Eight Interviews Iain McColl
2001: Village
Project Brief: The Village - A Field Study
This booklet is based on a series of questions to members of the public one morning in Sibford Gower and Ferris,Oxfordshire,England. The interviews were recorded on a portable microphone,so all the data could be collected,with all the background noises included,the interviews started at 8.30 am on the 15th March 2010.
IM
Interviewer.
DB
Women and Dog.
HL
Women.
NC
Women and Small Child.
MC
Women.
PMcG JG TW IW+JM
Man and Dog. Women and Small child in Nursery with other Women and small children. Man (Vocal Vicar). Man and Women waiting for bus.
IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
DB
Quiet, lovely community.
IM
Ok
IM
Why should people come to Sibford Gower and Ferris?
DB
Because it has lovely countryside and a beautiful pub.
IM
Ok
IM
What do you think people in Sibford Gower and Ferris are passionate about?
DB
Keeping Sibford and the village the way it is.
IM
If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit was a biscuit what would it be?
DB
ha ha....a chocolate biscuit...Rich.
IM
Ok
IM
What colour best expresses Sibford Gower and Ferris’s i.e. meaning/mood?
DB
Orange
IM
Ok
IM
Last question
GUSTS OF WIND BLOWING IM
Have you heard of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s Theodore the Hermit also known as Theodore Lamb?
DB
Yes, and you might catch Helen lamb down the hill in a minute, shes’s usually walking around.
IM
Ok, thanks very much for your time.
IM Ok IM What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris? HL Picturesque, Quiet and Friendly. IM Ok IM What is the most attractive thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
HL The rolling hills. IM Ok, nice. IM Why should people come and visit Sibford Gower and Ferris?
HL To admire its beauty and enjoy the village. IM Ok
IM
What colour best expresses Sibford Gower and Ferris?
HL It would have to be green.
IM
So i gather your related to Theodore Lamb?
HL Yes, well i’m married to a lamb, not a lamb
myself, but he was my husbands great grandfather I believe. Well the Lamb’s have been here from like the 1700’s or something, but its probably best if you wanted more information to speak to my inlaws.
IM
Ok, thanks very much for your time.
HL No problem.
IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
NC Do you want me to start now? IM Yeah NC It’s just a little bit Jurassic,the way it just all of a sudden,everything starts to go up and down from the flats coming into here,there’s not many places like it,its hidden away a bit.
IM Ok NC ummm IM What is the most unappealing thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
FAST CAR PASSES NC .....It’s very middle class like me, I like a bit more spice please...uh ha ha...if you know what i mean?
IM Ok
IM
What do you think people in Sibford Gower and Ferris worry about the most?
CROW CROWING NC Ahhhhhh (Sighs)...I dunno...there’s a lot of Quakers round here,so you’ve got more social and moral consciences... but probably,your talking about,yeah, dunno actually,but its a spiritual lot round here,I you know, the state of the nation,the way its going.
IM Ok NC We have a lot of those conversations. IM
Ok
NC Ummmm IM
If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit what would it be?
BIRDS SINGING NC .... A Chocolate Digestive...but thats very difficult for me... but thats very difficult for me.
IM Ok
IM How would you describe the emotional state of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s people? i.e - Happy Go-Lucky, Spontaneous, Wild!
NC (Blowing a Raspberry) ahhhhhh ummmmmm
BIRDS SINGING NC
Friendly, Kind.
BIRDS SINGING NC
Steady yeahhh
IM
And lastly...What is the most attractive thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
BIRDS SINGING NC The Countryside......Countryside, but i suppose small community as well.
IM
Ok...Brilliant, thanks very much.
IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
MC
Peaceful...well apart from nine O’clock and three O’clock, because of the primary school, but other than that its very quiet.
IM
Ok
IM
What is the most attractive thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
BIRDS SINGING MC
Countryside
IM
Ok
IM
Why should people come and visit Sibford Gower and Ferris?
MC
They shouldn’t they should stay away and it would be nice and quiet.
BOTH LAUGH MC
Well there isn’t much here really is there.
IM MC IM
Ok, Perfect Well we have a pub, there you go. If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit what would it be?
