Author Archive: Simon Coward

Saturday, 2 July 1955, and we’ve reached the final day of Wimbledon. Readers of Radio Times are warned that coverage may over-run, in which case this evening’s live In Town Tonight will be telerecorded and shown on another date. ITT is simultaneously broadcast on the wireless, sound only – obviously, on the London, Midland, North and West of England Home Services. So what happens if the tennis over-runs? Do the radio broadcasts still go ahead? If so, do they get repeated when the programme’s eventually broadcast? Perhaps it won’t come to that, but if the ladies’ doubles final is running late you can guarantee coverage won’t end early because both pairs in the final are British, meaning that the country is guaranteed its first title winners since Dorothy Round‘s singles win in 1937. (more…)

It’s Friday, 1 July 1955 and the highlight of today’s broadcast from the Lawn Tennis Championships at Wimbledon is the Men’s Singles Final. Readers of Radio Times are warned that “Because of the great interest in the finals… Children’s television will not be broadcast today or tomorrow” and there’s nothing but tennis until the weather at 7.25pm.  (more…)

At 8pm on Thursday 30 June 1955, the BBC are entertaining us with Pier Pavilion wherein Tommy Trinder introduces artists appearing in one or other of Great Yarmouth’s summer shows.  Featured are Ronnie Ronalde, The Beverley Sisters, Alice Dells, The Two Heinkes and the Leslie Roberts Girls. (more…)

Television gets blamed for all manner of things, sometimes reasonably, sometimes ridiculously. On Wednesday, 29 June 1955, the Daily Express reports that the British Transport Commission, which were then responsible for running the railways, were in the red to the tune of £11,900,000 because of “rocketing costs and fewer passengers.” Passenger journeys were down by 1.3%. Why? Because of new housing, the growth of private motoring and television.

(more…)

Tuesday 28 June 1955. It’s the last day of the second test match between England and South Africa, and Brian Johnston and Peter West are once again commentating for the BBC, in between the tennis. If you want to find out how the match ended, there’s a scorecard here and a match report here. (more…)

27 June 1955. It’s Monday. On the BBC there’s more bat, ball and racquet but programmes start with the longest title in the history of this, that or the other:  National Service of Intercession and Rededication to Commemorate the Tenth Anniversary of the Signing of the United Nations Charter. (more…)

Sunday 26 June 1955 is, of course, the first day to be listed in the new edition of Radio Times+60+60 NoteBack then the listings ran from Sunday to Saturday, not Saturday to Friday as has subsequently become traditional.. (more…)

Saturday 25 June 1955 and it’s more of the same, sportswise. Interrupting the ball games during the afternoon are Percy Thrower In The Garden and a visit to The Appleyards between 4 and 4.30.

The evening highlight is What Do You Know? a television version of the well-known Light Programme… errr… programme (more…)

These won’t always be daily, but I figured I should put in an effort, early doors. So, Friday 24 June 1955…

The Times reports that in Parliament, James Callaghan (Lab, Cardiff South East) said that workers “were more ready to down tools because of the long hours being worked through overtime.” He added, “Men were working overtime to pay instalments on television sets which they had no time to look at.”

(more…)

23 June 1955, a Thursday. This means that there’s a new issue of The Stage to look at. Fortunately, after months where their television coverage was usually restricted to a maximum of half-a-page, they’ve seen sense and we have a whole “TV Page” in this edition. Let’s hope it’s not a one-off. This time round it’s mainly interested in what’s happening at the new ITV companies. (more…)