The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

Back in 1923, between SB and RT - that's 'Simultaneous Broadcasting' (networking nationally via landline) and The Radio Times (the BBC listings mag still had the 'The' back then), a month went by... ...But did nothing happen in that month? Of course not! So between these two bigger landmarks, on this episode we bring you some smaller but notable ones. Also on the Beeb in Aug/Sept 1923: ...I think that's everything we cover. You don't have to listen now. Oh but wait! Then you'd miss our amazing guest. Conductor and arranger of note (and of notes) Gavin Sutherland has a new album out of old TV themes. It's a joy. You'll hear half a dozen or so tracks, from Grandstand to the Channel 4 ident, from the first song on television to the secret code hidden in The Two Ronnies theme. Have a listen, buy the album - and enjoy our chat. SHOWNOTES: https://fasttunes.bandcamp.com/album/the-next-programme-follows-shortlyhttps://substack.com/home/post/p-171149075www.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walking-tour-of-old-bbc-and-pre-bbc-buildings-pwyw-tickets-1401875560539PatreonKo-fi.com/paulkerensa Next time: Episode 104: The Radio Times is launched! More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

On 29 August 1923, the BBC officially launched SB: Simultaneous Broadcasting. They'd been testing SB for months, via crossed lines and cross conversations with the General Post Office. It would dramatically change the shape and big idea of what broadcasting was and could be. Using landlines, they linked stations - so a Covent Garden concert could be heard nationally for the first time, as other stations gave over the schedules to big concerts, or news bulletins, or... whatever London wanted. Generally speaking. Yes, other stations could take over too - Birmingham or Glasgow might offer a concert of play. But questions were asked, even back then, of whether listeners would prefer their regular local programming, or news/concerts from the capital. Oh but we can provide you big stars, said the Programme Department. It's a move forward. But a move backward for local programming, alas - even if it was pitched to them that they could enjoy a night off. Hmm... As we explore and unpack that, we also welcome a guest - Mary Englsh, who began at the BBC in 1973 as a studio manager, wrote for The Two Ronnies, and nearly bled over Margaret Thatcher thanks to an editing accident. We hear from her, including the timely observation that the BBC perhaps win trust by "broadcasting their defeats". (In the week this podcast lands, the BBC has broadcast two of their defeats - with news reports about their Gaza documentary and Gregg Wallace. Would another channel amplify their failures quite so much? Should they? Answers on a postcard...) SHOWNOTES: https://youtu.be/JdJVGhPKtjMpaulkerensa.substack.comhttps://camdenfringe.com/events/an-evening-of-very-old-radio/www.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walking-tour-of-old-bbc-and-pre-bbc-buildings-pwyw-tickets-1401875560539paul at paulkerensa dot comPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/posts/vid-1923s-sykes-132182661 Next time: Episode 103: Aug/Sept 1923 - Rob Roy and the first cat on radio! More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 101 finds us in late August 1923... The first government inquiry into the BBC has just finished four months of interviewing dozens of interested parties about what the Beeb should/would/could be. Should it have a competitor? How do you solve the licence problem? Did the BBC have a monopoly? And isn't it time 'listeners-in' were just called 'listeners'? We give you a potted summary of Sir Frederick Sykes' inquiry, committee and report - somehow known as The Sykes Inquiry, The Sykes Committee and The Sykes Report. And our special guest, talking about three decades earlier, is Dr Inja Stanović of the University of Surrey, Surrey Future Senior Fellow, Director of Performance, and most crucially for us, Director of the Early Recordings Association. She brings reconstructed recordings and info about the Early Recordings Association (join free, click below) and its Conference. SHOWNOTES: https://www.surrey.ac.uk/early-recordings-associationhttps://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20250701-early-recordings-association-era-conference-2025https://unipress.hud.ac.uk/plugins/books/30/paulkerensa.substack.comhttps://camdenfringe.com/events/an-evening-of-very-old-radio/www.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walking-tour-of-old-bbc-and-pre-bbc-buildings-pwyw-tickets-1401875560539paul at paulkerensa dot comPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/posts/vid-1923s-sykes-132182661 Next time: Episode 102: Simultaneous Broadcasting, on the BBC in August 1923. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

