Voices of the Lake District is the unique and fascinating result of many interviews with local people in the Lake District community, recalling life in the area over the past century. Compiled by Ambleside Oral History Group, this book contains many vivid memories of childhood and schooldays, work, leisure, and wartime, illustrated with more than 80 archival photographs, many contributed from precious family albums. Voices of the Lake District portrays the humor, courage, and the indomitable spirit of the local population--from farmers, quarrymen, and gamekeepers to teachers, shopkeepers, and cooks. This spirit is shared by the "offcomers," the industrialists, scientists, and artists who made the Lake District their home, and the refugees who sought and found sanctuary in Lake District communities. Together their memories paint a revealing picture of life in this uniquely beautiful setting. Anyone who knows the Lake District, as a resident or visitor, will be fascinated, entertained, surprised, and moved by these stories which capture the past and the changes that have taken place over a century.