Longtime Ago People

M I L E S

In a world where family connections shape us, stories bridge generations. Many of us carry cherished memories of those who touched our lives, which I think deserve to be shared.Each episode I hope will feature guests recounting touching, funny, and inspiring memories, celebrating the impact these individuals had on their lives. I aim to beautifully remember loved ones, offering listeners nostalgia, warmth, and connection.  I am looking for people to reflect on the impact of these relationships.

  1. 12h ago

    The Quiet Girl Who Took a Chance

    Emma  One of the things I love about my Longtime Ago People is hearing how people's lives evolve in ways they never expected. In this episode, I sit down with Emma, who describes herself as a quiet child growing up "in the middle of nowhere" in a close-knit, horsey family. School felt intimidating, and confidence didn't arrive overnight. Instead, she built it slowly, step by step, from a Saturday job to finding the courage to speak up and trust her own voice. We talk about Emma's career journey, from local administrative roles to the fast-paced world of London financial services in the early 1990s. Along the way, she found herself in wider environments that pushed her out of her comfort zone and helped her grow. A turning point came when she joined a small business operating from a back bedroom in Primrose Hill, where working alongside Holly taught her valuable lessons about leadership, confidence and staying true to yourself. Our conversation also explores the habits that keep Emma grounded today, whether that's classical music while working from home, podcasts during dog walks, or a good singalong in the car. Underneath it all is a thoughtful discussion about kindness, authenticity, remembering the people behind business decisions, and recognising that changing direction doesn't mean starting over. If you've ever doubted yourself, changed careers, or wondered whether confidence can be learned, I think you'll find plenty to relate to in this conversation. Listen now, subscribe, share it with a friend who could use a confidence boost, and leave a review and tell me which moment resonated most. Sometimes, we are the Longtime Ago People. Bits & Bobs: Primrose Hill, London: https://primrosehill.london/The UK Financial Services Industry: https://www.thecityuk.comNational Careers Service: https://nationalcareers.service.gov.ukSEO Keywords From This Episode career change, confidence building, women in finance, financial services, mentorship, leadership, personal growth, working from home, primrose hill, london careers, professional development, self-confidence, career progression, authenticity, life stories. Send us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  2. 6d ago ·  Bonus

    Ten Lives In Five Minutes: Season Three Epilogue

    Season 3 Epilogue - Longtime Ago People As I reach the end of Season Three, I look back on ten conversations, ten lives, and countless memories that might otherwise have slipped away. We’ve travelled from punk-rock school days and village childhoods to grief, migration, family businesses, Harlem streets, Australian road trips, and quiet suburban lives. The stories are wonderfully different, yet they all point towards the same truth: lives only seem ordinary until we take the time to listen. Along the way, I revisited a friendship that began in 1976 with Rhys, explored Devon village life and family legacy with John, and followed Simon’s remarkable 52‑year martial arts journey. Howard took us behind the scenes of Wimpy and the complexities of family, work and ambition, while Mari traced her grandfather’s story through war, migration and unanswered family questions. I travelled to Harlem with Mumu, listening to a life lived at the intersection of being Black, Muslim and gay. Miguel shared an extraordinary story of love, loss and writing through grief. Jim showed how one chance visit to a magic shop changed his life, while George reflected on Sussex roots, rowing, faith, and building a future in Australia. Finally, Wendy took us back to 1960s Britain through music, friendship, changing neighbourhoods and the memories of a husband she still misses. More than anything, these conversations have reinforced why I started Longtime Ago People in the first place. Every family, every street, every friendship and every life holds stories worth preserving. Sometimes all it takes is someone willing to ask the questions. If someone came to mind while listening this season, why not share an episode with them? And if you have a story of your own, or know someone whose life deserves to be remembered, I'd love to hear from you. Thank you for listening to Season Three. With thanks for being part of the story. Miles 🎙️ Send us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  3. Oct 14

