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The Women's Library
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Carole Stuart-McIvor interviewed by Vanessa Pini

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Carole.
Carole first went to Greenham in protest against the rainbow bomb in 1961/62 after coming out of care at the age of 16. She got arrested and spent a week in Holloway Prison alongside Helen Allegranza and Pat Arrowsmith. Years later, she returned on Christmas Eve, 1982 and talks about the guilt she felt for leaving her kids and mum. She recalls breaking into the base and dancing on the silos on New Year's Day, the incredible barrister Liz Woodcraft representing them in court, hitting her head in the riot van and getting concussed and her second stint in Holloway Prison. Carole also talks about going to a summit in Geneva with Welsh women to protest and give talks. They were deported after covering a public clock with the alternative time of '5 minutes to Midnight', graffitiing over a picture of naked woman on the wall of the police station and being choked by a police officer when caught. She feels it is important for Greenham to be remembered, as you can re-direct the traffic literally and metaphorically if you know people have done it before. Carole had a poem published in 'No Holds Barred', a collection of poems by women, chosen by The Raving Beauties.
Carole was interviewed by Vanessa Pini in April 2021.

Caroline Poland, Ann Scargill and Betty Cook interviewed by Sara Sherwood

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Although most well known for their work during the Miners' Strike and Women Against Pit Closures, Caroline Poland, Anne Scargill and Betty Cook discuss how the actions of the women at Greenham Common influenced their own activism and protest strategy, their memories of visiting the camp and the long-lasted alliances they forged with the Greenham women during the 1980s.
They were interviewed by Sara Sherwood in Barnsley in 2019.

Carolyn Barnes interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
'Peace Woman refuses to pay fine, birthday in custody. Southampton Peace Woman, spent her 21st birthday in police custody at the start of a 7 day prison sentence for refusing to pay fines imposed after she took part in a blockade at Greenham Common.'
Carolyn Barnes shares the story behind the newspaper headline in the Southampton Daily Echo. She became involved with Greenham after moving from Bolton to attend Southampton University. She joined various groups including CND, 3rd World First and a local group 'Families Against the Bomb'. Her friend, Di McDonald, used to take a group of them to Greenham for demonstrations in her campervan.
Carolyn talks about being new to politics when first staying at Blue Gate, the cruise missiles being brought in, the excitement of a women-only space, treatment by the police, prison, poetry and impact on her family. She also recalls people not expecting women to stick up for each other and the different ways in which women reacted to the balance of power.
Carolyn describes Greenham as earthy, real, natural and primal.
Carolyn was interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton in February 2021.

Carolyn E Francis interviewed by Rebecca Mordan

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Carolyn.
Carolyn was at Green Gate from Summer 1984. After leaving college she moved into Greenham's London base and from there went to Greenham where she lived in a hollowed out holly tree. Her sister, Sally and her Mum also protested at the base. Although Carolyn never went to prison, she supported those charged at their court appearances and talks about the ways in which Greenham women subverted the court system. Carolyn became a Buddhist at Greenham and the personal impact of her time there changed the course of her life.
Carolyn was interviewed by Rebecca Mordan in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Cas Heron interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Intrigued by the idea of a peaceful women only revolution, Cas decided to spend an afternoon at Yellow Gate and eventually lived at Blue Gate for two and a half years. She says Greenham was a transformative part of her life which allowed her to step out of one life into another.
She talks about the challenge of balancing home and Greenham visits and the domestic conflict this caused. Her daughter at the age of ten visited the camp and loved it, especially being chased by a helicopter.
Cas tells the story of the women at Blue Gate setting a record for how many arrests could be made until 12 midnight on New Year's Eve. She talks about the women using false names and 200 Nancy Reagans were arrested on that night along with herself as Doctor Norma Shearer.
She said she mourned for the camp when she left and still does. 'My escape was the camp, being outside, the physical work, the sound of just women, their laughter and song.'
Cas was interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton in February 2021.

