Forwarded at the request of Melissa Blackburn Dear Rootsweb I am writing in the hope that British subscribers of Rootsweb will be able to help me. We are making a serious history documentary for Channel 4 here in the UK, and I think some of your subscribers will be able to help. Our company, Testimony Films, specialises in oral history films using interviews and archive to give a voice the older generation. We’ve made a number of high profile, award-winning series such as MARRIED LOVE (2002 for Channel 4, which won a Royal Television Society Award), VETERANS : THE LAST SURVIVORS OF THE GREAT WAR (a BBC1 series marking the eightieth anniversary of the end of the First World War using the memories of the last soldiers alive), SOME LIKED IT HOT (2001 for ITV, which documented the history of the British on holiday) and GREEN AND PLEASANT LAND (1999, a major Channel 4 series looking at country life in Britain). At the moment we are making a Channel 4 history film about people who found love outside marriage during the first half of the century- long before the swinging sixties. Escaping the loneliness of an unhappy marriage, some were drawn into secret affairs, and a few lucky ones found the love of their life. Wartime brought uncertainty and romance was often kindled. But this was an era of different social and sexual attitudes when divorce was difficult or impossible, and so many couples suffered much heartache and humiliation before they could be together. We’re looking for stories from the 1930s – 1950s (so from people who are aged seventy plus) which reflect this kind of experience. Historically, this is an area very little is known about, and we feel its important that their stories are told. Obviously this is a sensitive subject, but I must say that we pride ourselves on our tact and confidentiality when tackling these films – our contributors often find them an extremely rewarding experience. As you can imagine, its quite difficult finding the right stories for this kind of programme, and I wondered if any of your subscribers to Rootsweb who are based in Britain would be able to help. We're really looking people who had these kind of experiences in the UK in the 1930s -1950s. Anything you can do to get the word out to your subscribers. Perhaps you have a newsletter we can put an article about our search in, or an e-mail list to send it out to? Many thanks, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries at all, or if you need anything else. Very best wishes Melissa Blackburn Assistant Producer Testimony Films 12 Great George Street Bristol BS1 5RS Tel: (+44) 0117 925 8589