Our Lives, Our Stories with Carl Chinn

ตอน

• Dr Karamat Iqbal 17.07.2026 56นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Dr Karamat Iqbal, an educator and historian whose life crosses two worlds. Karamat grew up in a village of ten houses in Kashmir, walking hours to school across the ravines, until at barely a teenager he was put on a plane and arrived in Nechells to live in the same house where his father had once lodged.Together they trace the history of Kashmiri and Mirpuri migration to Birmingham, from the Lascars and the pioneer generation to the first brick house in Karamat's village, built with money earned in a Birmingham factory. Karamat speaks of the racism he met on his first day at school, the eight years he did not speak to his parents, the languages he grew up between, and how, slowly, he fell in love with the city.It is a story about migration and belonging, about the community, and about the resilience of a boy who made a home in a place that did not always want him.Content warning: This episode contains descriptions of racism and racial violence. Please do take care whilst listening or skip this episode if this could be distressing for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Rebecca McKinney 03.07.2026 48นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down with Rebecca McKinney, an outstanding headteacher and Catholic schools inspector whose story begins in a big, fiercely close Irish family with roots in the centre of Dublin and the countryside of Kildare. From her mom's childhood in the Bordesley Green back-to-backs to early starts on her dad's market stall, Rebecca grew up among strong women, hard graft and parents who believed their daughters could be anything.This is a conversation about belief and belonging. Rebecca reflects on the teacher who spotted her at ten and later opened the door to her career, on her late father's gentleness and the faith that keeps him close, and on a way of leading a school built on kindness rather than fear. She talks about greeting every child by name at the gate, treating parents as people and not problems, and the day her school refused to move one little boy on and built a new classroom so he could stay.It is a warm and quietly moving portrait of a proud Brummie-Irish woman who turned everything she was given, by her mom and dad, her aunties and the people who believed in her, into a life spent believing in others. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Making A Historian with Carl Chinn 25.06.2026 39นาที

  In this solo episode of Our Lives, Our Stories, Carl Chinn answered a question he has been asked all his life: what makes a historian? For years his answer was the books, the historical novels he read as a a child, from Robin Hood, William Tell and King Arthur to the writing of Rosemary Sutcliff and Henry Treece, which carried him from the Dark Ages to the Vikings, the Crusades and the mountains of the Caucasus.But looking back, Carl knows the real answer lies with his family. He remembers the Sunday afternoons of his childhood, the storytellers on both sides, his grandad Perry, struck down by multiple sclerosis, and his grandad Chinn, one of the old Contemptibles of 1914. He recalls his nan Lil Perry, the eldest of twelve who never had a childhood, and the old Brummagem words, clammed and wench, that carried a whole way of life. Through them, he found the hardships of the strong women in his family, the stories that led to his first books on poverty, the hated workhouse from which the NHS would one day emerge.This is a reflection on memory, dialect, belonging and why these stories matter, ending with Carl's heartfelt plea. His generation, he says, is the last who can tell you why the workhouse was hated and why the NHS is so loved. So grab hold of your oldest relatives and record their memories. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Father's Day Special 21.06.2026 59นาที

  This Father's Day special, Carl Chinn and some of our guests over the passed year share the stories of the fathers and grandfathers who made them. From a working class bookmaker who played football on the rec and ran the school team because no teacher would, to a Jamaican-Irish poet whose dad quoted Shakespeare and Kipling off the cuff, from a German Jewish refugee who arrived aged 13 on the Kindertransport to a boxing coach who spent nearly four decades giving everything to lads from deprived Birmingham neighbourhoods and never charged a single one, these are the men who stayed, who worked, and who shaped the people around them in ways still being felt.This is an episode about presence and absence, inheritance and identity.Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of the Holocaust, the Kindertransport, family bereavement and Partition violence. Please do take care whilst listening or skip this episode if this could be distressing for you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Stacey Barnfield 11.06.2026 52นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down with Stacey Barnfield, journalist, former editor of the Birmingham Post, photographer, and creator of the Colour Palette Company and Draw My City. Stacey grew up in Chelmsley Wood and Yardley, proud of both, and that sense of place runs through everything he has built.They talk about Stacey's path from print room runner at the Birmingham Post and Mail to deputy editor of the Birmingham Mail and editor of the Birmingham Post, and the pressures of leading local newspapers through the digital shift. Stacey also shares the story behind his colour palettes, born in lockdown and now displayed in museum gift shops from Liverpool to Glasgow, and the photography that captures Birmingham's changing face one frame at a time.Learn more about Stacey's work: edwinelliscreativemedia.com / thecolourpalettecompany.com / drawmycity.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Kate Knowles 02.06.2026 40นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Kate Knowles, editor of the Birmingham Dispatch, a reader-funded online paper covering the stories that matter most to the West Midlands.They talk about Kate's background, how she became a journalist and what it takes to run an independent local paperContent warning: This episode contains discussion of mental health struggles and some strong language. Please do take care whilst listening.Learn more about the Birmingham Dispatch: https://birminghamdispatch.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Toby Gorniak MBE 26.05.2026 1ชม. 16นาที