    On the Street Where You Live

    Wendy:  What fascinates me about recording Longtime Ago People is how an ordinary street can hold an extraordinary amount of history. In this episode, I sit down with my next-door neighbour, Wendy, who has lived on our street since 1968. Listening to her stories, I was struck by how quickly everyday life can fade from memory. Yet it can return in seconds when you start thinking about it. Houses cost £3,650, mortgage payments were just £29.80 a month, and the roads were quiet enough for children to play out safely. Wendy takes me back to the 1960s, a time she remembers as full of freedom, music and opportunity. We talk about local socials where she and her friend met their future husbands, and about the soundtrack of her youth, from Elvis and Marty Wilde to Rod Stewart. She also shares her memories of seeing The Rolling Stones in a small hall before they became world-famous, along with a brilliant story involving Hank Marvin that became a long-running joke. Our conversation also touches on life's harder moments. Wendy speaks openly about losing her husband, Paul, in 2006, the speed with which illness can change everything, and the way humour can exist alongside grief. We discuss the huge changes she's witnessed over the decades, from black-and-white televisions and phone boxes to smartphones and Alexa, and her memories of the Great Storm of 1987. If you enjoy oral history, local history, memories of 1960s Britain, and honest conversations about community, family and change, I think you'll really enjoy this one. Please subscribe, share it with someone who loves a trip down memory lane, and leave a review. I'd also love to know: what's the biggest change you've seen in your lifetime? Bits & Bobs Music & Artists Dean Martin (referenced in the introduction)https://www.deanmartin.comMarty Wildehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marty_WildeJoe Brownhttps://www.joebrown.co.ukRod Stewarthttps://www.rodstewart.comSmall Faceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_FacesThe Rolling Stoneshttps://rollingstones.comHank Marvin (The Shadows)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hank_MarvinRoxy Musichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roxy_MusicEddie Cochranhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_CochranBilly Joel ("It's Still Rock and Roll to Me")https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/It%27s_Still_Rock_and_Roll_to_MeHistorical & Cultural References Flower Power Movement (1960s counterculture)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flower_powerJiving / Jive Dancinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jive_(dance)Television & Technology Alexahttps://www.amazon.co.uk/alexaBBChttps://www.bbc.co.ukITVhttps://www.itv.comChannel 4https://www.channel4.comLiberacehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LiberaceLassiehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LassieBlack Beautyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_BeautyLocal & Historical References Arundel, West Sussexhttps://www.visitarundel.co.ukArundel Castlehttps://www.arundelcastle.orgRustington, West Sussexhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RustingtonMajor Historical Event Mentioned The Great Storm of 1987 - 39 years ago this very day 15 October 1987 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Storm_of_1987Send us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  4. Aug 24

    How Far a Family Story Can Travel: Australian Reinvention

    Jim, Gran, Brothers, Cath, Children, Mentors & Faith - George 1954   family & mentors/grandson, husband, father & mentor When I sit outdoors with George, my second cousin visiting from Australia, a simple summer pint turns into a time machine. Within minutes we are back in 1950/60s Sussex, talking about front‑yard games, a steam train ride to see our grandparents, wartime stories from Grandad Jim, and all the tiny details that only surface when a family really listens. From there, George’s life gathers pace through sport. We talk about gymnastics displays at Butlin’s, school athletics, and the brotherly rivalry that never quite disappears. Then the conversation shifts into rowing. He describes what it feels like to race while facing backwards, the thrill of winning, and the sudden loss of a crew‑mate that changes the shed forever. It becomes an honest look at grief inside a sporting community and the strange way life asks you to keep going. George also shares what it took to move to Australia in 1990 without knowing where he would end up, and why a camper‑van road trip helped him choose a new home. The stories are wild and vivid, from cane toads in Queensland to the moment he realises you do not casually swim at Cape Tribulation. We finish with the chapters that surprised him most: faith, IVF, family spread across continents, music that soundtracks love, and how road cycling in retirement keeps him moving at seventy‑two. If you enjoy storytelling podcasts about family history, British expats in Australia, resilience, sport and finding meaning across a lifetime, press play. Subscribe, share the episode with someone who loves a good life story, and leave a review with the memory you never want to lose. This episode could easily have been called What Do We Inherit Beyond Our Names, Part Two. I sit down with George, who is Ian’s brother from S02E04, and together we pick up the threads of a story that runs across their family. You might find it helpful to listen to that earlier episode first, although you certainly don’t need to. Each conversation stands on its own, and this one opens up a whole new set of memories. Bits & Bobs Family: Grandparents: Granddad Jim and Gran, who provided stories and quality time during his childhood.Wife: Cathy, his partner in life and business, who moved to Australia with him.Brothers: Noel, Ian, and Jeff, with whom he shared his upbringing and competitive spirit.Parents: Mum and Peter, who raised him in Shoreham.Children: Jessie, Zoe, and Oliver, whom he admires for their dedication to family.Places: The Black RabbitArundelShoreham-by-SeaTamworth, New South WalesGold Coast, QueenslandCape TribulationSouthampton WaterSend us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  5. Aug 17

