Oral History

oral-history-bristolThe Museum has an outstanding collection of oral history interviews gathered over the last forty years. Many are with dockers, mariners and families that lived close to the Harbour. Most of these were collected by playwright A.C.H. Smith for use in writing his play ‘Up The Feeder Down The Mouth’. They give a tremendous flavour of life in the Harbour when it was a commercial port. Some are not suitable for small children or the squeamish!

The ones here are a taster. Why not think about generating your own oral histories and collecting those of friends and family?

Dockers were also renowned for the colourful language and quick-wit, reflected in some of the nicknames given to colleagues.

Interactive map

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