Oxford Lives

This episode of Oxford Lives features Julie Kleeman and Yeshi Jampa, who run the fabulous Taste Tibet restaurant in Easy Oxford and can currently be seen selling their exquisite cuisine all over the festival circuit. Here we learn about their backgrounds, how they met, early days in Gloucester Green market, success on the festival scene, and how everything came together during the pandemic with the opening of their already legendary restaurant. We also discuss their new cookbook, which has received rave reviews from such culinary gurus as Ken Hom. Prepare for your mouth to water.

New College was founded in 1379 by master mason William of Wykeham as a self-contained institution to quarantine and train priests at the time of the Black Death. As well as being one of the first Oxford colleges to take undergraduates and to appoint tutors to teach them, New College was the first in Oxford to be deliberately designed  around a main quadrangle and still maintains many of its ancient features. In today's episode we talk to former Assistant Catering Services Manager and Butler to the Wardens, Nigel Ewers. Nigel retired in 2018 but was then reinstated as Visitor Liaison Officer and is a familiar sight to Oxford residents with his affable manner and fascinating anecdotes. We also talk to Nigel about his compelling life story and what drew him to the city in the first place.

Oxford Covered market 250th Anniversay Special with Malcolm Graham

The Covered Market is currently celebrating its 250th anniversary. From its origins as a meat market built to declutter the bloodied city streets to a thriving community hub and tourist hot spot, John Gwynn's 18th century classic still occupies a pivotal spot in Oxford life. Here to talk about the evolution of the market and to reflect upon his own evolution as a popular local historian, Malcolm Graham joins us on this commemorative edition of the show.

In today's episode of Oxford Lives we talk to Anna Eavis, who has just taken over the role of CEO for Oxford Preservation Trust. We ask Anna about the role of the trust in maintaining historically significant buildings and green spaces throughout the city, the importance of volunteers and the forthcoming Open Doors Weekend. We also look at Anna's previous role as Ciritorial Director of English Heritage, where she played an integral part in allocating London's blue plaques and setting up the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. A fascinating listen. 

In today's episode of Oxford Lives we talk to Anna Eavis, who has just taken over the role of CEO for Oxford Preservation Trust. We ask Anna about the role of the Trust in maintaining historically significant buildings and green spaces throughout the city, the importance of volunteers and the forthcoming Open Doors Weekend. We also look at Anna's previous role as Curitorial Director of English Heritage, where she played an integral part in allocating London's blue plaques and setting up the Stonehenge Visitor Centre. A fascinating listen. 

In today’s episode of Oxford Lives we talk to Anna Eavis, who has just taken over the role of CEO for Oxford Preservation Trust. We ask Anna about the role of the Trust in maintaining historically significant buildings and green spaces throughout the city, the importance of volunteers and the forthcoming Open Doors weekend. We also look at Anna’s previous role as Curatorial Director for English Heritage, where she played an integral part in allocating London’s blue plaques and setting up the Stonehenge Visitor Centre.  A fascinating listen.

50th Anniversary Special. To celebrate 50 episodes of the podcast, we recently held a live recording at the Bullingdon on Cowley Rd. The event was a panel discussion on 'Parallel Oxfords' with three previous guests taking part: multi-media and spoken word artist, Rawz; local historian, Liz Woolley; and author of Real Oxford, Patrick McGuinness. It turned out to be a fascinating evening with a free-flowing discussion that uncovered the real Oxford in all its complexities. Let us know what you think.https://www.patrickmcguinness.org/https://linktr.ee/forgottenstoriesoxfordhttp://lizwoolley.co.uk/     

This episode of Oxford Lives features an interview with musician, rapper, poet, and community artist, Rawz. Rawz has seen Oxford from both sides, having grown up in the Town (Greater Leys) and worked in the Gown (St John’s College). Along the way, he has participated in a number of local projects from Digging Crates (Pitt Rivers Museum) to My Two Oxfords (Old Fire Station). His latest venture is an ‘off the beaten track’ walking tour, Forgotten Stories of Oxford. For further info: https://linktr.ee/rawz_official and https://www.torch.ox.ac.uk/oxfords-forgotten-stories 

Tolkien-Lewis Special. In this edition of Oxford Lives we examine the lives of two of Oxford’s most esteemed residents: JRR Tolkien and CS Lewis. They first met at a Merton College English Faculty meeting in 1926. In his diary, Lewis recorded some apprehension, writing of the “smooth, pale, fluent little chap” with “no harm in him: only needs a smack or so.” From such unpromising beginnings, their relationship flourished. Here to pick up the story is Tour Guide and Inklings aficionado, Jonathan Self

Karen Ford is a prolific actor with a vast range of experience in stage and screen to her name. Perhaps her best-known role is that of Miss Booth in the BBC children’s drama, Grange Hill, playing a major role in two of the series’ most iconic storylines – Zammo’s drug addiction and her relationship with troubled student, Danny Kendall. Karen’s new play, Serpent’s Tooth, is coming to Oxford’s Burton Taylor theatre on Saturday 23rd September, after rave reviews in Edinburgh. You can book tickets for this powerful, darkly humorous performance on https://www.oxfordplayhouse.com/events/the-serpents-tooth