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Greenham Women Everywhere
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Greenham Women Everywhere

  • uklse-as1gw01
  • Collection
  • 2019-2021

This collection includes digital archives produced by Greenham Women Everywhere, a partnership project between Scary Little Girls Association and The Heroine Collective.

The project was funded by Heritage Lottery South West and Supported by The University of The West of England in Bristol, Cornwall Council, Falmouth University, The Women’s Library at The London School of Economics, The East End Women’s Museum, Goldsmiths University of London, The Hypatia Trust, The Feminist Library, Kresen Kernow, the UK Parliament Vote 100 Project and Dreadnought South West.

Dr Janet Smith interviewed by Sarah Learmonth

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Janet.
Remarkably Janet hand-wrote her entire PhD thesis at Greenham during a time when there were daily evictions. She remembers it being anarchic but not chaotic, a community of women that in her words, 'Had your back'. Janet took part in many small and large actions and particularly remembers one blockade where the seated women were rushed by mounted police.
Janet was interviewed by Sarah Learmouth in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Fran De'Ath interviewed by Florence Weston

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Fran.
Fran became known as the woman who invited people for tea in her tipi, immortalised in the photograph of her by Edward Barber sitting in front of a large sign saying 'Hello can you stop for a talk?'
She approached local residents in town as a 'hippy in disguise' to invite them for tea at the camp. Fran was at times a signatory on the bank account, was interviewed many times, and spoke about Greenham at the UN.
Fran was interviewed by Florence Weston in 2019.

Hannah Schafer interviewed by Rebecca Mordan

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Hannah.
Hannah was at Blue Gate and starts by describing her time at Greenham as 'Fun. With a capital F. U. N.' She talks about vigilantes, her time in prison, evictions and infiltrations of the camp by one particular journalist. Her overriding memories are of the women she met, how being around women all the time created an experience that was markedly different to the mixed protests she joined afterwards and what made Greenham special to her and why it should be remembered by us all.
Hannah was interviewed by Rebecca Mordan in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Heather Platt interviewed by Florence Weston

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Heather was at Greenham with her sister and remembers it as a time of innocence, where everything was possible. She talks about women being emancipated without even realising it and how the energy of the camp was about 'light, love and humour'. Heather still sings the songs and would love to meet up with other women who were at Blue Gate.
Heather was interviewed by Florence Weston in 2019.

Illona Linthwaite interviewed by Alice Robinson

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Illona.
Illona is an actor based in London. From an early age she had strong feelings about the unfairness of class and gender roles in society, and has been involved in the peace movement since before Greenham. Illona has kept diaries throughout her life. Looking at her photos of the 'Reflect the base' action in December 1983, Illona recalls memories of this extraordinary day when she first saw Greenham. She then came back and forth from Greenham, spending most of her time at Yellow Gate. In her interview, Illona also shares a couple of the songs she remembers most vividly and at 22.40 a poem by Wendy Poussard called 'Greenham Women'.
Illona was interviewed by Alice Robinson in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Jade Britton interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Jade.
Involved in several Women's Groups, including Women for Life on Earth, Jade first visited Greenham in the early 1980s. She later decided to live at Violet Gate permanently for two years. She believes any woman who went to the camp either as a day visitor or permanent resident is a 'Greenham Woman'.
Jade was interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Jan interviewed by Sara Sherwood

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
A lifelong and inspiring activist, Jan first traveled to Greenham Common for Embrace the Base and lived at the camp for six months at Blue Gate. In this interview, Jan shares some memories of the camp, her emotional connection with the musical tradition of Greenham and discusses her wedding which took place at Blue Gate some years later.
Jan was interviewed by Sara Sherwood in 2019.

Jane Griffiths interviewed by Isabelle Tracy

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Jane went to Main Gate while she was at school in York and, when she left, moved to camp permanently for about a year. She was arrested many times and went to Holloway and Styal prison as well as to a young offenders' institution because she was so young. Her memories are vivid and passionate as she talks about actions large and small, the very different responses of soldiers and her enjoyment of meeting and conversing with such a huge diversity of women.
Jane was interviewed by Isabelle Tracy in 2019.

