I am very pleased to say that the West Yorkshire Archive service have accepted the Back-Chat Collection interviews into their permanent archives thus ensuring their accessibility to the public for many generations to come.

You can hear this interview by simply clicking the West Yorkshire Archive Link where you will find all of the Back-Chat Collection interviews listed in alphabetical order along with captioned photographs.

If you would like to contact The Back-Chat Collection please do email me at carloharrison1947@gmail.com.

To listen to the interviews which are now hosted on the
West Yorkshire Archive Service click here.

Norman Copsey

Born

January 1928, Otley.

Died

11th May 2022

Background

Grew up in Otley, now lives in Yeadon.

Date of Interview

26th August 2020

“Hello Carlo, thats exciting. Yes you have permission to publish Dad’s interview. Thank you”

Rosie Molinari (8th February 2022)

Norman Copsey was 92 years old when I interviewed him and is still very much alive today (April 2022) aged 94 having survived a dose of coronavirus.

Norman is a straightforward, non-smoking, teetotal man, a respected Police Officer and father to 11 children.

In this interview Norman tells his life story with little interruption from me – just as it should be.

A keen boxer and God-fearing man who, as a police officer, made it his business to help people who needed it and making sure that wrong-doers knew not to have him called out to the same incident twice.

Remember that Norman was born in 1928 so some of his phraseology and ways may not suit our modern political correctness but he tells his life story as it was.

Sadly Norman passed away on Saturday 11th May at the age of 94.


 
 

Interviewer: Carlo Harrison

Recording Editor: Carlo Harrison


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.
Effects Of Coronavirus
01.10
Boris Johnson
03.00
National Service – Egypt – Africa – Mombasa
04.50
Boxing – Army
08.00
Family Life At Syke House
12.05
Police Officer & Life – Otley – Rossington – Doncaster – Yeadon
21.10
Brexit – Government
42.30
Father Wounded – First World War
43.45

 

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