It's The British Broadcasting Century's century! Thanks if you've joined us for the story so far, from Morse and Marconi to Reith and the Pips (before Gladys Knight took over lead vocals). This special 100th episode is for both the newcomer and the seasoned veteran - being the previous 99 episodes in summary form, BUT with lots of new bits. So this is no best-of... (alright it's a bit of a best-of) ...this is packed with new things we didn't know, old things we hadn't found yet, new perspectives on the areas we've covered previously, things we left out completely, and much more, or less, depending on how you look at it. New things include: And we've been asking you for your favourite moments so far. So we re-bring you: ...You get the idea. Thanks for joining us for our first 100 episodes - here's to our next 100. Do share this with people to help make that happen! . SHOWNOTES: re-enactment of the first BBC broadcast is on YoutubeShakespeare on the RadioBigamy Called the Radio Starpaulkerensa.substack.comwww.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20250701-early-recordings-association-era-conference-2025https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/events/religion-media-festival-2025/paul at paulkerensa dot comPatreon Next time: Episode 101: The Sykes Inquiry, and the Early Recordings Association. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

On the day of episode 99's release, it's exactly 100 years since the death on 17 April 1925 of Godfrey Isaacs - Managing Director of the Marconi Company. More than that - new evidence shows that he came up with and championed the idea of the one BBC. For years, the British government (via the Post Office) has been credited with the plan for a singular British broadcaster. But lost meeting minutes have been rediscovered.... The academic who found these minutes - misplaced for decades - is David Prosser of the University of Bristol. He joins us to tell us about the 18 May 1922 meeting where Godfrey Isaacs proposed that the Marconi Company share patents and collaborate with its rivals to form one (British) Broadcasting Company. And Robert Godfrey - Isaacs' great-great-grandson - joins us to give new insights into the life of this under-heralded pioneer in the ways of wireless. Hear tales of the Marconi Scandal, Titanic, business wrangling, broadcasting innovation, battles with the press, and a life cut short. There's a lot to tell, so this is a longer episode than usual - sorry! Actually I'm not sorry... these chaps know their stuff, and it's an incredible tale. . SHOWNOTES: https://research-information.bris.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/193478467/Prosser_Marconi_Proposes_Why_it_s_time_to_rethink_the_birth_of_the_BBC_26_Sep_2018.pdfpaulkerensa.substack.comwww.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20250701-early-recordings-association-era-conference-2025https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/events/religion-media-festival-2025/paul at paulkerensa dot comPatreon Next time: Episode 100! Your highlights of the British broadcasting origin story - Marconi, Melba, Eckersley, Reith and more. And maybe the Sykes Inquiry, if we get time (unlikely!) More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