Josetta Malcolm interviewed by Kate Kerrow

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Josetta.
Josetta lived at Blue Gate in the mid to late 1980s. They describe a time of wild parties, as well as the development of political consciousness, especially in relation to black and intersectional feminism.
Josetta was interviewed by Kate Kerrow in 2019.
Photograph by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Kate Whittle interviewed by Emily Strange

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Kate recalls how she was brought up in a fairly politically aware household, which probably inspired her to be an active member of CND at school and subsequently join her first Aldermaston march at the age of 16. Through her CND group she heard about Greenham Common and went on to spend time there in the early 80s whilst a mature student. She took her 12-year-old daughter, Lucy along a few times but all she could remember was peeing in the woods! Kate never stayed at the camp for long because she had work commitments, however, she felt it important she was there for the big demonstrations and to feel solidarity with other people. She says it was the first time she really felt she fitted in anywhere and said there was a wonderful atmosphere. She also spoke about the soldiers at the base who she said looked terrified whilst women were trying to pull down fences. 'We were like their mothers and aunts', 'They had scared looks on their faces' as if they were the ones who were vulnerable. Being at Greenham strengthened her belief in feminism and it was overall a very formative experience. She described her journey at Greenham as being a 'Bizarre mixture of joy, humour and fury' and the interview strongly captures the fact that any woman can be involved in protest, even if they do not have experience in it.
Kate was interviewed by Emily Strange in 2019.

Kathy Trevelyan interviewed by Alice Robinson

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
At the time of the interview, Kathy was an actor, a Women's Rights in Theatre activist and lived in London. She found Greenham through varied women's groups, and her first time there was for the Embrace the Base action in 1981. She spent most of her time at Blue Gate and Turquoise Gate. In this conversation, Kathy talks about the fun and creativity of protesting, such as the Halloween the women came out dressed as witches and pulled down the fence, the action where they posed as corpses, and the week she spent in Holloway Prison. Kathy has some powerful anecdotes about being arrested, her stint in prison and the women she met inside, most of whom were very much on the side of Greenham women.
Kathy was interviewed by Alice Robinson in 2019.

Maria Ragusa interviewed by Kate Kerrow

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Maria.
Maria visited Greenham regularly and taught self-defence to the women. In this interview, she discusses navigating the politics of self-defence and Non-Violent Direct Action, as well as how Greenham has influenced her life and politics.
Maria was interviewed by Kate Kerrow in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Nina Millns interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
At the time of the interview, Nina was a writer, actor and activist. She attended a nursery established by Greenham Women. Operating through a non-hierarchical and collective decision-making process they, some as openly gay and bi-sexual women, encouraged the children to explore their identities, something Nina believes was a direct result of their own Greenham experiences. Nina believes Greenhamas legacy is that of an activism that bypasses and lies outside established systems of power and norms of protest so as to raise awareness of issues and move them forward. She feels Greenham's legacy has made it second nature for her to raise such awareness, to effect change on particular issues, and never to feel helpless in the face of existing power structures.
Nina was interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.

Sheila Eschle interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Sheila was already an active member of a Peace Group and decided to join Greenham because of the development of weapons of mass destruction. 'There is so much in this world to love and cherish: and I wanted my name to be there to say I stood up and said NO I don't want nuclear weapons'. She used to go with her friend Janet for 2 weeks at a time and camp in the woods, sometimes taking her 2 daughters with her, and organising coach trips to Greenham. On her first visit she was shocked by the sight of the huge fences. She and Janet felt very strongly about not getting into trouble as they had to get back to look out for the future of their children. Sheila's daughter, Catherine, was influenced and inspired by her mother and Greenham to take up a career in International Relations from a Feminine Perspective. In one of the demonstrations items from home were pinned to the fence, Sheila pinned pictures of the family. It was a tremendous feeling of female solidarity.
Sheila was interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton in 2019.

