Oral History Collection

When David Clark established the Hospice History Project in 1995 with a grant from the Wellcome Trust, a team of researchers and collaborators began collecting oral histories with people in the hospice and palliative care movement. Interviewing continues today and the collection now boasts hundreds of accounts by individuals about their part in the formation and development of the movement. A number of these are well known names in the specialty, having played a significant part in its growth. Others are the vital people who give daily care for patients, raise funds and offer support in so many other ways.

"A Bit of Heaven for the Few"

With a decade of interviews and a great deal of important archival material relevant to the early history of hospice and palliative care in our collection, it has been possible to assess how and why hospice and palliative care has developed in Britain, Ireland and elsewhere. We regard the work of hospice and palliative care as a major innovation in the history of twentieth century medicine, one worthy of broader appreciation and understanding beyond the confines of specialist study. Hence, a major outcome of this work has been the publication of A Bit of Heaven for the Few? An oral history of the modern hospice movement in the United Kingdom (Observatory Publications, 2005), by David Clark, Neil Small, Michael Wright, Michelle Winslow and Nic Hughes. This book seeks to capture the growth of the hospice movement in the UK through the voices and experiences of those directly involved. An accompanying exhibition has also been displayed at numerous hospices and conferences since its launch in spring 2005.

Travelling Exhibition

To complement the publication of the book, we have produced a 9-panel exhibition; each panel reflecting a book chapter. These panels contain excerpts of transcribed interviews and images of from many of the contributors to the development of the "Modern Hospice". It is intended that this exhibition be made available to hospices and other palliative care organisations on a loan basis and would be excellent for conferences, open days and teaching purposes. Click here to learn more.