Catherine Leyow interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Catherine.
A member of CND, Catherine first visited Greenham for Embrace the Base in December 1982 and continued to visit over the years, finally living permanently at Yellow Gate from June 1988 to May 1989. She participated in many NVDAs, was arrested multiple times, and served two prison sentences in Holloway.
Catherine was interviewed by Nicky Arikoglu in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Celia Chasey interviewed by Kitty Gurnos Davies

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
Celia helped set-up and run Hayford Peace Camp a a sister camp to Greenham Common that allowed both men and women to protest together. She visited Greenham for Embrace the Base and describes how they decorated the wire fence. She describes protest activities including cruise watch at night in cars along the M4 and monitoring the transport of goods in and out of the camp. Celia is a wonderful artist and made many of the banners for Hayford and discusses the song and dance that surrounded the peace movement. With her husband, Celia hosted many members of the Hayford Peace Camp in her house and relates the sacrifices and impact of protesting on family life. In a particularly touching moment, Celia reads out a poem that her daughter had written aged 16. Much of the interview is structured around looking at photographs and material Celia had collected relating to the peace camps.
Celia was interviewed by Kitty Gurnos Davies in 2019.

Clare Pattinson and Polly High interviewed by Leslie Lyle

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Clare and Polly.
Clare's parents were Catholic and part of the Pax Christi peace movement. Polly's parents were a part of CND and she joined them from a young age on demonstrations. Neither stayed at Greenham but both made frequent day visits with supplies and fresh vegetables.
The only occasion that Clare stayed was one February night when she woke in a bender with 4 inches of snow on her feet - 'Iave never been so cold in my life'. Both discuss the role of men in helping at Greenham a visiting the women with children, bringing supplies, helping with Cruise Watch. Clare, also involved in Cruise Watch, describes driving at night to watch the missile convoys: 'They were terrifying, it was like being in a horror movie.'
Polly and Clare were interviewed by Leslie Lyle in Kent in 2019.
They were photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Clayre Gribben interviewed by Leslie Lyle

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Clayre.
Clayre spent a summer in the mid 1980s at Greenham with a group of friends. She shared baths, broke into the base, cut through wire, sang, did workshops, learned crafts, got arrested, and was part of Cruise Watch. She remembers a fantastic community. 'We have to stop reinventing causes every time. We must try to learn from each other and not think we are doing things for the first time. There is this wave that just grows and grows and keeps growing a we musn't let it die, otherwise we have to start again.'
Clayre was interviewed by Leslie Lyle in London in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Dawn Stewart interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
When Dawn went to Greenham, the main era had died down but there was still a small group of very determined women at the Yellow Gate, many of whom had been there permanently for over 9 years with just an occasional visit home. She recalls sitting round the campfire telling stories, visitors from Japan, women sharing a common purpose and how nature comes back when you live under the influence of the moon. She also remembers the death of 'Gladys' the Greenham Van, and the replacement, 'Sister of Gladys'! In reflecting on her time at Greenham, Dawn talks about the strength in the solidarity of like-minded women, their resilience which was both powerful and empowering. She believes the Greenham experience is even more relevant with the nuclear threats at the time of the interview.
Dawn was interviewed by Tricia Grace Norton in February 2021.

Di McDonald interviewed by Emma Gliddon

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
An interview with veteran campaigner Di Macdonald who was at Greenham from the early days and then went on to be a crucial link to Cruise watch in the South East and an inspiration to many of us. Her van was an iconic part of the chase around the countryside after cruise missiles on the move. At the time of the interview, Di continues to campaign against nuclear weapons.
Di was interviewed by Emma Gliddon on 17th March 2021.