Sheila Thornton, Barbara Blower and Mockie Harrison interviewed by June Hughes

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Sheila and one of Sheila, Barbara and Mockie.
June Hughes met Sheila with her sister Barbara Blower and their close friend Mockie Harrison. None of them stayed for a long time but visited regularly for short visits. They helped with supplying food for the camp in a fairly well organised way with loosely arranged rotas for cooking and delivery the food.
They often took their children with them, staying mostly at Red Gate. They kindly sang some of the Greenham songs on the recording.
They were interviewed by June Hughes in Milton Keynes in 2019.
They were photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Sue Lent interviewed by Nicky Arkioglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Sue.
Sue participated in the 120 mile 1981 Women for Life on Earth walk from Cardiff to Greenham with her infant son. Returning to Wales, she remained committed to the cause, visiting Greenham whenever possible. She remembers the enormous sacrifices women made to be there and believes it was a good time to be a feminist. The fact that so many Greenham women with children were participating signalled for her that it was OK to be both a feminist and a mother. She witnessed many older women, born in the very early twentieth century, who previously had little opportunity to voice their political opinions, do so at Greenham, a critical point in their development as women.
Sue was interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Suzanne Novak interviewed by Josephine Liptrott

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Suzanne has enjoyed a long and successful career in the NHS. She did not live full-time at the Greenham Common peace camp but was a regular visitor, occasionally staying overnight, in the early-mid 1980s. She first visited the camp for Embrace the Base and returned numerous times in the years that followed, often accompanied by one or both of her sisters. Suzanne's first daughter, Scarlett, was born in September 1984 at the South London Hospital at which Greenham women were frequent visitors to join the occupation protesting the hospital's closure. Suzanne felt that her role at Greenham Common was to provide morale and support to the women there by swelling their ranks when needed and demonstrating that their views were shared by others outside the camp. She was also part of a wider network connecting the women of Greenham to other actions and campaigns taking place around the country.
Suzanne was interviewed by Josephine Liptrott in 2019.

Ailsa Johnson interviewed by Jessica Layton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Ailsa.
Ailsa had young children when the camp was set up in the 1980s and she got to know about Greenham thanks to her local CND group. She only stayed overnight once and mostly visited during the day and for the big demos. She talks about monthly peace camps at Aldermaston and Burghfield and how they went to court to 'get recognition that camping is a form of protest'. She also talks about other groups linked to the peace camps, such as Nuke Watch and Nuclear Information Service. She mentions the power of songs, NVDA and how reading 'Children of Hiroshima' was a very formative experience for her - at the end of the interview, she reads an extract from the book.
Ailsa was interviewed by Jessica Layton in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Ann and Sally Bell interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Ann and Sally Bell.
Ann was a PhD student when she first went to Greenham and Sally an American citizen living in the UK. The women met at Greenham, living permanently at Orange Gate between 1983-85. They found in Greenham a place where women grew in confidence, could 'be themselves', many women 'becoming' feminists in a space free of male hierarchy. Both women believe Greenham had a major impact on the Cold War as its existence and actions opened up debate about nuclear weapons. They remember Greenham Women as a generation that went on to achieve remarkable things, and believe Greenham gave them, personally, the confidence to understand you do not have to follow the rules if you believe they are wrong. In addition, Greenham provided them with a strong moral foundation to pass on, and the ability to question everything.
Ann and Sally were interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.
They were photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Ann Pettit and Karmen Thomas interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Ann.
Without Ann and Karmen, Greenham would not have existed. Believing women's voices needed to be heard in a male dominated world of politics and anti-nuclear movements, they initiated the 1981 Women for Life on Earth walk from Cardiff to Greenham Common USAF base. Their aim was to initiate a public debate with the government regarding nuclear weapons, in particular Cruise missiles, to engage the media and make Greenham a household word. Ann believes Greenham 'had big implications...it gave a lot of different possibilities to a lot of women.' 'I can't say that Greenham stopped the arms race because I think it was one of many factors which made it imperative that leaders take disarmament seriously...but it changed the atmosphere.' Visiting Russia in 1983, they met with the Moscow Group for Trust, a peace group independent of the Soviet state, as well as with the official Soviet Peace Committee. For Karmen, 'Greenham was a protest of its time...I don't think it would happen today...it would be moved.' It enabled 'thousands upon thousands of women...(to) connect with women in other countries...maybe it changed the direction of their life.'
Ann and Karmen were interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.
Ann was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Anna Birch and Mary Birch interviewed by Emily Strange

