Oral History

Escrick Oral History Project has been created to record the stories, memories and experiences of people who live or who have lived in the Escrick Parish.

We have a small team of enthusiastic volunteers who have been trained by the Oral History Society to conduct recordings to capture people’s life stories.

Extracts from the interviews can be heard below. The full interviews will eventually be held as a permanent part of the collections of the North Yorkshire County Record Office.

Our oral history archive is work in progress and we will continue to interview people in order to create a diverse and representative collection of memories of Escrick. If you feel that you would like to contribute your story or you know someone else that would like to, please contact us at [email protected]

For more information on Oral History please visit www.ohs.org.uk

Peggy Brown

Peggy was born and bred in Escrick and has lived in the village all her life.  She moved in to her current home in 1951 with her husband Derek.  Amongst many other things, Peggy worked for Burt Rooms land drainage business, was clerk to the Parish Council, secretary of the WI and clerk to the  trustees of the Almshouses. 

Jeremy Maidment

Jeremy was appointed as Head Teacher of Escrick Primary School in 1976, a role he held for 24 years. He shares his memories of the school and the changes that took place.

About the school buildings and classrooms

About teaching staff and pupils

About Estate influence and involvement

About school punishment

About school milk

About Jubilee year 1977

About computers

About the Escrick Sword Dance and May pole

About health

About fundraising and the PTA

About evacuees and wartime 

About trees, a lasting legacy

Nancy Mackenzie.

Nancy was born in Escrick in 1942 and has lived in the village all her life. She was Baptised, Confirmed and married in Escrick Church and attended the village primary school. Nancy still lives in the village and continues to attend St Helen’s Church.

Rev Sir Timothy Forbes Adam.

Sir Timothy was born in Bombay in November 1923, where his father Colin had a very successful career in the Indian Civil Service. Soon after his birth he was brought back to live in Escrick Hall where he lived until the age of 7, when his family moved to Skipwith Hall.  Straight after school, in 1942, Sir timothy joined the army where he served until the end of the war.  He then went to Oxford to read English literature, before becoming an actor.  During his acting career he met Noel Coward, having a part in a play written and directed by him.  In the 1950’s Sir Timothy moved back to the village with his young family to take over running Escrick Estate.  It was during this time that his Christian faith strengthened and he was accepted for ordination.  His brother Nigel took over the Estate.  Sir Timothy moved back to Escrick upon his retirement in 1992 and became fully involved in the life of the local communities and Church.  Sir Timothy was a very much loved and respected member of the Church and Community.  He died in March 2019.