14 August 1923: Ireland's first licensed radio station takes to the air... Yes for one episode, The British Broadcasting Century leaves Britain to become The Irish Broadcasting Century. Well how could we not bring you the tale of Marconi setting up a (legal) radio station at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Dublin, to broadcast to the Horse Show... only to be closed down a few days later because the government panicked - and especially in the company of the Irish broadcasting historian Eddie Bohan. After Ireland in 1923, we return to Britain in the present-day for an interview with composer David Lowe - the man behind the BBC News theme (as well as The One Show, Grand Designs, Countryfile and more). David's new album of official BBC News themes (and remixes) is available now from Spotify, Apple Music and other places. SHOWNOTES: SpotifyApple Music https://davidlowemusic.com/https://amzn.to/4jcoVwehttps://ibhof.blogspot.com/episode 48 episode 77 https://www.surrey.ac.uk/events/20250701-early-recordings-association-era-conference-2025https://www.surrey.ac.uk/early-recordings-associationwww.paulkerensa.com/tourhttps://religionmediacentre.org.uk/events/religion-media-festival-2025/paul at paulkerensa dot comPatreon Next time: Episode 99 - Godfrey Isaacs - head of The Marconi Company, and the chap who come up with the idea for... the BBC. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 97 finds the BBC in August 1923... Two of its studios get upgrades - 2ZY Manchester and 5IT Birmingham began under electrical companies Metropolitan Vickers and General Electric. So it's time for the BBC to give them new city centre premises, and for the stations to leave their old studios in style ('The Etude in K Sharp by Spotsoffski'... "The studio ghost looks round - burial forever of the carrier wave...") Their new studios include a heavy goods lift with a pulley that the instrumentalists need to pull themselves, so put down your cello and get hoisting... At the Birmingham station, we check in with Uncles Edgar and Thompson and their innovative Children's Hour, who now has a Radio Circle - the origins of Children in Need, perhaps? We visit London 2LO to find Marion Cran, one of the first gardening presenters, as well as a wireless elephant. We visit Glasgow 5SC, with guest expert Graham Stewart. We're grateful to other experts: comedy historian Alan Stafford, Children's Hour historian Dr Zara Healy, and Newspaper Detective Andrew Barker - among others. This podcast is a group effort! If you listen, you're part of that too, so do get in touch... ...In fact DO get in touch ahead of our 100th episode. We'd love to hear from you with your favourite parts of the story so far. Write an email or record a voice memo, send to paul at paulkerensa dot com - anything about a moment from early broadcasting that you particularly found marvellous. Peter Eckersley on 2MT Writtle? Gertrude Donisthorpe the WW1 DJ? The drunken launch of Savoy Hill? The first BBC Christmas? What's your favourite? Do tell. Email us! SHOWNOTES: https://substack.com/@paulkerensaBetween the Ears: Listen Inhttps://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/bigamy-killed-the-radio-star/https://amzn.to/4iuULoBhttps://amzn.to/4gdlYudwww.paulkerensa.com/tourpaul at paulkerensa dot comPatreon Next time: The first Irish broadcast - on 2BP in Dublin, with guest Eddie Bohan. Seek out his books to grace your bookshelf! More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

We're back! Season 7 begins with a Books Special - plus a visit to a special exhibition at Oxford's magnificent Bodleian Library - 'Listen In: How Radio Changed the Home'. It's curated by Beaty Rubens, who has also written a book of the same name. I joined her at the exhibition for a tour and an interview, recorded live at the Bodleian. Thanks to them for their hospitality - and for caring for countless artefacts, including the Marconi Archive. And we have authors galore, all with different takes on broadcasting history - I think I count three professors, a doctor, and several yet-to-be-titled too. We bring you: https://bodleianshop.co.uk/products/listen-inhttps://visit.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/listeninhttps://amzn.to/3X3SDuUhttps://amzn.to/3CWfqSuhttps://marconibooks.co.ukhttps://amzn.to/4b463g8https://amzn.to/41keqRihttps://www.fantompublishing.co.uk/product/bigamy-killed-the-radio-star/https://amzn.to/41iLTM6https://prefadelisten.com/https://amzn.to/4iuULoBhttps://amzn.to/4gdlYud - Original music is by Will Farmer. - Support us on Patreon (£5/mth), for bonus videos and things - and thanks if you do! - Paul's on tour: An Evening of (Very) Old Radio visits these places: www.paulkerensa.com/tour - come and hear about the first firsts of broadcasting, live. - This podcast is nothing to do with the BBC. - Comments? Email the show - paul at paulkerensa dot com. (Rerite that as an email address) Next time: August 1923 on the BBC - new radio HQs in Birmingham and Manchester, developments in Scotland and Dublin, and the first radio gardener, Marion Cran. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 95 is our Christmas special for 2024 - looking back to five vintage BBC Christmases of 1922-42. Well, I say 'five'. I mean nine. Christmas is a time for giving, so have four extra... Nine Gold Airings didn't sound as catchy. You'll hear: SHOWNOTES: https://amzn.to/4iuULoBhttps://amzn.to/4gdlYudhttps://youtu.be/WwC8BemyBtI?si=_m-p_5y3rHPKkrIXhttps://youtu.be/HqCO_0uSBFk?si=3AoPR2Gt3We_wgSnhttps://war-experience.org/events/godfrey-talbot-voice-of-the-desert-and-8th-army/ https://pod.fo/e/160bd7https://pod.fo/e/1d6747Patreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Next time: August 1923 on the BBC - new radio HQs in Birmingham and Manchester, developments in Scotland and Dublin, and the first radio gardener, Marion Cran. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 94 finds us hunting presenters on the run... in 1923 and in 2023. But first, the tale of July 1923 in British broadcasting, which includes a pop-up non-BBC station in Plymouth (5DJ), the first BBC film critic G.A. Atkinson, a comedian asks an orchestra to laugh for him, the BBC's first Sunday afternoon radio concert, new nicknames for 'listeners-in' ('ethonians', anyone?), and my favourite of all... The Wireless Manhunt. Here to tell us more, our Newspaper Detective Andrew Barker, and Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of Amsterdam Dr Carolyn Birdall (whose book is 'Radiophilia'). They contrast 1923's Wireless Manhunt with 2023's uncannily similar Radio 1's Giant DJ Hunt, with Greg James searching for all of his co-presenters around Britain, and beyond. Back in 1923, Uncles Arthur, Caractacus, Jeff, and Aunt Sophie all go on the run around London, and MANY listeners spot them, track them, nearly arrest them, and much more. Oh and some lovely audio from Peter Eckersley - a song and the tale of his trip to Sheffield, where listening to the BBC was like "an insurrection in hell". Everyone's a critic. SHOWNOTES: https://amzn.to/4etpBe6Patreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Next time: August 1923 on the BBC - new radio HQs in Birmingham and Manchester, developments in Scotland and Dublin, and the first radio gardener, Marion Cran. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