    A Man Walks Into a Magic Shop; and Found Jaadugar Jim

    So many magicians, from Ali Bongo to Paul Daniels - Jim 1959  magicians & mentorships/student.    When I sit down with Jim, I hear how a random walk into a London magic shop becomes the start of a whole new life. Jim, based in Potters Bar near Barnet in North London, tells me how he goes from "I don't want to entertain the kids" to performing magic for families, care homes, strangers on public transport, and even his own financial services clients. We talk about identity too: Indian roots, childhood in Kenya, a rumoured thread of another heritage, and what it feels like when people decide where you are from just by looking at you. We get into the craft of learning magic in a way that works whether you are curious about close‑up magic or you have only ever watched Paul Daniels on telly. Jim explains how classes, mentorship and joining the Merlin Magical Society help him find his own performance style, why copying is sometimes necessary early on, and how a trick can still be a win even when it goes wrong. He also unpacks the difference between old‑school visual magic and modern, ultra‑slick routines, plus the awkward truth of today's internet: AI and editing have made people suspicious, so live performance matters more than ever. Then the story opens out into COVID time and weekly WhatsApp magic videos to many residents for a year. Zoom shows and adventurous travel in India and Jordan. Jim shares a sharp lesson about cultural context and why the wrong phrase can change a room in seconds, before finishing with a vivid favourite moment involving sealed cans of fizzy drink and a very messy surprise.  If you enjoy stories about creativity, community and building confidence later in life, this one is for you. Subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave us a review. What would you try if you started today? Bits & Bobs Ali Bongo Paul DanielsSend us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  6. Aug 10

    I Wrote Our Story So My Sons Could Understand

    Nadia - Miguel 1968   wife/husband    When I sit down with Miguel, I hear a love story that begins in Abu Dhabi, where he meets Nadia, marries her within six months, and builds two decades of the kind of partnership that makes ordinary days feel electric. Then metastatic breast cancer arrives, and being “the strong one” stops sounding like a compliment and starts feeling like a job with no days off. We talk about what caregiving really looks like when treatment, parenting and fear collide, and why he began writing at night simply to stay upright. Miguel explains how those pages became The Boxer’s Corner, written almost like a message to his sons so they could one day understand what happened to their mum and what he was carrying. We talk about the moment Nadia dies in his arms, the brutal gap between that night and the next morning when he has to tell two children aged thirteen and nine, and the strange way grief turns you towards simplicity, routine and the small details you never want to forget. We also explore what families need from cancer‑care communication, especially when optimism starts to blur reality, and the caregiver ends up holding the truth alone. And we hear how a five‑month, round‑the‑world trip with a tutor becomes a form of healing through awe, movement and shared memories, with music that keeps Nadia present.  If you’ve lived through loss, supported someone through cancer, or wondered how people rebuild after tragedy, this conversation stays with you.  Subscribe, share it with someone who might need it, and leave a review so more listeners can find these stories. Bits & Bobs The Boxer's Corner: A Cancer Caregiver's Story of Love, Loss, and Isolation by Miguel Barron The Global Madridista - The ONLY English language content by a REAL Socio Abonado of Real Madrid covering all Real Madrid news and analysis straight from Madrid. 171k followers! https://www.youtube.com/@TheGlobalMadridistaSend us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  7. Aug 3

