Many thanks to those who've been in touch to point out that I was mentioned (given "props" as I believe we say in social media) in an Observer article by the estimable Victoria Derbyshire, about Radio 5Live past and present.
I'm reliably informed that the published version truncates the author's intention in crediting the many forces behind the launch of the station. Indeed, the subbed version creates an impression of a young radio tyro, of iridescent erudition and perspicacity, charting a course for the nascent network, probably over a few pints of cooking lager in some sports bar with Jenny-now-Dame-Jenny Abramsky.
This is not entirely accurate, and my bit part will, I'm sure, resume its proper place in a later correction. However, I will keep the cutting... .
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Showing posts with label history. Show all posts
Monday, July 7, 2014
Thursday, April 17, 2014
'Twas ever thus...
I'm very much enjoying Charlotte Higgins' Guardian essays on the BBC's past, present and future. I wonder if she'll pick up on this, from 1937 - it's a hoot.
Friday, February 28, 2014
Wide open spaces
Here's some fun for Londoners and map lovers: a site that has taken John Rocque's 1746 map of the capital and turned it into a Google map (though the streetview function gives you today's images).
I reckon Broadcasting House is sited on this bit of open land that looks a bit like a ditch.
I reckon Broadcasting House is sited on this bit of open land that looks a bit like a ditch.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
Mentee
Monday, October 14, 2013
Mapped out
I don't want to get too soppy about my wonderful readers, but thanks to HB for solving the mystery of the pub that used to sit on the site of Broadcasting House extension.
It was called The Devonshire Arms, and at the time of our ancient map, in the 1890s, fronted onto Duke Street (now Hallam Street) more or less exactly at the entrance to the 1960s extension to Broadcasting House, now superceded by Sir Richard MacCormac's redevelopment.
The landlord in 1891 was Joseph Maslen, 50, originally from Bethnal Green. He ran the pub with his wife, Eliza, 48, and son James, 25, who was a barman. They employed Posie Hughes, 17, from Ramsgate as a barmaid and Florence Brett, 18, from Aldershot as a general servant. Also there were Joe's daughter Eliza, 19, and son Charles, 17, who were both students.
Before taking the Devonshire Arms,Joe Maslen was a carman driving a horse-drawn delivery wagon, probably for a railway company, and the family had lived in Chelsea and then Southwark. In 1881 they were at Sutherland Square in Newington, and Joe was a commercial traveller selling mineral water. He probably made a fair amount of money from The Devonshire because, by 1901, he'd gone up in the world and was a cab proprietor living at Gibson Square in Islington.
The Devonshire Arms was still going strong in 1935 and by then, the landlord, Arthur Walter Jones, was serving customers from the BBC, which had moved to the newly-built Broadcasting House three years earlier; it was the closest pub to BH, a matter of significance to this day. Next door was the Hallam Motor
Club, and at 11 Duke Street was the International Broadcasting Company, set up in 1931 as a commercial rival to the BBC. Owned by Tory MP Captain Leonard Plugge, it made programmes which were aired by radio stations on the continent, including Radio Luxembourg and Radio Normandy (early employer of Roy Plomley).
Which begs the question: Were the elite of the Corporation sitting down for a beer with their downmarket rivals or glaring at each other from opposite ends of the bar?
It was called The Devonshire Arms, and at the time of our ancient map, in the 1890s, fronted onto Duke Street (now Hallam Street) more or less exactly at the entrance to the 1960s extension to Broadcasting House, now superceded by Sir Richard MacCormac's redevelopment.
The landlord in 1891 was Joseph Maslen, 50, originally from Bethnal Green. He ran the pub with his wife, Eliza, 48, and son James, 25, who was a barman. They employed Posie Hughes, 17, from Ramsgate as a barmaid and Florence Brett, 18, from Aldershot as a general servant. Also there were Joe's daughter Eliza, 19, and son Charles, 17, who were both students.
Before taking the Devonshire Arms,Joe Maslen was a carman driving a horse-drawn delivery wagon, probably for a railway company, and the family had lived in Chelsea and then Southwark. In 1881 they were at Sutherland Square in Newington, and Joe was a commercial traveller selling mineral water. He probably made a fair amount of money from The Devonshire because, by 1901, he'd gone up in the world and was a cab proprietor living at Gibson Square in Islington.
The Devonshire Arms was still going strong in 1935 and by then, the landlord, Arthur Walter Jones, was serving customers from the BBC, which had moved to the newly-built Broadcasting House three years earlier; it was the closest pub to BH, a matter of significance to this day. Next door was the Hallam Motor
 |
| Plugge |
Which begs the question: Were the elite of the Corporation sitting down for a beer with their downmarket rivals or glaring at each other from opposite ends of the bar?
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Tuesday, June 4, 2013
D-Day wire
Channel 4's history stuff is steering a steadier course that the rest of the network - and "re-creating" D-Day as if live is an interesting idea. They've also got a "river of news" style online site, with stories coming through in the order it all happened. Probably more informative than Candy Crush if you find yourself with spare keyboard time...
Sunday, March 10, 2013
McCrae's Own
Paxo IS working on the Great War: at the end of last week he was spotted near Tynecastle stadium, home of Heart of Midlothian, for interviews about "McCrae's Own".
In 1914, Sir George McCrae, a hatter by profession, and former MP for East Edinburgh, secured permission to raise a new battalion. He announced he'd find enough men ‘within seven days’. It sounded unlikely – until Wednesday 25 November, when eleven professional footballers employed by Hearts enlisted. Hearts were leaders of the Scottish League, so the news made headlines. After this, it took McCrae only six days to raise his full complement of 1347 officers and men. Boosted by professionals from Raith Rovers and Falkirk, his volunteers included numerous local sportsmen, hundreds of Hearts ticket-holders and supporters, along with players and followers of many other clubs, including an estimated 150 supporters of Hearts’ great city rivals, Hibernian.
If you can't wait for Jeremy's version, the story of their war is here.
In 1914, Sir George McCrae, a hatter by profession, and former MP for East Edinburgh, secured permission to raise a new battalion. He announced he'd find enough men ‘within seven days’. It sounded unlikely – until Wednesday 25 November, when eleven professional footballers employed by Hearts enlisted. Hearts were leaders of the Scottish League, so the news made headlines. After this, it took McCrae only six days to raise his full complement of 1347 officers and men. Boosted by professionals from Raith Rovers and Falkirk, his volunteers included numerous local sportsmen, hundreds of Hearts ticket-holders and supporters, along with players and followers of many other clubs, including an estimated 150 supporters of Hearts’ great city rivals, Hibernian.
If you can't wait for Jeremy's version, the story of their war is here.
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