June 1923 at the BBC saw the first symphony concerts on-air (with an 'augmented orchestra'), musical criticism from Percy Scholes, 2,500 voices broadcast at once, and new staff led by Admiral Charles Carpendale as Reith's deputy. Plus Scot John Logie Baird advertises for help with his 'Seeing By Wireless' invention. You may know it as television... ...Our guest is celebrating 50 years since he began in television - Stuart Prebble has made World In Action, led ITV, created Grumpy Old Men and now brings Portrait Artists to Sky Arts. He talks about his new memoir, Still Grumpy After All These Years. Buy it now! SHOWNOTES: stuartprebble.comRandom Radio JottingsPatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Next time: July 1923 on the BBC - a wireless manhunt and a cheeky pop-up station in Plymouth. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 92 The First Sports Broadcasts: from 'Yachts Slowly Drifting' to MCR21 Our moment-by-moment origin story of British broadcasting reaches 6th June 1923 - and what's sometimes thought to be the BBC's first sports broadcast: author Edgar Wallace giving his 'reflections on the Derby'... ...The trouble is, it wasn't the BBC's first sports broadcast. But then... what is a sports broadcast? A live commentary? Or will a later summary do? Or how about a police radio transmission, where the Epsom Derby winner happens to be mentioned for anyone listening to hear? This episode we bring you the tales of every early landmark sports broadcast we know about, including: Correct us on any of the above! Seriously. Please do. We want this to be an accurate record of events! Email paul@paulkerensa.com with any feedback, suggestions, alterations or offers of big-screen adaptations. SHOWNOTES: MCR21.org.ukhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0fw3c9chttps://www.facebook.com/groups/bbcentury/posts/966054144965706/https://youtu.be/s-qnFvgJMFY?si=bedG3HWmyui1VNmjPatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website Next time: Summer 1923 on the BBC - music, the first whisper of television, and a cheeky pop-up station in Plymouth. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Episode 91 goes back over 130 years to the 'broadcasting' device that far predates radio broadcasting. But the same ideas were there: entertainment, religion, news even, brought to your home, sent one-to-many, live from West End churches and London's churches. Meet the Electrophone! Dr Natasha Kitcher is the Electrophone expert - she's a Research Fellow at the Science Museum, formerly PhD student to Loughborough University - and has spent years researching this unusual, largely unknown pre-radio cable streaming service, used by Queen Victoria and hundreds of homes in London and Bournemouth. Or you could visit the Electrophone HQ in Soho to listen in their saloon. (More on our walking tour that visits that exact building: birthplace of the headphones!) We also talk about what broadcasting is nowadays: does streaming count as broadcasting? What about catch-up? Does it lose something when it's not live? Join the debate from this, er, pre-recorded podcast (sorry we're not live) - email your thoughts to paul@paulkerensa.com - the same email address for any podcast correspondence, your Airwave Memories (earliest radio you recall?) or Firsthand Memories (ever see broadcasting in action?) We also move on our chronological tale of British broadcasting history into June 1923, with feedback from the first BBC Shakespeare and the sad demise of the first broadcast singer, Edward Cooper. Next time? The First Sports Broadcast on the BBC... or was it? Nick Gilbey joins us - expert on outside broadcasts, Peter Dimmock, and the BBC van... SHOWNOTES: Science Museum blogMuseum Crushthe British Telephones siteBBC1's Songs of PraisePatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Is this the first full-length Shakespeare on the BBC I see before me? Yes it is. And the first radio comedy personality, in John Henry. We're in late May 1923 - 28th to 31st to be precise - and the BBC has suffering from a boycott of theatre producers. Performers are hard to come by, so the Beeb brings drama and comedy in-house. The result? Cathleen Nesbitt (later from Upstairs Downstairs, An Affair to Remember and The Parent Trap) produces and stars in the first of many full-length Shakespeare plays, Twelfth Night on 28th May 1923. Prior to this, there had been scenes and Shakespeare nights. But this was a chance to broadcast the longest and most ambitious play of this new medium. Illuminating us on this, the return of Dr Andrea Smith of the University of Suffolk - the expert on the BBC and Shakespeare. She'll tell us all about the legacy of Auntie and Shakey, including the only one of his plays that to date has still not been adapted for BBC radio. And three days after that first Shakespeare, another BBC debut: comedian John Henry, set to become broadcasting's first comedy personality. His comic monologues, often surreal and downbeat, evolved into tales of his family life, then a dialogue with his beloved Blossom... while off-air, their domestic life became more tragedy than comedy. Comedy historian Alan Stafford tells all. It's quite a tale. John Henry surely deserves mention in the history books... ...on which, both Andrea and Alan have books out soon. See below shownotes for details - and we'll mention more of them on the podcast and on our social mediums when they're published. SHOWNOTES: Patreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website NEXT TIME: The Electrophone: Queen Victoria's Streaming Device of the 1890s. There may be some delay between episodes at the moment, due to summer holidays, and life throwing things at us. More soon, ASAP. Thanks for bearing with us. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

