The Researchers' Perspective : Working with two temporalities: life history and diary data

1. The Researchers' Perspective: Working with two temporalities: life history and diary data Joanna Bornat and Bill Bytheway The Open University

2. Aims of this paper • How we recruited participants, informed them of what was involved and gained their consent to data being archived • How we have anonymised these linked data sets • How we have undertaken some primary analyses • How we are regulating access by secondary analysts

3. Fieldwork for The Oldest Generation (TOG) project • An eighteen month period, autumn 2007 to summer 2009 • Twelve diverse families, each including at least one person aged 75 or more, recruited through the UK-wide Open University network • One member of the family aged 75 or more, nominated as the Senior • One member nominated as the Recorder

4. Methods • Life history interviews with the 12 seniors, autumn 2007 • Diaries kept by the 12 recorders over an 18-month period • Photographs taken by the recorders and others • Monthly contact with the recorders • Follow-up interviews with the seniors, spring 2009

5. Recruitment • Circular to the UK-wide OU network inviting volunteers • Selection in order to maximise diversity • Induction • Maintaining participation

6. Informed consent • The original invitation • The induction and introductions • Monthly contact re. diaries • Regular newsletters

7. Life history interviews • First interview: • Childhood experiences and subsequent life events • Current domestic circumstances and family-related activities • Follow-up interview: • Changes and events since first interview • The economic downturn • The future

8. Diaries • 7 daughters • 2 sons • 1 niece • I husband • I self (the senior kept his own diary) • Events (celebrations, visits) • Life transitions (moving house, going into hospital) • Activities etc. of the senior

9. Photographs • Taken to record: • ‘life in and around where your Senior lives, family events and commemorations, and anything else that you think reflects the kinds of networks you all maintain as a family’.

10. Comparing data sources

11. Five primary analyses • 1 Orientations towards the future (21st Century Society) • 2 Attitudes to risk (Brit J Soc Work) • Memories of significant events • Embodiment in later life • Life transitions

12. One example of how we have used evidence from the three datasets • Recollections of a childhood experience: • An extract from an interview with the senior, 4.9.07 • The entry in the diary for 27.11.07 • A photograph taken on 27.11.07

13. An extract from the interview with Alice Watson, 4.9.07 • […] I wouldn’t, I couldn’t. I don’t know why. I knew she was dying. Why couldn’t I go and see her? And I went a few weeks ago with my friend and we sat at the house opposite, and I said “That’s where my Grandma was” I said, “and my Grandma died you know upstairs there” I said. “Do you know Mary,” I said, “I sat,” I said, “and I would not go and see her.” I said “Do you know, if that were me today,” I said “and I was in bed and I knew my granddaughter was downstairs and wasn’t coming up,” I said “Do you know?” I said “I know now how I feel”. But I could not.

14. The same event as recorded in the diary kept by Alice’s son, Brian, 27.11.07 • As the weather is mild and pleasant Mother took a bus to Updale (see photographs). • Mother reported Updale as quiet 'not many visitors around'. Just the locals going about their business. • Mother took a photograph of her grandmother's cottage. • Mother remembers having to take flowers when Grandmother was poorly, but refused to go upstairs and sat downstairs until it was time to go home. She was ill at the time and now feels a little ashamed of herself.

15. The photograph that illustrates the story: Alice Watson visiting her grandmother’s cottage, 27.11.07

16. Access to TOG data • Primary research team • Approved researchers • Researchers registered with Timescapes • Access to the general public