The British Broadcasting Century with Paul Kerensa

#081 The Pips at 100! A Brief History of Time at the BBC

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Pip pip pip pip pip piiiiiiiiip!

Is that the time? It must be 100 years (to the day, as I release this episode) since six baby pips were born onto the airwaves. 

As the Greenwich Time Signal - aka The Pips - turns 100, we look back at their origin story, thanks to horologist Frank Hope-Jones and also his overlooked contribution to broadcasting itself.

Plus Big Ben's bongs, heard by Manchester listeners days before London's listeners. We explain how... but also why Manchester's time signal was often a little approximate, thanks to too many double doors. 

SHOWNOTES:

  • Original music by Will Farmer.
  • Thanks to our Newspaper Detective Andrew Barker.
  • Voices include: Harold Bishop, Peter Eckersley, Sir Noel Ashbridge, Kenneth Wright, Frank Hope-Jones... and probably more.
  • We try to only use recordings out of copyright. If you have been affected by rights issues involved in this, do let me know. Everything's editable. 
  • This is an independent podcast, nothing to do with the BBC or anyone else for that matter.
  • I mention Charlie Connelly's excellent podcast about 100 years of the Shipping Forecase. Hear here: https://audioboom.com/posts/8423037-100-years-of-the-shipping-forecast
  • Details of Paul's tour of An Evening of (Very) Old Radio at www.paulkerensa.com/tour
  • Find us on Facebook or Twitter, or Ex-Twitter.
  • Join us on Patreon.com/paulkerensa, from £5/mth, and get written updates and videos.
  • Your ratings/reviewings of this podcast REALLY help get the podcast noticed. It's solo-run, so thanks!

    • Next time: Season 6 continues with a celebration of Marconi House - its last day as a BBC studio, and its first.

    More info on this radio history project at: 

    paulkerensa.com/oldradio

     

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