Ken Cothliff

Born	August 1944, Wallasey, Cheshire.
Background	Grew up in Liverpool, has lived in Yeadon since September 1989.
Date of Interview	16th November 2020
“I confirm I am happy to allow my interview to be used on the back-chat collection. I found the experience of the interview really illuminating.” Ken Cothliff (23rd November 2020)

Ken Cothliff is a larger than life character who has achieved wonderful things in life despite a shaky introduction to the world.

His adventures started when he would ride into Liverpool with his dad, sat astride the petrol tank of his Dad’s motorbike.

In later years he talks of having an argument with John Lennon at the Liverpool College of Art.

The search for his Canadian Air Force father took him to Canada and led to many Air Force reunions and being recognised as an air show commentator in the UK, Canada, and Europe.

Ken is the archivist for the Leeds Bradford Airport and is a key figure in organising a memorial to the AVRO and the Lancaster’s which were built there.

An interesting interview which gently unfolds as you listen to it.

Interviewer: Carlo Harrison

Cataloguer: Fiona Quinton

Sound Engineer David Myers

HTML5 Audio Player

You can listen to the entire recording by clicking the start arrow or, you can move the slider to one of times shown for the headings opposite, they are a guide to the many things we chatted about.

Coronavirus – Vaccine + Holidays	01.25
Boris Johnson	03.30
Parents – Hilda & Malcolm	08.25
Fathers Motorbike	12.00
Family Life In Liverpool	13.55
School Days In Liverpool	15.00
John Lennon – Liverpool Art College	17.10
Ambitions	23.20
Parents and Adoption	23.50
Widowed Mother, Canadian Father	24.00
Strawberry Fields Children’s home	29.00
Search For Family – Canada	37.40
Shop – Air Supply	45.45
Health – Stroke – Prostate Cancer	51.00
Children – Andrew & Scott	59.00
Leeds Bradford Airport	01.01.50
AVRO	01.05.05
Brexit	01.09.07

Please take into consideration when listening to these interviews that the meaning of language changes over time and that interviewees have not intended to cause offence by anything said which now may be thought to be unacceptable.

Recording this social history, chatting to different people about a whole host of subjects has been a real pleasure, such an interesting and I think worthwhile project for people to listen to both now and in years to come.

Thank you for visiting this website.

Carlo Harrison