This week’s edition of the News and Mail has a story about Mary Evans from Horsell who has celebrated her 100th birthday – what a milestone! It’s interesting meeting centenarians and hearing their stories about the things they lived through.

When I was part of a hospital radio station, I walked around the wards collecting song requests and I met people who had passed the triple digit milestone. One woman was 104 and was as clear as a bell. I asked her memories of big events like the  Queen’s Coronation in 1953 and she told me about how the weather was wet that day. Little details like this bring history to life and it’s so important to hear these first-hand accounts. 

I was able to record a short conversation with this lady who opened up about her life, telling me she knew Dame Vera Lynn and had dinner with her when they both lived in Sussex. Amazing stories and it felt an honour to not only hear them but to get a recording to send to the family to preserve these important memories

I wonder in decades to come how the next generations will react to stories of us being locked down during the pandemic? These are stories we can share with our children and grandchildren, stories that future generations will learn about in history lessons in school, our first-hand accounts bringing it all to life for them. 

I have interviews recorded with the community in Woking during lockdown (when I worked out how to work remotely via Zoom). It’s interesting listening back to them and, only a few years on, there are details we have already forgotten so it was interesting to hear about the emotions, how people managed their mental health, and one thing we won’t forget, the panic buying of toilet rolls! All this will be useful resources for history students of the future. Who knew a toilet roll was that powerful?

Mary Evans has lived in Horsell since 1970. I  wonder what she makes of the Woking of 2024? A very different place with long gone buildings that locals still talk about like the original Goldsworth School, the United Reformed Church on York Road, and the Toys R Us store.  All now reduced to rubble but the stories live on in personal memories which I find far more interesting than learning history from a dusty old text book.

Many happy returns to Mary, and if you are reading this and would like to record an interview and share your story please get in touch.

Listen to the Sunny Sessions, the inclusive radio show from The Sunnybank Trust on Surrey Hills Community Radio, Monday and Thursday at 10am, and on Radio Woking, Wednesday at 9am

My other Radio Woking shows are Wednesday breakfast 7am to 9am and Sunday morning 9am to noon.

You can reach me on [email protected].