Web Page No 2788 29th May 2021 EAMON ANDREWS First Picture: A YOUNG EAMON ANDREWS

Second Picture: WHATS MY LINE?

Third Picture: EAMON AND GRAINNE AT HOME

Fourth Picture: THIS IS YOUR LIFE

EAMONN ANDREWS WAS BORN IN DUBLIN ON 19TH DECEMBER 1922, AND WAS EDUCATED AT THE CITY'S SYNGE STREET CHRISTIAN BROTHERS' SCHOOL, NOT FAR FROM THE FAMILY HOME HE SHARED WITH HIS PARENTS, THREE SISTERS AND A BROTHER. IT WAS WHILE HE WAS AT SCHOOL THAT EAMONN DEVELOPED A PASSION FOR SPORT, AND IN PARTICULAR, BOXING. HE JOINED ST ANDREWS BOXING CLUB IN DUBLIN AND BECAME A SUCCESSFUL AMATEUR BOXER, WINNING THE ALL-IRELAND JUVENILE TITLE. HIS OTHER GREAT LOVES WERE LITERATURE AND THEATRE. HE HAD AN INTEREST IN AMATEUR DRAMATICS, AND ALONG WITH A GROUP OF FRIENDS, ESTABLISHED A DRAMA GROUP CALLED BLUE WHITE PRODUCTIONS, NAMED FOR THEIR OLD SCHOOL COLOURS. IN ADDITION TO ACTING, HE WAS A KEEN WRITER AND WROTE PLAYS AND POETRY. EAMONN WON THE FIRST PRIZE OF A BICYCLE IN AN ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION AT THE AGE OF 13 IN MAY 1936 BOXING TOOK UP MUCH OF HIS TIME OUTSIDE SCHOOL, AND IRONICALLY HIS FIRST PAYMENT FOR WRITING WAS CONNECTED TO HIS BOXING. BY THE AGE OF 16 EAMONN ALREADY HAD AN AMBITION TO BROADCAST, AND CLAIMING TO BE AN EXPERT ON BOXING, HE APPLIED FOR WORK WITH RADIO EIREANN - DUBLIN'S COMMERCIAL RADIO STATION – AND FOLLOWING AN AUDITION, HE WAS OFFERED A TRY-OUT: THE TRY-OUT WAS A SUCCESS AND EAMONN BEGAN HIS BROADCASTING CAREER WITH REGULAR SPORTING COMMENTARIES FOR BOXING, RUGBY AND SOCCER. IN ADDITION, HIS CONTINUING INTEREST IN THEATRE SAW HIM STUDYING ACTING UNDER RIA MOONEY AT THE ABBEY THEATRE. HE ALSO TOOK PART IN PLAYS ON RADIO EIREANN, AND HAD HIS OWN PLAY, A SOLEMN – AND UNSUCCESSFUL – WORK ENTITLED THE MOON IS BLACK, PRODUCED AT THE PEACOCK THEATRE. AS A TEENAGER EAMONN HAD A VARIETY OF INTERESTS TO KEEP HIM BUSY, INCLUDING BOXING AND LITERATURE. AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL HE TOOK HIS PARENTS ADVICE TO SECURE A STEADY JOB AT THE HIBERNIAN INSURANCE COMPANY IN DUBLIN AS A JUNIOR CLERK, WHERE HE WAS PAID £1 A WEEK. AND HE WAS STILL BOXING - AT THE AGE 22 IN 1944 AT THE NATIONAL STADIUM IN DUBLIN, EAMONN ENTERED THE IRISH JUNIOR MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE – AND WON. BUT NOT BEFORE HE HAD COMMENTATED ON THE OTHER SEMI-FINAL! WITH THE EXTRA ACTIVITIES BOOSTING HIS INCOME, EAMONN MADE THE DECISION, WITH TREPIDATION, TO LEAVE THE SECURITY OF A REGULAR INCOME AT THE HIBERNIAN, AND BECOME A FULL-TIME WRITER AND BROADCASTER IN 1946. THE DECISION PROVED TO BE THE RIGHT ONE FOR HIM - AS WELL AS THE BOXING COMMENTARIES, EAMONN'S TIME WAS FREED UP TO WORK ON OTHER PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING MICROPHONE PARADE, WHICH RAN FOR ALMOST THREE YEARS WITHOUT A BREAK, AND