Vote The British Broadcasting Century! Episode 89 is our Election Night Special special, covering Britain's 28 general election results broadcasts over 102 years. Broadcasting in both USA and UK have both launched were pretty much launched with election results. On 2 November 1920, KDKA Pittsburgh launched regular commercial broadcasting with the presidential election results, giving listeners-in the latest at the same time as journalists. Revolutionary! On 15 November 1922, the BBC went national with London, Birmingham and Manchester announcing the election results and Bonar Law as PM. Joining us to tell the tale from here, dropping in at every election night special in Britain since, we have Gary Rodger (author of Swing: A Brief History of British General Election Night Broadcasting) and Harry White (host of The Modern British History Podcast). ...Hear first female liberal MP Margaret Wintringham on her gramophone election message... ...Discover the only person to have announced election results AND served as an MP... ...Find out how black-and-white TV converted the blues, reds and yellows of parties to the small screen... ...Meet pioneering producer Grace Wyndham Goldie, who created the TV election night special... ...Discover the origins of the swingometer... ...Oh and Dimblebys. There are many Dimblebys. Vote with your ears by listening to this podcast - and vote with your vote by voting. SHOWNOTES: Swing: A Brief History of British General Election Night BroadcastingModern British History PodcastPatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website NEXT TIME: The first full-length Shakespeare on the BBC - and comedian John Henry. More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

