Large round table oral history sessions are an effective way to gather community stories and engage local residents. Some benefits include bringing historical facts to life, generating new research leads, and making participants feel valued. Tips for successful sessions include using a portable recorder, seating participants in a circle without introductions, and displaying photos to spur discussion. However, group dynamics must be carefully managed, as participation and topics discussed can vary greatly depending on participants' personalities and knowledge. While some topics like schooling may facilitate sharing, sessions without a focus can be more difficult to steer. Archival sources like Trove can also help verify or uncover new stories and details from sessions.

1. Remembering
together:
The pros and cons of holding
large round table oral history
sessions
Samantha Sinnayah
Curator
Bayside Council

2. Use a
portable
recorder
from the
Zoom range
Large ‘round table’ oral history sessions of
15 to 25 participants are a great way to:
• Bring facts to life which you have
casually heard
• Gather new stories and research leads
• Engage and activate the local
community, making them feel valued
• Create a regular public program
Sit participants in
a circle. Don’t do
introductions as
people can go off
topic.
Set clear
guidelines e.g.
one speaker at
a time
Tips for holding
these sessions
include:
Display related
material such as
photographs on the
walls to encourage
discussion

3. Sessions can help you understand how everyday
places were valued and used by the community
Archival material about a local
department store called Quality Stores
LEFT: Mitchell Library, SLNSW (Home and Away – 11691)
ABOVE: Advert, South Sydney News, 1955, Bayside Libraries

4. “Before you got married you assembled a glory box to
prepare you for when you got married and had your
own home… I can remember going there and to layby
some beautiful Irish linen table cloths with lace
edges.”
June Thornton
“It was very different (from shopping in town)
.. It was personal service. There was a counter
and everything was in boxes behind the
counter and they would pull out the boxes
with your size. You didn’t get to touch
anything until unless you were about to
purchase”
Maria Caruana
Memories of Quality Stores as
captured through a round table
discussion about shopping.
“They weren’t like anywhere else
because they had everything”
Ian Davidson
• Participants often feed off each
other others stories, jogging
memories they might not have
initially thought of
• Hearing peoples stories can give
others the confidence to speak
up.

5. Group dynamics also come into play.
Sometimes groups have to be carefully
led just like in a classroom or university
tutorial.
Then and Now: The first class to graduate from JJ Cahill Memorial
High School. LEFT: Courtesy of Janet Irwin TOP: Bayside Libraries
Sessions can vary tremendously depending
on your participants. Their knowledge and
personalities can impact the stories that are
shared

6. “I only ever ordered my
lunch once and I was so
excited! I ordered a pie
and an apple”
MAVIS MORRISON ON
BUYING LUNCH
“You could get three in each
hand for talking in school and
you could go out and be the
hero in the playground. The
reason I stopped doing things I
shouldn’t do was if I stopped
getting the cane…. [I’d have to]
stay back after school and write
out 500 times “I must not talk in
class”. That fixed me.”
BRIAN RUSSELL ON THE CANE
VS. DENTENTION
“Miss Gilchrest at Maroubra Junction kept the material and the
pattern was given to us. Those of us who could sew made their own
uniforms”
GWENDA GODDARD, PAGEWOOD PUBLIC SCHOOL MOTHER
“It was a shock to the system to me. I went to
Gardeners Road and we never mixed. There was a
palling fence separating us … It was only the
dancing for P.E that we met and what a terrifying
session that was!”
DAVID DENNING ON ATTENDING MASCOT’S FIRST
CO-ED SECONDARY SCHOOL, J.J.CAHILL
Some topics such as school life
lend themselves well to this
format and result in a high level
of group participation.

7. In other sessions, knowledgeable
individuals may lead discussions
because of their knowledge and
experience.
This can give other
participants a fascinating
‘living history’ experience.
Botany’s beaches c.1950s. This
area has since been reclaimed
and is now either part of a golf
course or Foreshore Road
Courtesy of Dennis Muller and Dorothy
Hargreaves

8. You may wish to find
other ways people can
contribute their
stories.
Sessions that are
not focused on a
single subject may
be harder to
manage.

9. The Argus, 14 September 1948.
Courtesy of TROVE
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article22690814.
Trove can be
a great way
to verify the
stories you
collect

10. Other times your Trove
search can uncover
something totally new.
A local memory
about a
runaway
elephant in the
1950s
Instead of swings,
the home of a
market gardener
was partly
destroyed.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-
article15050082
According to Trove there
was another runaway
elephant nearby in 1909 .