INVOLVED HIM INTERVIEWING VISITING CELEBRITIES. EAMONN BECAME A FULL TIME WRITER AND BROADCASTER AFTER LEAVING THE HIBERNIAN INSURANCE COMPANY WHERE HE HAD WORKED AS A CLERK HE ALSO BECAME INVOLVED WITH A NEW ENTERTAINMENT PHENOMENON THAT WAS SPRINGING UP IN IRELAND AT THE TIME CALLED CINE VARIETY, WHERE AS A TAX BREAK CINEMA OWNERS COULD OFFER LIVE ENTERTAINMENT BEFORE SHOWING A FILM. AS PART OF CINE VARIETY, EAMONN WAS OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT A QUIZ CALLED DOUBLE OR NOTHING, WHICH INVOLVED MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE ANSWERING A SERIES OF QUESTIONS FOR CASH PRIZES. AFTER BEING ON THE ROAD IN LIMERICK AND GALWAY, THE SHOW SECURED A REGULAR SPOT AT THE THEATRE ROYAL IN DUBLIN, WHERE EAMONN, AS COMPERE, GAINED VALUABLE EXPERIENCE OF WORKING DIRECTLY WITH THE PUBLIC. IT WAS AT THE THEATRE ROYAL AFTER A PERFORMANCE OF DOUBLE OR NOTHING IN JULY 1949 THAT EAMONN MET GRAINNE BOURKE, WHO WAS ENJOYING A NIGHT OUT WITH HER FAMILY. THE BOURKES RAN A COSTUMIER BUSINESS IN DUBLIN, AND WERE THEATRICAL FRIENDS OF EAMONN'S. HE HAD MET GRAINNE CASUALLY A FEW TIMES, BUT THAT NIGHT HE JOINED THEIR PARTY AFTER THE SHOW, AND GRAINNE AND EAMONN HAD THEIR FIRST REAL 'DATE'. THEIR COURTSHIP LASTED NEARLY TWO AND A HALF YEARS, AND THEY WERE MARRIED AT DUBLIN'S CORPUS CHRISTI CHURCH ON 7TH NOVEMBER 1951. IT WAS DURING A SEASON AT THE THEATRE ROYAL THAT EAMONN MET JOE LOSS, WHO CHANGED THE COURSE OF HIS PROFESSIONAL CAREER: JOE LOSS WAS A SUCCESSFUL BANDLEADER WHO HAD BEEN BOOKED FOR TWO WEEK’S. HE LIKED EAMONN AND WHAT HE WAS DOING WITH DOUBLE OR NOTHING AND OFFERED HIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE SHOW OVER TO ENGLAND. THIS RESULTED IN A LIFELONG FRIENDSHIP WHILE IN LONDON, EAMONN APPROACHED THE BBC IN PERSON, AND EVENTUALLY AN OPPORTUNITY AROSE. STEWART MACPHERSON, THE CANADIAN BROADCASTER WHO HAD BEEN ONE OF THE MOST FAMILIAR VOICES ON BRITISH RADIO DURING THE WAR, ANNOUNCED HE WAS LEAVING. EAMONN WAS SWIFT TO TRY THE BBC AGAIN; POINTING OUT THAT HE COULD DO EVERYTHING THAT MACPHERSON DID. HIS AUDITION WAS SUCCESSFUL, AND AT THE AGE OF 27 IN 1950, HE MOVED TO LONDON, SECURED HIMSELF AN AGENT, AND BEGAN A 14-YEAR LONG BROADCASTING CAREER WITH THE BBC. EAMONN ANDREWS CHAIRED HIS FIRST EDITION OF IGNORANCE IS BLISS, HE ALSO WORKED ON OTHER RADIO PROGRAMMES, INCLUDING SPORTS REPORT, A SATURDAY AFTERNOON FOOTBALL RESULTS PROGRAMME WHICH HE JOINED IN DECEMBER 1950, AND WOULD CONTINUE CONTRIBUTING TO UNTIL 1964. THE IDEA OF APPEARING ON TELEVISION HAD NOT THRILLED HIM BUT, IN THE SPRING OF 1951 THE BBC COMMISSIONED A NEW GAME SHOW FROM AMERICA, CALLED WHAT'S MY LINE, THE PANEL GAME DEBUTED ON BBC TELEVISION IN THE SUMMER OF 1951 WITH EAMONN ANDREWS AS THE CHAIRMAN BY 1955 THE BBC - NOW WELL AWARE OF EAMONN'S TALENT AND