Our Lives, Our Stories with Carl Chinn

About Our Lives, Our Stories with Carl Chinn

Our Lives, Our Stories is hosted by social historian and writer Carl Chinn MBE, whose life’s work has been dedicated to bringing to the fore the lives and stories of people too often left out of traditional history books. This podcast is built on a simple but powerful belief: that history must be democratised and that every person’s story matters. In each episode, Carl sits down with guests ranging from well-known figures to community activists and changemakers, exploring the personal histories, experiences, challenges and moments that have shaped who they are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Publisher

Our Lives, Our Stories

Category

history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

9 Feb 2026

Latest episode

23 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

33 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Deborah Douglas

   Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Deborah Douglas, campaigner, author and chair of Breast Friends Solihull. Deb was born in Aston and grew up in a back-to-back in Nechells, sharing an attic with her brother and the two young uncles her mom had brought out of care. She started on the shop floor at Lucas and rose to run production lines and investigate faults in aircraft electronics, from Birmingham to China and America. In 2003, the year after she lost her dad and two years after losing her mom, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and treated by Ian Paterson. Years later an independent consultant told her she should have had a lumpectomy, not a mastectomy, and should not have had seven months of chemotherapy. Deb has been leading the fight for justice, not only for herself but for all the other patients harmed by Ian Paterson, including the families of patients now at inquest. This is a story about trust, persistence and community, and about a woman who used a quality engineer's eye to look for the truth. She also talks about the women of Breast Friends Solihull and her book, The Cost of Trust. Content warning: This episode contains discussion of cancer, surgery and medical harm, and the deaths of patients and family members. Please do take care whilst listening or skip this episode if this could be distressing for you. The Cost of Trust (book) - https://ourlives-ourstories.com/go/deborah-douglas-book Breast Friends Solihull - https://ourlives-ourstories.com/go/breast-friends Petition - https://ourlives-ourstories.com/go/petition About This Podcast: The Our Lives, Our Stories podcast features conversations about life stories, family history, memory, identity, and the moments that shape who we are. Our Mission: Our Lives, Our Stories is a living archive for our generation and the ones to follow. Our mission is to empower everyone to tell their story. Record Your Own Story: Our website https://www.ourlives-ourstories.com has free guides on how to unlock your memories and record them. My Life, My Story: My Life, My Story is a guided legacy journal curated by Carl Chinn that includes prompts to help you reflect on your memories, experiences, and family history. It's a keepsake to help preserve your story, or a special gift for a parent, grandparent, or loved one. Available now on Amazon. https://ourlives-ourstories.com/mylifemystory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

2. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Larry Hanks

   Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Larry Hanks, one of the four founders of Birmingham's Pen Museum and, a quarter of a century after it opened, still one of its most devoted volunteers. Larry grew up in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham. Larry talks about starting as a trainee draughtsman, and how he learnt that the man who swept the floor had just as much to teach him. He remembers being an ink monitor at school, watching bombs fall in a row into a stream near his home during the war, and turning 21 in Nicosia during the Cyprus Emergency. His career took him from site checks across Europe, America and Singapore to a factory in Russia. A warning about retirement led Larry to collect fountain pens and pen nibs, and to discover that Birmingham once made 75% of the world's pen nibs. Brian Jones, Colin Giles and Ray Handley and Larry formed the Birmingham Pen Trade Heritage Association, cleared out a derelict room in Frederick Street, rebuilt old library cabinets by hand and funded much of it themselves. Larry reflects on why the museum is the thing he is proudest of, and speaks about Margaret, his wife of almost 64 years. It is a story about what a few determined people can do to make sure a city remembers how it made its living. The Pen Museum - https://penmuseum.org.uk Record Your Own Story: Our website https://www.ourlives-ourstories.com has free guides on how to unlock your memories and record them. My Life, My Story: My Life, My Story is a guided legacy journal curated by Carl Chinn that includes prompts to help you reflect on your memories, experiences, and family history. It's a keepsake to help preserve your story, or a special gift for a parent, grandparent, or loved one. Available now on Amazon. https://ourlives-ourstories.com/mylifemystory Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

3. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Joe Lycett: Replay

   From our archive: first released in March, Carl Chinn sits down with comedian, artist and TV presenter Joe Lycett to talk family history, building a comedy career, creativity, and what it means to be a champion for Birmingham. Inspired to tell your own story? Free guides at our website https://ourlives-ourstories.com (https://ourlives-ourstories.com) My Life, My Story is a guided legacy journal for writing down the memories that matter, ready to pass on to the people you love. Paperback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GNPTVHVV (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GNPTVHVV) Hardback: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GN6J3TZ6 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0GN6J3TZ6) Content warning: This episode contains some strong language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy (https://acast.com/privacy) for more information.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

20 ratings

Contact Our Lives, Our Stories with Carl Chinn

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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