OTD in early British television: 12 March 1938

12th March 2025

The 100th original post in this series. John Wyver writes: Closing out transmissions on Saturday 12 March 1938 was An Exhibition of Catch-as-Catch-Can Wrestling, featuring a bout in the studio between Earl McCready, heavyweight champion of the British Empire who more

OTD in early British television: 11 March 1938

11th March 2025

John Wyver writes: Across the winter of 1937-38, the Television service broadcast Pre-view on Friday afternoons and evenings. Featuring interviews, rehearsals and test sequences from the forthcoming attractions of the following week, the strand was an attempt to encourage more more

OTD in early British television: 9 March 1938

9th March 2025

John Wyver writes: The Spring 1938 Craftsmen at Work series featured demonstrations in the AP studio of a potter at work at a wheel, of whisket-making (constructing baskets from strips of oak), withy-weiving (working with willow) and, on 9 March, more

OTD in early British television: 8 March 1939

8th March 2025

John Wyver writes: The 8 March 1939 edition of the popular magazine The Bystander carried a quarter-page ad for the recently-installed television studio at Selfridge's in London's Oxford Street. 'TELEVISION IS *HERE', it proclaimed. 'You can't shut your eyes to more

OTD in early British television: 1 March 1936

1st March 2025

John Wyver writes: Sunday 1 March 1936 saw The Observer splash an exclusive interview with BBC director of television Gerald Cock (above, in his Alexandra Palace office) eight months ahead of the offical opening of the service. The article, bylined more

OTD in early British television: 27 February 1939

27th February 2025

John Wyver writes: Before the war The Times did not employ a regular television critic, but occasional anonymous columns offered acute reflections on the development of the new medium. These included a piece published on Monday 27 February 1939 headed more