Sounds of Plymouth’s past to be heard again
The Box, 2026 Art Fund Museum of The Year, is partnering with heritage organisations across the region on a new ambitious project called ‘Sounds of the South West’, which aims to preserve and unlock our rich audio heritage.
Led by Bristol Archives and supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, ‘Sounds of the South West’ will digitise thousands of recordings held by archives across the region over the next three years. Many of these exist on obsolete formats, leaving their long-term survival at risk. Digitisation will help safeguard them for the future while creating opportunities to better understand their content, significance and potential for future research and interpretation. In some cases, recordings may not have been played for many years, making the project an important opportunity to rediscover material that has remained largely inaccessible.
As part of the project, approximately 150 sound recordings from The Box’s collections will be digitised between 2026 and 2028. Highlights include oral histories from the Plymouth Co-operative Society and the Second World War, Royal Visit recordings from St Andrew's Parish as well as recordings and compositions from Westward Television/Television South West. Together, they document a rich cross-section of Plymouth life during the twentieth century, capturing memories of everyday life, work, community organisations, civic occasions, broadcasting, music and public service.
Kazz Sahota, senior archivist at The Box said: "One of the most exciting aspects of this project is that we don't yet know exactly what we'll find. Many of these recordings have not been listened to for many years, and in some cases their content remains largely unexplored. ‘Sounds of the South West’ gives us a unique opportunity to uncover and share stories, voices and memories that might otherwise remain hidden. We’re looking forward to revealing more as the recordings are digitised and their stories begin to emerge."
Stuart McLeod, Director of England, London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: “Sounds of the South West is a hugely significant project that has brought together partners from across the region to safeguard its rich and diverse heritage. From music and dialects to stories and memories, thanks to National Lottery players, these rare and at-risk recordings will now be preserved for future generations. The project will not only protect these important collections but also create new opportunities for people to connect with the voices, memories and stories that have shaped communities across the South West over centuries.”
Alongside the digitisation work, The Box will deliver a programme of engagement activities inspired by the newly digitised recordings. These will include online audio features, blogs, workshops and creative interpretation sessions designed to encourage people to explore Plymouth's rich sound heritage and discover the stories contained within the collections.
Katie Scaife, Sounds of the South West project manager said: “We’re very excited to be working with The Box on this project. Plymouth and its surrounding areas have a rich and interesting history and we’ve no doubt The Box’s rare and unique recordings will offer new insights into our recent past. We can’t wait to share some of it on our website and social media channels.”
Throughout the project updates will be shared via www.theboxplymouth.com and on social media. You can also follow the wider ‘Sounds of the South West’ project via Facebook and Instagram and, from late September, a dedicated website.
