Voices of Stanley

Voices of Stanley is a remarkable compilation of oral history extracts drawn from the extensive Beamish Museum Audio Archive, recalling life in the area between 1880 and 1950. Vivid memories are recounted, including childhood and schooldays, work and play, sport and leisure, as well as recollections of the war years. It covers the harrowing search for bodies following the Stanley pit disaster of 1909 and the hardships of life during the General Strike of 1926, as well as local traditions like egg jarping, pitch and toss, and making Christmas mistletoes. Richly illustrated with over sixty pictures from the museum collection, many previously unpublished, this volume paints a revealing picture of life in Stanley and the surrounding pit villages in years gone by. Anyone who knows the town will enjoy this nostalgic look at the unique history of the area through the eyes of its residents.