Diana Derioz interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording.
3 Generations at Greenham, her mother Ursula, daughter Diana and granddaughter, Fenella. Diana has been a pacifist all her life and set up the Totnes Women for Peace. In 1982 she went to the first Greenham demonstration of women's hands around the fence. She had been on many mixed demonstrations which were often violent and thought that women could do it differently.
She lived at Greenham part-time for nearly 3 years. She took part in all of the actions including: The Black Cardigan Demonstration, Easter, Dragon Day Bunny Party. She reads a very interesting letter she sent to her children about the Easter Action she attended with her 3 years old daughter in April 1983. Her mother attended all the demonstrations and was arrested (aged 63) for dancing on the base along with 80 other women and spent 3 weeks in Holloway as examples. She has a press cutting about her mother 'Gran's Strip Ordeal' as Ursula refused a strip search. Diana was arrested and insisted at being tried in her local court supported by many Greenham women.
She speaks very eloquently about the creative conversations with women from around the world (including the miners' wives) sitting around the fire and trying to escape the smoke. She talked about how the women put 'energy' into the vehicles breaking down when they were being removed or making them invisible when trying to hide. 'We really believed in those spells' as they always seemed to work.
Diana was interviewed by Tricia Norton in 2019.

Dr Janet Smith interviewed by Sarah Learmonth

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Janet.
Remarkably Janet hand-wrote her entire PhD thesis at Greenham during a time when there were daily evictions. She remembers it being anarchic but not chaotic, a community of women that in her words, 'Had your back'. Janet took part in many small and large actions and particularly remembers one blockade where the seated women were rushed by mounted police.
Janet was interviewed by Sarah Learmouth in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Elizabeth Greenland interviewed by Florence Weston

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Elizabeth.
Elizabeth talks emotionally about the strength women found in each other and how it felt to have that awakening to your own power. She talks about chanting and singing around the perimeter fence with a group of women, a visit from the Archbishop of Canterbury, and how proud she is of the success of Greenham to the peace movement.
Elizabeth was interviewed by Florence Weston in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Elizabeth Woodcraft interviewed by Rebecca Mordan

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Elizabeth.
Liz went to Greenham with her mum and for Embrace the Base. After being impressed by the women dancing on the silos on New Year's Eve, she represented them at their hearings at Newbury Magistrates Court, remembering the women singing all their answers in court and consequently being sent to the cells. She talks about the impact Greenham Women had on the law and how some women went to Greenham to escape sexual abuse and violence, partly leading to her becoming involved in Women's Aid. She describes Greenham as a wonderful place to be with women being supportive and sisterly.
Liz was interviewed by Rebecca Mordan in 2019.
She was photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Elspeth Owen, Julia Ball and Gerd Browne interviewed by June Hughes

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and photographs of Elspeth, Julia and Gerd.
Elspeth is interviewed with her close friends Julia Bell and Gerd Browne. They met through a Cambridge peace group and were on one of the first walks from Wales. They produced a book, 1983/4, an anthology of women's writing, 'MY COUNTRIES - THE WHOLE WORLD FROM SAPPHO TO GREENHAM', now out of print. They felt empowered by the Greenham experience, Elspeth going on to be a successful potter, Julia, already an artist, inspired to continue, and Gerd opening her own bookshop.
They were interviewed by June Hughes in Cambridge in 2019.
They were photographed by Christine Bradshaw (copyright Christine Bradshaw).

Estelle Poingdestre and Jane Staffieri interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton

This folder includes the recorded audio of the interview along with a transcript of the recording and a photograph of Estelle.
'A Blot on the Landscape'
Estelle and Jane talk about the hostile way in which they were represented in the Press. 'Dirty, rebellious, anarchists, women transgressing the normal female role when they should be at home cooking and looking after their families.' They also reflect on the hostility that the men, left at home, received from other men about letting their wives go off.
Jane tells the story of the secret, well-rehearsed and surprise action in which she and Estelle's mother, Mary, took part. With the women working in twos, Jane stood on Mary's shoulders, reaching up with bolt cutters to slice through the main holding points which caused a huge area of the fence to fall down, taking the soldiers inside by surprise. On being arrested, along with others, she refused to pay the fine of 30 pounds and talks about her experience of serving one week in Holloway Prison.
They both talk about the importance of ensuring that future generations learn of Greenham and that it is possible to make a difference in the world and change Government Policy, if you choose to do so. They said that when the Women of Greenham came together in peaceful and powerful collaboration, they achieved their goal which was to close down the Base to protect the world's children and future generations from the damage of cruise missiles. Together we changed the World.
Estelle and Jane were interviewed by Tricia Grace-Norton in March 2021.
Estelle provided her photograph.

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