Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards
Søren Kierkegaard
WISEArchive believes that people both retired and still at work have made an important contribution to society in the course of their working lives and are a valuable source of knowledge and experience which should be recorded and preserved for future generations.
The second half of the twentieth century was a period of increasingly rapid change in the workplace. Employees and management had to adapt as new skills and ideas, new technologies, new health and safety legislation and much more were implemented. Unions became stronger and some established working practices and jobs became obsolete. The workplace continues to see much change as we progress through the twenty-first century.
This archive aims to preserve stories of working lives, mainly in Norfolk, using transcribed recordings. Most of the stories have been edited, but the words are those of the contributors, as are the opinions. The archive is constantly expanding with all work carried out by volunteers.
If you have worked in Norfolk and would like to record your recollections for future generations we would be delighted to hear from you. We record both individual stories and stories for specific projects.
Browse our extensive archive to learn more about this rich history or search for specific occupations as you choose. For our latest activities look at our News page.
BOOK NOW for the first event in our Heritage Fund project Celebrating Wensum Lodge: A legacy of Adult Education. Join us for two days of talks, displays and films on 26th and 27th April 2025 at Dragon Hall, King Street, Norwich. Book free tickets for a programme of short talks between 10.30 and 11.30 on both days through Eventbrite at https://tinyurl.com/yx8fhk2n. Or drop in from 11.30 am to 4 pm to view displays and films celebrating the history and legacy of Wensum Lodge. See you there!
More on the News and Projects pages.
WISEArchive attended the Water, Mills and Marshes End of Project event in September 2024. We contributed over 100 stories to this major project, and our book Life and Work on the Broads 1920-2020 received many plaudits. The event was held at the Norwich University of the Arts’ new immersive visualization lab and was an opportunity so see some of the Broads Authority’s new work with NUA which is exploring the landscapes of the Broads. Spectacular immersive displays made us feel part of the landscape ourselves and set the scene for future work. See the News page.
Follow us on Facebook and 
See WISEArchive on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyspG242ufw
