Oral history of British science
Number of items in collection: 1685
Short description:
Recordings in this collection can be played by anyone.
In this unique collection of biographical interviews scientists, engineers and technologists reflect on their early life and background, their career and their involvement in the course of UK science in the twentieth century. Many of the interviews were undertaken as part of the project An Oral History of British Science, a national collection of interviews with over 100 leading UK scientists and engineers, telling the stories of some of the most remarkable scientific and engineering discoveries of the past century as well as the personal stories of each individual. Over 1000 hours of unedited interviews are made available in full on this website, while the Voices of Science web resource offers curated access to audio and video highlights from the interviews organised by theme, discipline and interviewee.
Oral history recordings provide valuable first-hand testimony of the past. The views and opinions expressed in oral history interviews are those of the interviewees, who describe events from their own perspective. The interviews are historical documents and their language, tone and content might in some cases reflect attitudes that could cause offence in today’s society.
Long description:
Recordings in this collection can be played by anyone.
In this unique collection of biographical interviews scientists, engineers and technologists reflect on their early life and background, their career and their involvement in the course of UK science in the twentieth century. Many of the interviews were undertaken as part of the project An Oral History of British Science, a national collection of interviews with over 100 leading UK scientists and engineers, telling the stories of some of the most remarkable scientific and engineering discoveries of the past century as well as the personal stories of each individual. Over 1000 hours of unedited interviews are made available in full on this website, while the Voices of Science web resource offers curated access to audio and video highlights from the interviews organised by theme, discipline and interviewee.
Oral history recordings provide valuable first-hand testimony of the past. The views and opinions expressed in oral history interviews are those of the interviewees, who describe events from their own perspective. The interviews are historical documents and their language, tone and content might in some cases reflect attitudes that could cause offence in today’s society.
This collection of interviews includes life-story recordings with Max Perutz (molecular biologist who made significant advances in the study of haemoglobin), Joseph Rotblat (nuclear physicist who worked on the early development of the atomic bomb and a founding member of the Pugwash conferences), Stephanie Shirley (entrepreneur, computer scientist and philanthropist) and Joseph Farman (geophysicist who discovered the ‘ozone hole’ using instruments called Dobson Spectrometers).
In May 2013 National Life Stories began a new oral history project entitled Inspiring Scientists: Diversity in British Science, in partnership with the Royal Society Diversity Programme. Inspiring Scientists has recorded the life stories of British scientists with minority ethnic heritage. Interviewees range from Professors to PhD students and the focus on science is wide, covering academia, big industry and individual entrepreneurship.
Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum is a multidisciplinary research project funded by the Templeton Religion Trust investigating the social and cultural contexts of public perceptions of relations between ‘science’ and ‘religion’ across all faiths and none. This project is a collaboration between An Oral History of British Science, led by National Life Stories at the British Library, and Science and Religion: Exploring the Spectrum led by York University, Toronto and the Centre for Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society, Newman University, Birmingham. These recordings can be accessed by clicking on ‘Science and Religion’ option from the below drop down Subject menu.
What the interviews tell us
One-to-one oral history interviews explore memories and recount narratives rarely found elsewhere. Personal testimony fills knowledge gaps, provides new insights, challenges stereotypical views, and overturns orthodoxies.
These recordings reveal collective memory, individual agency, gender, skill, influence and intentionality. Shifting consumer and educational trends and debates emerge alongside the impact of changing technologies, techniques and political context.
Ethical use of oral history
The interviewees have been generous in sharing their memories - often traumatic, confidential and intimate - and listeners are asked to treat this material with respect and sensitivity.
- Recordings should be analysed and presented in context, so that the interviewee’s meaning is not misconstrued.
- Quotations and audio clips should be referenced as, for example: “Interview with Charles Swithinbank by Paul Merchant, December 2009 – February 2010, An Oral History of British Science project, reference C1379/03 track xx, British Library Sound Archive”.
Each interviewee whose recording appears on this site has assigned copyright to The British Library Board and given their consent for the recording to be used for educational study. We have made every effort to contact all the interviewees and inform them about this project. However should any participant wish to discuss their involvement they should contact the Curator for Oral History at the British Library Sound Archive (oralhistory@bl.uk)
Oral history at the British Library
The interviews on this site are a small selection from the many thousands held in the Oral History section of the British Library. These recordings go back over 100 years and cover many facets of life in Britain.
Many interviews were gathered through National Life Stories, an externally-funded unit within the Library established in 1987 to “record first-hand experiences of as wide a cross-section of present-day society as possible”.
All recordings on this site are governed by licence agreements.