John Birchall

Born

4th February 1946 in Mexborough

Background

Grew up in Yeadon and Guiseley, later in Keighley then France and back to Keighley.

Interviewed at Rufford Avenue, Yeadon

Date of Interview

15th July 2019

“I am more than happy to give you permission to use John's recording and photographs.”

Lesley Birchall

John Birchall lost his fight with cancer on 15th July 2020 - exactly one year after this interview.

If you want to know what bravery sounds like then listen to this gentle, softly spoken man who was under no illusions about his cancer when he spoke to me.

We talk frankly and yet easily about his journey with cancer which started at his home in France.

The cancer is by no means the whole of John's life, but he wanted to tell the story because in his own words 'if it benefits or helps someone else then the story is worth telling.'

Such a nice man as you will hear for yourselves as you listen to this very brave soul.

Carlo Harrison



Interviewer: Carlo Harrison
Sound Engineer David Myers
Cataloguer: Fiona Quinton

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.

Buying A House And living In France0.50
Cancer15.12
Teenage Years With Dennis Court42.08 
Working Life as an Electrician 44.19
Flyover Shaw Lane Social Club45.18
Brexit48.32


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.

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Carlo Harrison