On episode 88, it's May 1923, and the six-month-old BBC is settling into its new home at Savoy Hill. But it's not all plain sailing. This time, 2-24 May 1923 is retold via press cuttings (thanks to our Newspaper Detective Andrew Barker), showing us that: Some corners of the press were mounting an anti-BBC campaign, complaining it was offering "poor fare". A few days later, other articles refuted that claim. Some corners of the government were eager to renegotiate the BBC agreement, with the Sykes Inquiry under way to look at licences and obligations. Some corners of the live arts scene were worried their box office takings would be hit by radio entertainment, so decided to boycott Auntie Beeb. ...A few too many opponents! There are also bands (first Birmingham station director Percy Edgar tells of the Grenadier Guards, a small studio and not much ventilation), simultaneous broadcast tests and plans for new stations (first chief engineer Peter Eckersley tells of his ambitions for the signal-to-noise ratio), and Reith's plans for the Sunday Committee to determine the future of, well, Sundays. Plus our guest is ITV's first head of technology Norman Green. He tells us about his innovations in colour film and Teletext (he's the double-height guy!). Norman will return on a future episode too... SHOWNOTES: https://pod.fo/e/c6b86Patreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website NEXT TIME: We break from May 1923 for A Brief History of Election Night Specials. THE TIME AFTER THAT: The first full-length Shakespeare on the BBC! May 1923 continues... More info on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

100 years ago the weekend of this podcast, the Cello and the Nightingale became one of the most cherished broadcasts in radio history. It first took place on 19 May 1924, live from the Surrey garden of cellist Beatrice Harrison. In this centenary special, we celebrate the musician, the muse and the microphone that made this incredible feat possible: the first major outside broadcast of nature. The renowned cellist petitioned the BBC for some time to broadcast this unusual duet, and while John Reith at first thought it wouldn't work, new microphones developed by Captain H.J. Round ensured that the birdsong would carry... so long as they sang. Did they sing? (Yes.) Was it faked? (No.) Was it the first broadcast birdsong? (Not quite.) All of this and more will be answered and delved into this episode, with an interview with Patricia Cleveland-Peck, author of The Cello and the Nightingales: The Life of Beatrice Harrison - new edition just released. We look at the scandalous rumours of fakery, the technical developments that meant the BBC's first fading, the Cardiff broadcast that just beat them to it, the bleak wartime duet between The Nightingale and the Bomber, and even John Reith's odd nightingale impersonation, the very same day he first heard radio in 1917. SHOWNOTES: https://journal.sciencemuseum.ac.uk/article/song-of-the-nightingale/The Cello and the Nightingales: The Life of Beatrice Harrisonhttps://patriciaclevelandpeck.com/https://youtu.be/CjaNILDlmZ0?si=Dp6fbbLbS-gZKVJuPatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour Email Paul via the Contact link on his website NEXT TIME: We're back in May 1923 for bands and boycotts on the early BBC. More info on this radio history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

On the previous episode we explored the only 1920s BBC recording (that we know of), recorded off-air by Mr Jones of Croydon. This time on episode 86, we encounter the only other off-air radio recordings of the interwar years (that I know of): the 1932 recordings by Mr F.O. Brown of Greenbank. His grandson Alex cleared out the family attic as recently as 2016, discovering these bizarre metal discs with no idea what they contained, or how to listen to them. Alex consulted the British Sound Library, the internet, and wherever else he could find knowhow on playing these records to preserve the sounds. What he found was several dozen 1930s recordings, from BBC jazz bands to radio royalty, from George Bernard Shaw to his own grandfather giving a spoof tour of Edinburgh. This episode we chat to Alex about his painstaking work preserving these recordings, and we hear a few. Enjoy Henry Hall opening Broadcasting House, extracts from the 1932 Royal Command Performance, and Reginald Foort and his big organ (stop it). Then head to http://greenbank-records.com/1930s-recordings#/samples/ to hear the rest! You'll also find Alex's illuminating blog at http://greenbank-records.com/blog 1932 was the year the BBC started recording themselves, but only very sparingly. Most of these recordings are the only surviving copy of each broadcast - and there aren't many more pre-WW2 recorded broadcasts at all. Thanks to Alex for sharing his story and the recordings, and thanks to F.O. Brown for using his EKCO Radiocorder to do what so many of us have done over the years: in my case, push the record and play buttons on a cassette recorder while Steve Wright was on Radio 1... or in my children's case, recording themselves playing Radio 2 jingles on the Wise Buddah website... but in this case, assembling a recording device from scratch to preserve monarchs and music on disc, so we can still hear them today. SHOWNOTES: Greenbank RecordsPatreonwww.paulkerensa.com/tour NEXT TIME: The Centenary of the Cello and the Nightingale More info on this radio history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