  Carl Chinn is joined by educator, speaker, community activist and inspirational founder of the Gorniak Method, Toby Gorniak MBE, who grew up in Poland one of the stigmatised Roma community before arriving in Britain as a teenager seeking safety and a new beginning.They talk about Toby’s childhood experiences of discrimination and violence, the strength of family and importance of Roma culture, arriving in England as a refugee, and discovering purpose through dance, education and community work.Toby also reflects on the transformative meeting with his wife, becoming a father himself, and how his experiences have shaped the work he now does helping young people and communities build confidence, resilience and belief in themselves.This is a conversation about identity, belonging, kindness and the power of choosing hope and positive action in the face of adversity and prejudice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Christina Longden 19.05.2026 1ชม. 12นาที

  Carl Chinn is joined by author, community builder and his former student Christina Longden, who grew up in the mill town of Dukinfield, near Stalybridge, and was among the first in her family to go to university. Since then, she has spent her life uncovering the stories that others left behind.They talk about her growing up working class in the north of England; the class and accent prejudice she encountered at university; and the astonishing family discovery that her great-great-great-grandfather Robert Stanley, a Victorian grocer, magistrate and mayor of Stalybridge, converted to Islam at the age of 69 and was then quietly erased from the family memory for a hundred years.This is a conversation about identity, belonging, and what happens when ordinary people dare to think for themselves. Christina's books, her work through the Lorna Young Foundation and her community interest company Pastruisms all carry the same belief: that every life has a story worth telling, and that those stories can bring people together across every kind of difference.Links:"His Own Man" by Christina Longden — https://www.amazon.co.uk/His-Own-Man-Victorian-Reschid/dp/0992879248"Imagining Robert" by Christina Longden — https://www.amazon.co.uk/Imagining-Robert-Reschid-Stanley-1828-1911/dp/0992879256Past Truisms CIC — https://www.facebook.com/pasttruismsLorna Young Foundation — https://www.lyf.org.uk/Dark Woods Coffee - https://darkwoodscoffee.co.uk/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Roifield Brown 23.04.2026 1ชม. 6นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Roifield Brown, entrepreneur, podcaster, publican and proud Brummie. The son of Windrush generation parents, his Jamaican roots deeply affect him and he tells the remarkable story of his influential great-grandmother, known across her village simply as "Teacher."Roifield also shares his own journey from Birmingham to London, Canada, and California, and why he came back home to be with family. Powerful senses of identity, belonging and inclusiveness inspire his new role at Temper & Brown, his bar in the Jewellery Quarter, where every Sunday means old school reggae, jerk chicken,rice and peas, and a room full of Brummies of every background.https://temperandbrown.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Adrian Goldberg 16.04.2026 1ชม. 12นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Byline Times journalist and broadcaster, Adrian Goldberg, to talk identity, football and belonging.Adrian – the proud son of two migrants to Birmingham – tells the story of his father, a Jewish refugee from Germany who came to England via the Kindertransport during the Second World War, moved to Birmingham, where he met his Irish Catholic mother. They discuss what it means to be a Brummie, fandom, and how Adrian's passion for football and punk music has shaped his career.Find out more about Adrian's book: 'Where's The Money Gone? The Battle for the Soul of English Football'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Kiran Sahota 09.04.2026 1ชม. 5นาที

