The Retirees

The University’s ‘Starting Again’ project invited people from many parts of the UK to record reflections on their retirement, looking back over their careers and forward to the years ahead.

Those interviewed were drawn from all walks of life, including a steelworker, head teacher, shop worker, accountant, civil engineer, nurse, female member of the Church of England clergy, fire fighter, founder of an addiction treatment organisation, cricketer...and many more.

Interviewees talk about the changes they saw over the course of their working lives, how they prepared for their impending retirement and about their plans, hopes and fears for the future.

Instant History

The interviews were undertaken over a weekend at the end of October 2016 by members of the Oral History team and as part of the broadcast of BBC Radio 4 programme Instant History.

Oral History recordings

Click on the drop down list to hear some of the fantastic stories from our interviewees.

Andy Ford

Andy Ford interviewed by Carl Tosner

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Angela Hammond

Angela Hammond interviewed by Bradley Melton.

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Barry Needham

Barry Needham interviewed by Bradley Melton

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Chris Clarke

Chris Clarke interviewed by Josh Draper

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Derek Cross

Derek Cross interviewed by Laura de Haan

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Funmi Boyle

Funmi Boyle interviewed by Georgia Hargreaves

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Graham Napier

Graham Napier interviewed by Andrew Green

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Henry Peplow

Henry Peplow interviewed by Adil Hussain

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Janet Wilkins

Janet Wilkins interviewed by Eni Kalemi

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Janis Feely

Janis Feely interviewed by Andrew Green

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Jeremy Tyndall

Jeremy Tyndall interviewed by Andrew Smith

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
John Mentiplay

John Mentiplay interviewed by Helen Carter

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
John Whitehall

John Whitehall, retirement counsellor, interviewed by Andrew Green

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Kathryn Deane

Kathryn Deane interviewed by Jennie Molnar

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Martin Pullen

Martin Pullen interviewed by Bardha Krasniqi

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Mary Jane Boffey

Mary Jane Boffey interviewed by Kathryn Somers

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Pamela McClean

Pamela McClean interviewed by Laura de Haan

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Pat Hawkins

Pat Hawkins interviewed by Beth Goodall

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Paul Vernon

Paul Vernon interviewed by Luke Montgomery

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Pauline Higham

Pauline Higham interviewed by Jennie Molnar

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Peter Watson

Peter Watson interviewed by Anne Murphy

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Stephen Boffey

Stephen Boffey interviewed by Sashane Simon

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Steve Hawkins

Steve Hawkins interviewed by Bret Facey

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Steve McEvoy

Steve McEvoy interviewed by Emma Battell-Lowman

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Steve Readhead

Steve Readhead interviewed by Sammy Sturgess

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.
Susan Houlbrook

Susan Houlbrook interviewed by Ceri Houlbrook

Full transcripts will be available at a later date.