MC
ah ha ha ha (Starts Laughing).....did you make that question up yourself?
MC
ha ha ha
IM MC IM MC IM MC
Yep I dont know i’ll have to think about that one. ummmm Just off the top of your head? Whats the one with lots of layers? Pink Wafer? No. ummmmm . Bourbon. There you go.
IM
How would you describe the emotional state of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s people? i.e- Happy Go-Lucky, Spontaneous, Wild!
MC ummm, Happy i think, because yeah like living here so.
NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND FROM PASSING CARS IM
What colour best expresses Sibford Gower and Ferris’s meaning/mood?
MC Green. Its got to be. IM What is the most unappealing thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
MC The Closed Pub.
MOBILE PHONE SIGNAL INTERRUPTION MC Yeah i’m not amused by that. IM Is it completely closed? MC Yeah there’s ongoing?
IM
Oh i thought it was open at 12 O’clock.
MC
No. Thats a different pub there. Its been closed for three years.
MC
The locals want it reopened but the owners want to develop it.
IM MC IM MC IM MC IM
So the whole market has gone to the other pub? No. Thats a different type of pub. Ok That was a drinkers pub and that one’s a restaurant. Ok... well thats got to be quite a big issue? Its is. Yeah you ort to put that in there, you’ll get some quite waspy things about the pub being closed i should think. Ok. Thanks very much for your time.
DOG BARKS, GENTLEMAN SAY SHOOOOSH IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
PMcG A rural village in the middle of the country really. Ummm not polluted by any lights, because we have no street lights, nothing. So its quite nice.
IM
Very Nice
IM
What is the most unappealing thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
PMcG Lack of anything to do really, theres just a very small hamlet, yeah not many houses, this is actually called Burdrop, so your inbetween two villages.
IM
Yep, Ok.
IM
What do you think people in Sibford Gower and Ferris worry about thr most?
PMcG Crime. Really ummm passing crime i would have thought and just rowdy teenagers looking for something to do.
IM
Ok
IM PMcG
If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit what would it be? ha ha ha....arrr thats a good one...ummm,just a digestive really its quite plain quite simple but it has a lot of appeal.
IM
Ok
IM
Have you heard of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s Theodore the Hermit also known as Theodore Lamb?
PMcG IM PMcG IM
No If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a flower what would it be? A Daisy. Very plain very simple but you know its always there. Ok, thanks very much.
ECHOING INDOOR SOUND OF FOOT STEPS ON WOODEN FLOOR IM
What best describes Sibford Gower and Ferris?
PEOPLE SPEAKING IN BACKGROUND JG
Community I think, but theres a great sense of community between actually the Ferris, Gower and Burdrop, and the three of them together.
IM
Brilliant, Ok
IM
What is the most unappealing thing about Sibford Gower and Ferris?
JG
The Hills. ha ha ha (Laughs) when you’ve got a push chair and you have to go up and down the hills.
IM
Why should people come and visit Sibford Gower and Ferris?
JG
Because there is some beautiful landscape and some beautiful houses and there is a duck pond for children, and there’s just a lot to appeal to lots of different ages.
IM
Ok, Brilliant.
IM
What event or convention would you stage in Sibford Gower and Ferris?
JG
An easter bonnet parade...thats what I would do.
IM
What do you think people in sibford Gower and ferris worry about the most?
JG
Crime. Just people being brokenn into because it happens a lot.
IM
Ok
IM
If Sibford Gower and ferris was a biscuit what would it be?
JG
A Chocolate Digestive...its got the combination of the chocolate and the digestivey bit, its got everything.
BABY AND WOMEN MAKING NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND IM
If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a flower what would it be?
JG
It would beeee...orrrr thats a difficult one, I would say.............i’ll have to think about that one.
IM
Off the top of your head?
JG
Off the top of my head it would be Bluebells, because of the millenium field, which is amazing, which you can walk through the bluebells.
IM
Ok, thats good.
IM
How would you describe the emotional state of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s people? i.e- Happy- Go Lucky, Spontaneous, Wild!
JG
Ummm....Jolley, everybody smiles and says hello, everybody looks jolley.
