plymouth’s wider High Street Heritage Action Zone. Led by The Hundred Hands, the project collects, preserves and shares the personal stories of residents, shopkeepers and community members who have witnessed the city centre’s transformation over the decades.
Objective
The aim was to capture Plymouth’s living memory and celebrate its post-war heritage by creating a permanent archive of interviews. By documenting the voices of those who have shaped the high street, the project honours local identity and provides a valuable educational resource for future generations.
Challenge
Documenting personal history demands sensitivity, trust and attention to detail. Interviews were conducted in places of personal significance, such as family homes and places of work, to put participants at ease and create a sense of place. The challenge was to balance technical quality with the intimacy required to make contributors feel respected and heard. Our role was to listen, rather than instruct. We wanted to capture uninterrupted storytelling to retain authenticity, in keeping with oral traditions.
Result
We produced two short documentaries: one exploring the high street’s transformation and wartime legacy, and the other capturing the evolving narrative of nightlife. Interviewees included well-known business owners such as Larry Speare (carpets and beds) and John Lawson of Lawsons Hardware, alongside a local photographer, an engineer and a theatre runner. Together, the films form part of The Box’s growing archive of Plymouth's cultural memory and paint a vivid portrait of the city’s resilience and character.
Latest Projects
Arts & Culture
The Box Oral History Project
The Box Oral History Project
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Two short documentaries preserving Plymouth’s high street and nightlife through stories from business owners, artists, and community figures.
Year
2023
Year
2023
Year
2023
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Client
The Box, Plymouth's award-winning museum, art gallery and archive
Industry
History
Industry
History
Industry
History
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Project Duration
5 weeks
Intro
Launched in September 2023, The Box Plymouth’s Oral History project was commissioned by the ‘High Street Sparks’ programme, part of Plymouth’s wider High Street Heritage Action Zone. Led by The Hundred Hands, the project collects, preserves and shares the personal stories of residents, shopkeepers and community members who have witnessed the city centre’s transformation over the decades.
Objective
The aim was to capture Plymouth’s living memory and celebrate its post-war heritage by creating a permanent archive of interviews. By documenting the voices of those who have shaped the high street, the project honours local identity and provides a valuable educational resource for future generations.
Challenge
Documenting personal history demands sensitivity, trust and attention to detail. Interviews were conducted in places of personal significance, such as family homes and places of work, to put participants at ease and create a sense of place. The challenge was to balance technical quality with the intimacy required to make contributors feel respected and heard. Our role was to listen, rather than instruct. We wanted to capture uninterrupted storytelling to retain authenticity, in keeping with oral traditions.
Result
We produced two short documentaries: one exploring the high street’s transformation and wartime legacy, and the other capturing the evolving narrative of nightlife. Interviewees included well-known business owners such as Larry Speare (carpets and beds) and John Lawson of Lawsons Hardware, alongside a local photographer, an engineer and a theatre runner. Together, the films form part of The Box’s growing archive of Plymouth's cultural memory and paint a vivid portrait of the city’s resilience and character.