2020 marked Swansea University’s centenary. Four years earlier, Dr Sam Blaxland began working as the University’s centenary’s post-doctoral researcher on the ‘The Voices of Swansea University’ oral history project. Nearly 100 testimonies were collected from people associated with the University, from former academic staff, students, or administrators, technicians, groundsmen to members of the public from the surrounding region. They ranged from people in their 20s to their 100s, and covered all subject areas from the University’s history. Former Vice-chancellors agreed to speak, as did a group of students who formed one of our most recent Student Union sabbatical team.
In 2020, Sam’s book was published Swansea University: Campus and Community in a Post-war World, 1945-2020 which contains many of the testimonies collected.
The oral history collection is curated by the University’s Richard Burton Archives and the project remains open-ended. Further testimonies can be added in the future.
Project lead: Sam Blaxland
Project duration: 2016-ongoing
Contact Sam: s.blaxland@swansea.ac.uk
Follow Sam on Twitter @SamBlaxland