Complete Archive

Oral history recordings of members of the Liverpool Jewish Community undertaken by Mr. Maurice Hesselberg during the 1980s and 1990s. Please see 296 OHR/3/1 for transcripts of some of the recordings. Further recording were undertaken by Mr Wolfman during the 1990s. Available online in the digital archive (Preservica).

'Our Story Liverpool': community history project managed by the Unity Theatre Oral history interviews: Eric born Margate 1936, George born Old Swan 1944 and Bob born Mold 1925 talk about the gay scene of their youth. George born Old Swan 1944. Eric born Margate 1936. Brian born Ealing 1930. Bob born Mold 1925 talk about the 1950s gay scene in Liverpool. Sheila born Everton 1930. Jan born Broadgreen 1951. Grace born Old Swan 1932. Eric born Margate 1936. Brian born Wavertree 1938 talk about coming out. Rebecca born Gillingham 1946. Sheila born Everton 1930. Alan born Burnley 1930 talk about their sexuality. Diane born Bristol 1943. Gerry born Liverpool 1962 talk about their sexuality. Rebecca born Gillingham 1946. Sheila born Everton 1930. Grace born Old Swan 1932 talk about their sexuality. Available in the digital archive.

Records of Masters degree in Education, completed by Liverpool Libdem City Councillor, Flo Clucas in 1986. Includes a history of Brae St. School, it's Curriculum, Pedagogy and Achievement. There is also a transcript of an oral history with Miss Bertha Bickerton, a teacher at the school (beginning her career as a Pupil Teacher) working from 1897-1948. Includes original source Liverpool School Board reports.

People First Merseyside is a self-advocacy organisation run by and for people with learning disabilities.

Collection of photographs and small prints put together from various sources including City Engineer's, Ainscough and various private deposits. The arrangement follows that of the original catalogue used in Liverpool Record Office and photographs are arranged in 84 different categories.

When World War II began in September 1939, military activity increased at Speke Airport and by December exceeded civilian use of the Airport. In 1940 the war effort increased. Liverpool’s importance as a seaport caused an inevitable influx of aircraft flown into Speke, where they were dismantled and shipped abroad to destinations like Rhodesia, South Africa and various points along the West African Coast. At the same time, thousands of U.S. built aircraft were arriving at the Liverpool docks and transported to the Airport for assembly. The two main hangars were used to reassemble them. Meanwhile in the adjacent shadow aircraft factory, the Rootes Group produced a steady stream of Bristol Blenheims. In 1941 the Rootes Securities company was awarded a contract to provide Halifax bombers. These became the first Speke produced aircraft, which made its maiden flight on 15 March 1942.. Throughout the rest of the war, Rootes continued to produce Beaufighters, Blenheims and Halifax Bombers. From 1944 Speke’s role as a military base began to dwindle, but the production of American types continued until the end of 1946. The Ministry of Supply or War Dept. contracted Palatine Studios to take photographs at Rootes "Shadow Factory", Speke Airport. Catalogue descriptions for the photographs taken from the reverse of the images were available.

The “Recollections of Old Liverpool,” contained in the following pages, appeared originally in the Liverpool Compass, their publication extending over a period of several months. When they were commenced it, it was intended to limit them to three, or at the most four, chapters, but such was the interest they created, that they were extended to their present length. Those who have recorded the green memories of an old man, as told while seated by his humble “ingle nook” have endeavoured to adhere to his own words and mode of narration—hence the somewhat rambling and discursive style of these “Recollections”—a style which does not, in the opinion of many, by any means detract from their general interest. The frontispiece is copied (by special permission) from part of a very finely-painted view of Liverpool, by Jenkinson, dated 1813, in the possession of Thomas Dawson, Esq., Rodney-street. The vignette of the Mill which stood at the North end of the St. James’ Quarry in the title page, is from an original water colour drawing by an amateur (name unknown), dated 1821. November, 1863. p. 5

Available online in the digital archive (Preservica).

Recording of Dave Nicholas at the Philharmonic Hall, 1997. Deposited by the North West Sound Archive (LIV BOX 15).

