'An Oral History of Paisley's Thread Mills'  

(Paisley, Scotland)

Paisley People's Archive is interested in the social and cultural history of Renfrewshire's most famous historic town. Paisley was world-famous as a centre of weaving and thread milling from the 18th century. The focus of the Heritage Lottery funded project was the surviving workers and managers from Paisley's many thread mills in the period from just before the Second World War to the 1990s, when the last mill closed. Fifty oral history interviews were conducted and digitally recorded by volunteers trained and mentored by Sue Morrison, who was also our project manager. The interviews were structured around workers’ and managers’ experiences of work, the workplace, rest breaks and leisure activities; documentary research provides the social and economic historical context to those memories. Significantly, nothing of this nature existed prior to this project.

In addition to this original archive, the project produced a fantastic website, an amazing photographic gallery, two wonderful heritage trail films and booklets, and a memoryscape that brought tears to the eyes of our respondents as they listened to their old friends’ reminiscences. Ultimately, the project far exceeded our expectations!

www.paisleypeoplesarchive.org

 

 

 

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