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Anna and Mary and one of Mary.
Greenham was not the first time Mary was actively involved in social and political movement; prior to Greenham she had been supporting peace movement for years. Both Mary and her husband played an active role in Greenham in the 1980s. They had a van together that they would use to go from Bristol to Newbury, transporting goods to the women (fire wood and blankets etc.). Mary never stayed at camp overnight but had a good relationship with Orange Gate, and was part of actions such as codified phone-chains which signified when blockades would be best used to stop camp invasion. Anna attended a Quaker school and showed large interest in political movement from a young age, inspired by her mother's activism. With her mother, she attended camp as a young adult. Anna stated that with the climate change activism happening at the time of the interview, young people might think that Non-Violent Direct Action (NVDA) is a new concept, but Greenham paved the way for this.
Mary and Anna were interviewed by Emily Strange in Bristol in 2019.
They were photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Bridget Boudewijn and Sue Bolton interviewed by Rebecca Mordan

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Bridget.
Bridget and Sue are the epitome of 'Carry Greenham Home'. They visited the camp many, many times, never staying long but bringing the ethos of non-violent direct action back to their local protests. They were part of a contingent of women chosen to go to the US during the legal action against Reagan and they spoke 'from the heart' at many meetings. They talk fluently, passionately and emotionally about Greenham; singing, actions, prison, the good and bad of the police and authorities, the power of love and creativity and their continued hope for a better future for us all.
Bridget and Sue were interviewed by Rebecca Morden in 2019.
Bridget was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Greenham Women Everywhere Oral Testimonies

This series inludes the oral history testimonies collected as part of the Greenham Women Everywhere project between 2019 and 2021. Each folder includes the audio recording of the interview together with a transcript of it, and a photograph of the intervieew/s where available.
The project team has travelled the UK interviewing the women who formed the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp. This is the largest collection of oral testimonies of the women yet collated, digitised and made available to the public.

Please note more interviews will be added in the coming months.

Fenja Hill interviewed by Sarah Learmonth

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Originally from a military family, Fenja makes no bones about her reasons for coming to camp not being at all political, initially at least. She talks about the importance of being valued to women's development, recounts what it's like to be constantly evicted, the dis-information given to soldiers about the peace women and describes numerous spontaneous actions that infuriated the authorities. Fenja is clear that the legacy of Greenham has informed everything she's done since.
Fenja was interviewed by Sarah Learmonth in 2019.

Frankie Armstrong interiewed by Rebecca Mordan

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Frankie.
Frankie is a folk singer who has sung professionally in the womenas and peace movements since the 1960s. She talks about how all the women were linked up and like-minded, even when factions developed and how many of those connections have lasted. She recalls her experiences of Greenham as someone without sight, including dealings with police and their horses and of course, the power of song.
Frankie was interviewed by Rebecca Mordan in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Hilary Gould interviewed by Florence Weston

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Hilary went to Greenham for a summer with her friend and remembers it being a time when she felt able to say, 'This is for women only.' She talks about the unease of the police when faced with crowds of women pushing back against the establishment, women that were heroes to her, and the education she got from being with other women. Hilary explains how important art was as a form of expression and the lasting impact Greenham had on her life, how she viewed her role in the world and that she'd do it all over again, but with a better tent.
Hilary was interviewed by Florence Weston in 2019.

Jenny Craigen interviewed by Florence Weston

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Jenny was a career teacher at the time she went to Greenham and was involved in many large and small actions eventually going to prison for the 'No name action'. She vividly remembers her time on remand, the trial and then being sent to a prison in Cheshire, far away from home. Jenny recounts asking Tony Benn how influential he thought Greenham women were and feeling validated by his response.
Jenny was interviewed by Florence Weston in 2019.

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