York Gate Heritage Project - Oral Histories
Title
York Gate Heritage Project - Oral Histories
Description
A group of volunteers recorded interviews with people who knew the Spencer family or visited York Gate Garden during their lifetime. Transcriptions have been made of the recordings and a document containing extracts from these can be found in this collection. The full transcripts of the interviews can also be seen, and audio files are also available to listen to.
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Collection Items
Extracts from Oral History Interviews - YGA01947
Extracts from interviews carried out with 36 people who knew the Spencer family, or York Gate Garden during their lifetime.
Interview with Tony Bedford - YGA01982
Interview with Tony Bedford who was a friend of Robin from school days; Sybil’s accountant; attended and hosted dinner parties; and suggested to Sybil that she leave York Gate to the Gardeners Royal Benevolent Society.
(Transcript written from…
(Transcript written from…
Interview with Biddy Marshall - YGA01983
Recording and transcript of an interview with Biddy Marshall, former county organiser for the National Gardens Scheme, who knew Sybil well. She talks about her memories of the garden and amateur dramatic performances held there.
Interview With Brenda Bedford - YGA01984
Recorded Interview with Brenda Bedford, wife of Tony Bedford, Robin’s friend and Sybil’s accountant; attended and hosted dinner parties (audio file and transcript)
Interview With Ann Fergus - YGA01985
Recording and transcript of an interview with Ann Fergus. Her father gave Robin a pampas grass cutting. See YGA01709 for a picture of the pampass grass at York Gate
Interview With Ann Philpott - YGA01986
Recording and transcript of an interview with Ann Philpott, a frequent visitor to York Gate to buy duck eggs and see the garden
Interview with Anne Wivell - YGA01987
Recording and transcript of an interview with Anne Wivell who attended Sybil’s open days and the evening events that followed; memories of Sybil include when she had her portrait painted.
Interview with Ann Lightman - YGA01988
Recording and transcript of an interview with Ann Lightman, a volunteer at York Gate
Interview with Brian Latty - YGA01989
Recording and transcript of an interview with Brian Latty a school friend of Robin, he went with the Spencers to an opera in the Grand Theatre in his early teens.
Interview with Dr Layinka M Swinburne - YGA01990
Recording and transcript of an interview with Dr Layinka M Swinburne who visited York Gate to buy duck eggs; became friendly with Sybil and gave her plants from her own garden.