IM
Ok, Brilliant.
BABY MAKING NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND IM
And Lastly.
IM
Have you heard of sibford Gower and Ferris’s Theodore the Hermit also known as Theodore Lamb?
JG
No. I’ve never heard of him, but i’ve only lived here a year, so i’m missing out on folk legend.
IM
Ok, thanks very much for your time.
IM
Ok
IM
If Sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit what would it be?
NOISE IN THE BACKGROUND FROM PASSING CARS TW
Ahhhh..... Fruit Shortcake
IM
Ok
IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
TW IM TW IM TW IM
Friendly....ummm dunno any others. Ok (Laughs) Why should people come and visit Sibford Gower and Ferris? Because its nice, the scenery is very nice, looking around and so on. Ok
IM
What event or convention would you stage in Sibford Gower and Ferris?
TW
What event...we did a Millenium pagaent in the year 2000, which was supported by most of the village.
IM TW
Ok I dont know what else we might do, might have open air concerts ,that sort of thing, you know...that sort of thing?
IM
Yeah thats quite nice...yeah.
IM
What do you think people in Sibford Gower and Ferris worry about the most?
GUSTS OF WIND BLOWING IN BACKGROUND TW IM
Probably money I expect or not having enough to live the standard they want to live. Ok
IM
What do you think people in Sibford Gower and Ferris are passionate about?
GUSTS OF WIND AND BIRDS SINGING IN THE BACKGROUND TW
Living here I think probably...the people like living here, everybody says its a friendly place to live.
IM
Ok, thats brilliant, last question.
IM
Have you heard of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s Theodore the Hermit?
TW IM TW
IM
Oh yes, Theodore Lamb was his name. Yeah Oh yes, he died before I came here, but he’s legend, he used to charge people to take his photograph, he was like that, he was a very sharp operator. Ok
TW IM
He lived up on the top. Sibford Heath?
TW
Yeah somewhere up there, thats up on the top of the village on the way to shipston sort of, he could be quite nasty.....i understand....he was also featured in the pagaent of 2000 I believe.
TW
Anyway hows that?
IM
Brilliant, thanks very much.
IM
Ok
IM
What words best describe Sibford Gower and Ferris?
IW
Ohhh....one of the friendliest villages i’ve ever lived in.
IM
Ok, Brilliant.
IM
What qualities and Characteristics does Sibford Gower and Ferris possess?
IW
Uh uh
BIRDS SINGING IN BACKGROUND IW
IM IW IM
....its got plenty of activity going on...um uh...well as you probably already know we have an excellent village hall, theres always things going on all the time..... Morning Jean. Shall we go to the next question? Yes...yes...this lady may help. You can both help if you want?
JM Ok IM
What is the most unappealing this about Sibord Gower and Ferris?
JM
The Car Parking
IW
Yes...yes
JM
both villages have turned into small villages of car parking...aren’t they?
IW
Yes
IW
...well the beauty of the village, take the village pond for example, you can’t see it anymore because the car are parked round it.
IM
Ok
IM
What is Sibford Gower and Ferris’s unique selling point?
MOBILE PHONE SIGNAL INTERRUPTION IW ......You have a very excellent school, which is probably as you know....ummm thats about it really.
IM
Ok...bit of a fun one.
IM
If sibford Gower and Ferris was a biscuit what would it be?
BOTH LAUGH JM
ummmm.......thats a good one isn’t it?...I think were have to give that a bit of thought and come back to it.
IW
Carry on.
IM
Ok, another similar one.
IM
What colour best expresses Sibford Gower and Ferris’s meaning/mood?
JM
Green
IM
Lots of people have said green, would you say green too?
IW
Yes yes
IM
How would you describe the emotional state of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s people? i.e- Happy- Go Lucky,Spontaneous,Wild!
IW
All very considerate
JM
Yes...all very kindly.
IW
Yes
JM
Helpful Neighbours.
IM
Last question
IM
Have you heard of Sibford Gower and Ferris’s Theodore The Hermit also known as Theodore Lamb?
IW
Oh yes yes
JM
Yes
IW We all know about Theodre and where he lived and so on. IM
Ok, Thank you both very much for your time.