  Carl Chinn is joined by fellow historian Dr Kiran Sahota, revealing her research into the vital roles of South Asian men and women in two world wars and how that heritage empowers today’s communities and young people.Growing up as a young Sikh Brummie in Handsworth, she was influenced by her grandparents and Kiran speaks about how her own family history - spanning the Partition of India, migration and foundry work - has shaped her career today, shining a light on hidden stories.Make sure to keep an eye out for Kiran’s upcoming project: ‘Forgotten India at 80: The Stories You Don’t Know’.Find out more about Kiran’s work here: https://www.bimcic.com/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• John White 03.04.2026 51นาที

  In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with businessman and former Bullring trader, John White. They talk about growing up around Birmingham’s historic markets, the world of the barrow boys, and a life shaped by hard work, resilience, and community.John shares stories of his early life, leaving school at 13 to work alongside his father, and the characters who defined the old Bullring. He reflects on the changing face of the markets, memorable moments from his journey, and how he went on to build a successful career in business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Robin Campbell 20.03.2026 1ชม. 19นาที

  In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with musician and UB40 co-founder, Robin Campbell. They talk about growing up in Birmingham, discovering reggae, and the journey from local gigs to global success with UB40.Robin shares stories of his early life, the people who shaped him, and the moments that defined the band, alongside reflections on community and music. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Sophie Martin-Canning 13.03.2026 1ชม. 11นาที

  Carl Chinn is joined by author Sophie Martin-Canning to explore the personal history behind her novel, Kissed By The Angels, as well as the impact her father had on boxing. Sophie talks about growing up in a Brummie-Irish family and how her own childhood found its way onto the page. They speak about her father Paddy Martin and his legacy, as a man who influenced young boxers across Birmingham and beyond. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Joe Lycett 05.03.2026 1ชม. 1นาที

  In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with comedian, artist and TV presenter, Joe Lycett. They talk family history, building a comedy career, creativity, and what it means to be a champion for Birmingham.Content warning: This episode contains some strong language. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Casey Bailey 24.02.2026 1ชม. 9นาที

  In this episode, Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with writer, performer, educator and former Poet Laureate of Birmingham, Casey Bailey. They talk about Casey's childhood growing up in Nechells, the power of education, masculinity and class, as well as Casey's upcoming music, poetry and theatre projects. Content warning: This episode contains discussion of violence and suicide. Please do take care whilst listening or skip this episode if this could be distressing for you.Find out more about the organisations mentioned in this episode:Free@Last - https://freeatlast.co.uk/Continental Star FC - https://continentalstarfc.co.uk/Check out Casey's work here: https://caseybailey.co.uk/  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Becoming a Historian with Carl Chinn 12.02.2026 41นาที

  In the first episode of 'Our Lives, Our Stories', Carl Chinn dives into his own life story. From his family history to his education, Chinn takes us through the influences behind his career as a social historian, his focus on the lives of the working classes and the importance of recording your own history and story. Follow @ourlivespod on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Claire Holliday 12.02.2026 53นาที

  Carl Chinn sits down in conversation with Claire Holliday to talk about her life story, motherhood and the power of community. Claire discusses her son Vinnie, who was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, and the campaign she led to fundraise for an accessible classroom at his school.Trigger warning: This episode contains discussion of childhood illness and the death of a child. Please do take care whilst listening or skip this episode if this could be distressing for you.If you’d like to find out more and support other young people like Vinnie and their families, you can visit Little Hearts Matter: https://www.lhm.org.uk/. You can also find out more about NHS organ donation here: https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Our Lives, Our Stories Trailer 09.02.2026

  Our Lives, Our Stories is a brand new podcast hosted by social historian, Carl Chinn.Carl will sit down in conversation with a range of guests, from grassroots campaigners to well known names and changemakers, focusing on their personal histories, achievements and the challenges that made them who they are.The series will also have standalone episodes with Carl providing deep-dives specific areas of social history.Follow the show on Instagram and TikTok @ourlivespod. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.