Level: Category
Sound Archive
Level: Fonds
MISCELLANEOUS TAPES
Scope and Content:
Title: AMERICA NEXT DOOR
Speaker(s):
Length of tape: 115 MINS
Depositor: WETHERSFIELD LOCAL HISTORY GROUP
Synopsis of tape: A MEETING OF THE WETHERSFIELD LOCAL HISTORY GROUP TO DISCUSS THE WETHERSFIELD AMERICAN AIR BASE WHICH HAD CLOSED THE YEAR BEFORE; INCLUDING TAPED INTERVIEWS OF LOCAL PEOPLE AND AMERICAN EX-SERVICEMEN, READINGS FROM LETTERS AND BOOKS AND CONTRIBUTIONS FROM MEMBERS OF THE GROUP; DESCRIPTIONS OF THE AREA BEFORE THE WAR; ACQUISITION OF LAND BY MoD AND BUILDING OF BASE BETWEEN 1941 AND 1943; RELATIONS WITH AMERICANS DURING WAR - PLANE CRASHES - GOODWILL COMMITTEE, CLOSING DOWN OF BASE IN 1946, REMOVAL OF STORES AND DOCUMENTS, BURNING OF EQUIPMENT; USE OF BAE BY CHIPPERFIELDS CIRCUS DURING WINTER; RE-OPENING IN 1952 - TIGHTER SECURITY, NUCLEAR WEAPONS, FLYING MISSIONS; CIVILIAN WORKERS; RELATIONS BETWEEN VILLAGE AND AIRBASE - SPORT, FETES, AMERICANS AND LOCAL GIRLS; ATOM BOMB PROTESTERS, CND ALDERMASTON MARCH; MEMORIES OF AN AMERICAN FAMILY.

Key terms

TypeKey termsDescription
Subjects Second World War AMERICA NEXT DOOR, 1974
Document Types Sound recording AMERICA NEXT DOOR, 1974