The End of the Shift is an oral history project which records the skills and experiences of industrial workers in Perthshire and Fife which has now recorded over 70 people, aged 15 to 103.
The project is a collaboration of Grace Notes Scotland, a charity dedicated to handing on traditions to new generations, and funded by Heritage Lottery and the Gannochy Trust.
The remit was to record the oral history of people who had actually been involved in industrial work in the area. The project brought together 93 volunteers – people who would conduct interviews, people to transcribe the material, photographers etc. This began with the mining communities but soon grew to embrace the stories of mill workers, bleach workers and hydro workers in the local area.
The project soon uncovered hidden heritage. What is documented as official history in local newspapers are the accidents that happened rather than the daily lives of the community. What is missing, for example, are the stories of women: wonderful stories from the wives and sisters of miners. Missing also are accounts of the cultural traditions - the colliery bands or community brassbands. One of the aims of the project was to create material to give to schools, communities and libraries.