August 21, 2025

#103 Sept 1923 on the BBC, Rob Roy and Gavin Sutherland

49 minutes

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:

Rob Roy live from Glasgow - with fight scenes

Reith reads the news... again. Because his mum forgot to listen.

Sir Ernest Rutherford: first public figure to broadcast nationally.

New time signal: weights, counting and a bell on the hour

Sheffield, Aberdeen and Bournemouth prepare for the air

Newcastle's beloved boss heads south

Reith has his height measured at the Postmaster-General's house. Reith wins.

Announcer sacked, while another commended for "an impression of virility, keenness, and a suggestion of fresh breezes on the moors".

The Radio Times gets an editor

The first cat on radio?

(Thanks to Newspaper Detective Andrew Barker for most of these)

...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: The Next Programme Follows Shortly. It's a joy.

Hear Gavin guide us through 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 his album - and enjoy our chat. And the first cat on radio. Miaow.

SHOWNOTES:

Original music is by Will Farmer.

Gavin's music is by various writers, and reproduced here with kind permission of Gavin Sutherland and Fast Tunes Ltd.

Buy Gavin's album The Next Programme Follows Shortly from Bandcamp: https://fasttunes.bandcamp.com/album/the-next-programme-follows-shortly

Paul's latest Substack is on 37,451 days of BBC vs politics: https://substack.com/home/post/p-171149075

Paul's live show on the BBC origin story: www.paulkerensa.com/tour.

Paul's walking tour of old BBC sites: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/pks-walking-tour-of-old-bbc-and-pre-bbc-buildings-pwyw-tickets-1401875560539 (or get in touch to request the next - paul at paulkerensa dot com)

This podcast is nothing to do with the BBC. Any BBC copyright content is reproduced courtesy of the British Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved. We try to use clips so old they're beyond copyright, but you never know. Copyright's complicated...

Do like/share/rate/review this podcast - it all helps.

Support us on Patreon (£5/mth), for bonus videos and things - and thanks if you do!

Or a one-off tip to Ko-fi.com/paulkerensa? Thanks! All keeps the podcast afloat

Next time: Episode 104: The Radio Times is launched!

More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio

...more

View all episodes

By Paul Kerensa

4.7

1111 ratings