On 23 April 1924, a landmark broadcast took place - the biggest so far. And on day of podcast release, it's the centenary! 100 years ago at time of writing, King George V opened the Empire Exhibition at Wembley, becoming the first monarch to broadcast. It also stands as the oldest surviving recording of a BBC broadcast - and the only excerpt of the BBC from the 1920s. The BBC couldn't record anything until 1932, when the Blattnerphone came along. So how did this 1924 broadcast manage to be retained? For decades, it wasn't. A 1964 episode of Desert Island Discs tells the tale, of how their 1936/1955 Scrapbook for 1924 programme aired without the recording, but with a sad admission that there was none... till a listener got in touch. Dorothy Jones' husband had recorded the king off-air via a home-made device. Thanks to him, and her, and Scrapbook producer Leslie Baily, we have this sole recording of the 20s' Beeb. It's quite a tale. The broadcast alone was revolutionary - with 10 million people listening via loudspeakers on street corners, brand new radio sets for their homes... even Downton Abbey hired in its first wireless set (but will Lord Grantham keep it? Oh go on then...) Hear all about the momentous exhibition, the broadcast, the recording, and a rundown of royals who ruled the airwaves - and it goes back further than you might think. Hear too of brand new research into an unheralded royal radio encounter from 1906 - before even 'the world's first broadcast' took place, King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra (Palace) were enjoying a 'radio' whistling solo and a personalised greeting. Thanks for listening. Do share, rate, review, rant, rave, tell people about the podcast. It's a solo operation - not made by the BBC, just by comedian & writer Paul Kerensa. So thanks! SHOWNOTES: The History of Coronation BroadcastsA Brief History of the BBC Archives1924 recording of the Prince of Wales and King George V1923 gramophone record of King George V and Queen Mary1923 recording of President Woodrow Wilson - the world's earliest recording of broadcast radio.FacebookTwitterpatreon.com/posts/patron-vid-savoy-75950901www.paulkerensa.com/tour More info on this radio history project at: paulkerensa.com/oldradio

When Dr Kate Murphy became a BBC's Woman's Hour producer in 1993, the received wisdom was that women's programming began in 1946, when Woman's Hour launched. Kate did some digging in the archives, and discovered the long lost tale of the early BBC's Women's Hour (rather than Woman's Hour), which ran from 1923-24. Why so brief? What impact did it make? Which listeners did it cater for? She's here to tell us everything. Hear the topics, the tales, some of the voices, how the regional stations nipped in first, how Men's Talk didn't last quite as long, and how it Women's Hour had one of the first examples of listener feedback. Next time: The earliest BBC recording, as we leap forward a year for one episode, for the centenary of King George V's landmark broadcast - plus the bizarre tale of how we now get to hear it. SHOWNOTES: Behind the Wireless: A History of Early Women at the BBCHilda Matheson: A Life of Secrets and Broadcastspatreon.com/posts/patron-vid-savoy-75950901https://www.facebook.com/groups/bbcentury/posts/932696548301466/www.paulkerensa.com/tourFacebookTwitter, or Ex-Twitter More info on this radio history project at: paulkerensa.com/oldradio Thanks for listening (-in).