A multimedia oral history project funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund and undertaken by Liverpool based charity Citizen Outreach Coalition (COC). Background The Project officially started in March 2020 with the main objective of recording 15 different people most from African or African descent who will talk about African Pentecostalism, the rapid growth of African churches in Merseyside and the role religion plays in the life of Africans. Two debates and the production of a 50 minute documentary were the other deliverables from the project. “Africans are notoriously religious…” Kenyan scholar John Mbiti said in 1969 and this project is proof again he was right. Religion permeates the life of African migrants and the church serves as a place they meet old friends, make new ones, and worship as they did back in Africa as they try to integrate in a new society far away from home. The church plays a significant role in their lives from birth, baptism; marriage through to death, a pastor is always around to officiate at each of these milestones of their lives and after lives. Taking a close look at the project videos, it becomes clear Pentecostalism which initially started in the United States in the early 20th century places a large emphasis on speaking in tongues (foreign language) and divine healing of the sick. It emphasises direct personal experience of God through baptism with the Holy Spirit. Though initially started by two white adherents of the Holiness Movement (Charles Parham and William J Seymour) the rapid spread of Pentecostalism started with the 1906 Azusa Street mission where African Americans and whites worshipped together defying social, cultural and political norms that called for racial segregation. The movement later segregated into white and black movements because of racial differences but was still growing astronomically. The racially divided American Pentecostal movements later formed new churches when established churches refused to accept the new doctrines. Following the Azusa Pentecostal revival, some American missionaries quickly took it to Africa establishing the first congregations in Liberia and later South Africa. It spread quickly to most of Africa. How African Pentecostal churches came to the UK African Pentecostalism is now part of British Pentecostalism which was established also in the early twentieth century according to Roehampton University Lecturer Dr Richard Burgess. He says there were multiple phases of the Pentecostal movement in the UK and “…African Pentecostalism is one phase of the Pentecostal movement in the UK. If you go back to the beginning of the twentieth century, and after that comes many denominations which are white majority, for example Ascendis of God, Elim Pentecostal church. These are big denominations. Then you leap up to about the 1960s and you see these charismatic movements which I was talking about earlier when you see Pentecostal phenomena breaking out in the main churches; the Baptists, the Methodists. Around the same time, you see many Africans migrating to the UK and it is partly because of poverty back home or opportunities for education or for a better life. They migrate here and they bring their Pentecostal religion with them or if they are Muslim, they bring Islam with them…but many were Pentecostals. My understanding is that initially, they will attend British churches, white majority churches but because of cultural differences and to some degree racism, they were not welcomed and not comfortable. So they began to start African Pentecostal churches; usually the same denominations as back home were transferred here. In some cases they were independent churches. The Redeemed Christian church of God came here in the second wave of African Pentecostal churches”. Interview Participants 15 Participants were interviewed and can be divided into the following subsets Pastors Pastor Philip Oyewale. Cottenham Pentecostal Baptist church Pastor Matilda Egbumokei. Faith Ministries Pastor Jude Ezika. Achiuevers Faith International Ministries Pastor Oluwole Oridupa Love Revival Church Pastor Samuel Sarpong. Christian Gold House Chapel African Religious Researchers/University Lecturers Dr Harvey Kwiyani. Liverpool Hope University Dr Richard Burgess. Roehampton University London Evangelists Simon Andukwa Michael Likambi Angeline Mukete Young voices Simon Ngwa. 23 years old Odile Mukete. 28 years old Joana Kwapong. 28 years old Others Charles Bickerteth Sonny Lavorie With five pastors, two African religious studies researchers, two evangelists, three young voices and two other people, the participants bring a fascinating and wide range of voices to the project tackling a range of questions from the historical to the personal. The two lecturers, Dr Richard Burgess and Dr Harvey Kwiyani provide a scholarly and historical background to the project clearly establishing that African Pentecostalism started early in the 20th century with the arrival of African migrants to the UK. The churches grew rapidly mainly because of racism (where black African Christians thought they faced discrimination in white churches) or cultural differences as Africans praise and worship loudly which white Christians don’t do. Dr Kwiyani whose father and grandfathers are Pastors says the African church becomes a home away from home for migrants and “…the church becomes the place where on the one hand you are able to meet with friends, talk about home, probably enjoy home food, probably be able to speak their home languages, things that they probably can’t do in other phases of life”. The young voices bring a marked difference in religious beliefs and commitment because unlike their parents who were born and grew up in Africa, they mostly do not share their religious devotedness. Some scholars think this will affect church attendance in Pentecostal churches in the future as some of these young people grow up and stop going to church. Odile Mukete and Simon Ngwa whose parents brought them to the UK before they became teenagers are more critical of some of the preachings and practices of African Pentecostalism especially prosperity teachings. They think some African pastors use prosperity teachings to get rich while their followers remain relatively poor. Both are still Pentecostals but have stopped going to church while as they say they look for churches that could fulfil them spiritually. Joana Kwapong the other young voice of the project represents another stratum of young African migrant voices. She still has complete faith in God and says though a lot of young African migrants are not very religious like their parents; the church “will never die”. The Debates The two debates threw more light into the different ways African migrants look at going to church, prosperity preachings common in African Pentecostal church and the rapid growth in African Pentecostalism as membership of other churches fall steadily. It was interesting to note the different views of the panellists on the different questions that had to debate about. Olabisi Richards and Francis Langley moderated both debates during which participants clashed over a number of contentious issues including racism, the delinquency of some Pentecostal pastors including financial mismanagement of church money, to sometimes impregnating members of their congregation. The panellist agreed religion has helped Africans primarily because it brought in morality and the need to distinguish between good and evil. Some panellists believe religion also helped Africans abandon some traditional beliefs including witchcraft and abandoning or killing two babies who were seen as representing evil and punishment to their parents. The debates were animating, varied and did bring out some interesting questions including why it looks as if God does not listen to black prayers since as the most religious continent, African is still the poorest continent on earth.

During the second world war, Chinese sailors served alongside their British allies in the merchant navy, heroically keeping supply lines open to the UK. But after the war hundreds of them who had settled in Liverpool suddenly disappeared. Now their children are piecing together the truth.

Lee Evans had written a poem called Rainbow People. Danny Kilbride was contacted by a mutual friend asking him if he could do something with it. Lee and Danny produced a short film of the poem. It found an audience on social media, particularly Facebook, and was picked up by Pink News. So, when Lee approached Danny with The T for Together there was no hesitation to working with him again. However, Danny wanted the visuals to be more ambitious and representative of Merseyside’s trans community. So, they approached a number of people and called in some favours, and had a diversity of trans people represented visually throughout Liverpool City Centre. The film has reached tens of thousands of people online, it has also been screened at a number of events including Transgender Day of Visibility at the Museum of Liverpool (2019).

1) A look at the life of a Black British born person 2) Oral history of Liverpool Caribbean elders

Peoples memories, with consents, about the opening of the Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral, recorded as part of the 50th anniversary since it opened