UK-HISTORY-GROUP-L Archives

From: "Dave Jassie" <>
Subject: [UK-HISTORY] Channel 4
Date: Fri, 21 Feb 2003 11:56:47 -0000

Forwarded at the request of Melissa Blackburn

Dear Rootsweb

I am writing in the hope that British subscribers of Rootsweb will be
able to help me. We are making a serious history documentary for Channel
4 here in the UK, and I think some of your subscribers will be able to
help.

Our company, Testimony Films, specialises in oral history films using
interviews and archive to give a voice the older generation. We’ve made
a number of high profile, award-winning series such as MARRIED LOVE
(2002 for Channel 4, which won a Royal Television Society Award),
VETERANS : THE LAST SURVIVORS OF THE GREAT WAR (a BBC1 series marking
the eightieth anniversary of the end of the First World War using the
memories of the last soldiers alive), SOME LIKED IT HOT (2001 for ITV,
which documented the history of the British on holiday) and GREEN AND
PLEASANT LAND (1999, a major Channel 4 series looking at country life in
Britain).

At the moment we are making a Channel 4 history film about people who
found love outside marriage during the first half of the century- long
before the swinging sixties. Escaping the loneliness of an unhappy
marriage, some were drawn into secret affairs, and a few lucky ones
found the love of their life. Wartime brought uncertainty and romance
was often kindled. But this was an era of different social and sexual
attitudes when divorce was difficult or impossible, and so many couples
suffered much heartache and humiliation before they could be together.

We’re looking for stories from the 1930s – 1950s (so from people who are
aged seventy plus) which reflect this kind of experience. Historically,
this is an area very little is known about, and we feel its important
that their stories are told. Obviously this is a sensitive subject, but
I must say that we pride ourselves on our tact and confidentiality when
tackling these films – our contributors often find them an extremely
rewarding experience.

As you can imagine, its quite difficult finding the right stories for
this kind of programme, and I wondered if any of your subscribers to
Rootsweb who are based in Britain would be able to help. We're really
looking people who had these kind of experiences in the UK in the
1930s -1950s. Anything you can do to get the word out to your
subscribers. Perhaps you have a newsletter we can put an article about
our search in, or an e-mail list to send it out to?

Many thanks, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any
queries at all, or if you need anything else.

Very best wishes

Melissa Blackburn
Assistant Producer

Testimony Films

12 Great George Street

Bristol BS1 5RS

Tel: (+44) 0117 925 8589

This thread:

• [UK-HISTORY] Channel 4 by "Dave Jassie" <>