    Made in Harlem: Growing Up Fast, Surviving Even Faster

    All Mumu's People - Mustafa 1983    father, mother, grandmother/son & grandson  When I sit down with Mumu, I realise Harlem isn’t just where he is from. It is the place that raised him with rules you only learn by living them, from knowing which streets truly count as Harlem to understanding why being outside in the 90s felt like the whole world. We talk block parties, rap battles, water fights, and the way the crack epidemic of the 1980s lingered into childhood memories that still sit close to the surface. He tells a story every New Yorker feels in their bones: getting lost on the bus as a kid, ending up far from home at night, and relying on a stranger to help you find your way back. From there, our conversation turns inward to family, faith, and the push and pull of identity. Mumu describes a father shaped by Islam and activism, determined to hold a huge blended family together, and a mum who is deeply loved but seriously unwell. He talks about what it feels like to be Black, raised Muslim, and know you are gay from early on while believing you must hide it to stay safe, even from the person you trust most. We explore the real friction between Islam and church, and what happens when religion becomes control rather than comfort. We move into adulthood through music, work, and survival. Mumu shares the sounds that shaped Harlem culture, his job supervising security in New York City subway stations, and what the trains felt like during COVID when the city went quiet but danger did not. You will also hear the surprising turning point that comes from juggling, plus his plan to save, invest, travel, retire within a decade, and maybe leave New York for land where he can grow his own food.  Send us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

  8. Jul 28

    We Learn Who He Was By The Tales He Told

    Ottelo Mola Benedetti - Mari 1968   grandfather/granddaughter   When I sit down with Mari, I begin with the bronze “Indian” head that lived in her family home. It was always described as Native American, and for years she and her cousins believed the story that came with it: their grandfather had once been an Indian, a fighter, a man whose adventures were too vivid to question. That single object becomes our doorway into a much wider family history, stretching from Catalonia and Barcelona back to Italy, and into the places where the record falls silent. As we talk, I find myself drawn to the tension of loving someone who could make you laugh and still leave you with questions you will never fully answer. We trace her grandfather’s path through the Second World War, when he was a young Italian army driver, and then on to a tiny Sardinian town where a chance encounter turned into a romance that reshaped the entire family. There is post‑war survival in a bombed‑out house, improvised heating made from rolled newspaper, and the long, determined grind of migration as work pulled them from Turin to Murcia and eventually to Barcelona. Alongside all of this, we sit with the contradictions: the charm, the dreaming, the smuggled tobacco, and the way a man who could be a difficult husband still fought for his four daughters to study and build careers in a world that did not expect women to. Threaded through the stories is an aching gap, an estranged family line that no one ever reconnects with, and a sense that identity is stitched together from many places at once. We finish with a plan to search for roots in Rome’s Trastevere, and a promise to keep the Native American “Indian” alive as a shared memory.  If you enjoy family storytelling, oral history, migration tales and wonderfully messy real‑life character portraits, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave us a review with the one family myth you still carry with you. Send us Fan Mail “Follow Longtime Ago People wherever you get your podcasts.” Everyone has a story; what's yours? Copy this RSS feed and paste it into your podcast app.  https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2503597.rss Instagram: Please follow @longtimeagopeople  Blog: longtimeagopeople.com Have a story echoing through time? I’m listening—300 words or fewer.  Memory is Fragile  "In a world where you can be anything, be kind."

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About

In a world where family connections shape us, stories bridge generations. Many of us carry cherished memories of those who touched our lives, which I think deserve to be shared.Each episode I hope will feature guests recounting touching, funny, and inspiring memories, celebrating the impact these individuals had on their lives. I aim to beautifully remember loved ones, offering listeners nostalgia, warmth, and connection.  I am looking for people to reflect on the impact of these relationships.

Information

  • Creator
    M I L E S
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    35
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Longtime Ago People
  • Show Website
    Longtime Ago People