The interviews were intended as a source of primary historical information, but the recordings also have great value with regards to the study of spoken English and regional dialects. This value is enhanced by the inclusion of information about the place of origin of interviewees' parents and about the geographical and social movements of interviewees.
With what weight the secondary analyst uses the three components of the archive, the sound recordings, the complete transcripts, and the thematic segments, depends upon his or her purpose, for example life histories or single areas of experience.
The tapes and transcripts from 'Family Life and Work Experience before 1918' were archived as the Oral History Archive at the University of Essex in 1973. In 1996, Qualidata facilitated the transfer of the tapes to the British Library's National Sound Archive. The original transcripts, including the cut and pasted thematic segments, remain accessible at the University of Essex.
Access is by appointment only and is free to bona fide researchers. Access to the transcripts can be arranged by contacting Qualidata and to the tapes by contacting the British Library's National Sound Archive at the addresses below:
For the individual and thematically coded transcripts (paper and micro-fiche):
Qualidata
University of Essex
Wivenhoe Park
Colchester
Essex CO4 3SQ
Tel: +44 1206 873058
Email: qualidata@esds.ac.uk
For the tapes and individual transcripts (micro-fiche):
National Sound Archive
Curator of Oral History
29 Exhibition Road
London SW7 2AS
Tel: +44 20 7412 7440
Email: nsa@bl.uk
In addition you may wish to consult Qualidata's Re-Using Data web pages.
