OTD in early British television: 7 July 1938
John Wyver writes: ‘Television seen 200 miles away’ ran the heading of a front-page story in The Era on Thursday 7 July 1938, along with the sub-heard, ‘Paris received on the South Downs’. And the report continued,
Startling possibilities are foreshadowed by the successful reception on the South Downs of a complete transmission from the Eiffel Tower 200 miles away.
This important chapter in the history of television was written on the screen at the Dyke Hotel, 700 feet above sea-level, where the transmissions from Alexandra Palace are regularly received at as good a quality as in London, though the receiver is twice the official effective distance from the transmitting station. The whole of the Paris programme, lasting for two hours, was successfully received.
Following a series of experimental broadcasts using different systems, 455-line television was demonstrated in France from July 1937 onwards, first at the International Exhibition in Paris and then in broadcasts from the Eiffel Tower. These were believed initially to be receivable within a radius of only around 25 km. Moreover, take-up of the French service was minimal, with perhaps fewer than 300 sets in operation by 1939, some in public places and others in home.
The French state’s Postes, Télégraphes et Téléphones department purchased electronic cameras and studio equipment from EMI, and from early 1938 these were used for half-hour transmissions twice a day during the week, with a two-hour block on Sundays, which must have been the focus for the report from the Dyke Hotel.
The month before, Television reported that Mr R.W. Westhead, with his receiver in Brighton at about 330 feet above sea level, had received faint pictures from Paris. And under the headline ‘The first international television’ the monthly journal carried a fuller report of the Dyke Hotel story in its August issue:
The instrument used was a standard Marconiphone type 705, which sells for 80 guineas. It was used in conjunction with a di-pole aerial and reflector with a tilted wire aerial as an alternative. The height of these aerials, although only 30 feet above ground, was adequate, for the Dyke Hotel is approximately 600 feet above sea level.
The receiver, before leaving the factory, was altered in wavelength to receive the slightly different transmission characteristics of the French transmitter, otherwise the instrument is identical with those that can be obtained from any wireless dealer in the television service area.
On the Sunday previous, reception proved to be extremely good, which gave confidence in the final tests scheduled for June 26. On this date, from 3.30 p.m. until 5 p.m., reception was fairly good although one or two periods of fading were experienced…
From 5 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. the picture held perfectly and both sound and vision were at a level that could be accepted as very good entertainment. The instrument was then removed from the public lounge to a basement in order to have a darkened room and to be relieved of the embarrassment of visitors crowding around the instrument.
A follow-up report in November’s Television recounted a visit to the French studio (and was accompanied by the picture in the header image):
One camera is employed for all programmes and there are no film transmissions. The camera is of the same type as used by the B.B.C., and was obtained from this country. It is mounted on a ‘dolly’ and the operator has to focus his camera either on the announcer or the artists as may be necessary.
The lighting is similar to that used at AlexandraPalace. The photograph reproduced shows the studio during a transmission. The control room is situated outside the studio which can be viewed through a plate glass window.
The programme during the afternoon, when I was present, consisted of two juvenile acts and dancers. It was apparent that the use of only one camera severely limited both the programme material and method of presentation. This limitation was particularly noticeable during the dancing turn.
[OTD post no. 202; part of a long-running series leading up to the publication of my book Magic Rays of Light: The Early Years of Television in Britain in January 2026.]
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