POPULARITY - WERE ON THE LOOK OUT FOR A NEW SHOW FOR HIM TO FRONT. RONNIE WALDMAN, THE THEN HEAD OF BBC LIGHT ENTERTAINMENT, HAD HIS SIGHTS SET ON CREATING A BRITISH VERSION OF A HUGELY POPULAR AMERICAN SHOW CALLED THIS IS YOUR LIFE. SO, ON FRIDAY 29 JULY 1955, EAMONN ANDREWS AND FREDDIE MILLS TOOK THEIR SEATS AT THE BBC TELEVISION THEATRE IN SHEPHERD'S BUSH, AS RALPH EDWARDS, ON LIVE TELEVISION, TEASED THE AUDIENCE ABOUT WHOSE LIFE STORY WOULD BE TOLD ON BRITAIN'S FIRST EDITION OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE. RALPH EDWARDS HANDED EAMONN THE THIS IS YOUR LIFE BOOK, AND AS EAMONN HIMSELF WOULD DO TO HIS FUTURE SUBJECTS ON MANY SUBSEQUENT OCCASIONS, ASKED HIM TO READ THE COVER. HIS REACTION ON SEEING HIS OWN NAME PRINTED ON THE COVER WAS – "THIS IS YOUR – OH BLIMEY!" EAMONN'S THIS IS YOUR LIFE WAS A HUGE SUCCESS, WITH MANY POSITIVE REVIEWS IN THE FOLLOWING DAY'S PRESS. EAMONN HAD RECEIVED A TASTE OF WHAT HIS FUTURE SUBJECTS WOULD EXPERIENCE AND TO HIM THE SURPRISE WOULD ALWAYS BE THE SHOW'S CENTREPIECE. THE PROGRAMMEWENT FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH, AND WAS SOON BEING BROADCAST WEEKLY AND EAMONN BECAME SYNONYMOUS WITH THE PROGRAMME. HE PRESENTED 255 EDITIONS OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE FOR THE BBC BETWEEN 1955 AND 1964 EAMONN ALSO PRESENTED OTHER TELEVISION SHOWS FOR THE BBC, INCLUDING THE CHILDREN'S PROGRAMMES PLAYBOX AND CRACKERJACK! WHICH INCLUDED HIS OWN INVENTION: THE PARLOUR GAME 'DOUBLE OR DROP'. BY 1964, AFTER NINE SERIES OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE, THERE WAS A FEELING AMONG THE BBC HIERARCHY THAT THE PROGRAMME HAD LOST A LOT OF ITS SPONTANEITY AND EXCITEMENT. THE BBC MADE THE DECISION TO DROP THE PROGRAMME. EAMONN TOOK THIS NEWS BADLY, AS IT CAME IN ADDITION TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HIS OTHER RATINGS WINNER, WHAT'S MY LINE? HAD ALSO BEEN RECENTLY CANCELLED. HOWEVER, AN OPPORTUNITY AROSE WITH AN OFFER FROM ABC TELEVISION FOR EAMONN TO FRONT WORLD OF SPORT, AS WELL AS HIS OWN LIVE WEEKLY CHAT SHOW. His CHAT SHOW, THE EAMONN ANDREWS SHOW, HIT THE AIR LIVE IN OCTOBER 1964 AND QUICKLY BECAME A SUCCESS, ATTRACTING GUESTS AS DIVERSE AS NOEL COWARD AND THE BEATLES. IT RAN FOR FIVE YEARS AND EAMONN LAUNCHED WORLD OF SPORT ON THE ITV NETWORK IN JANUARY 1965, AND REMAINED AS HOST UNTIL 1968 IN 1968 HE WAS GIVEN THE TASK OF FRONTING THAMES TELEVISION'S NEW TODAY PROGRAMME. THE DAILY LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND INFORMATION SHOW AIMED TO REFLECT "WHAT IS GOING ON IN LONDON". EAMONN ANDREWS PRESENTED THAMES TELEVISION'S TODAY PROGRAMME BETWEEN 1968 AND 1977 HOWEVER, IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE HE WAS SUGGESTING THE IDEA OF REVIVING THIS IS YOUR LIFE. HE FELT THAT THE BBC HAD KILLED OFF THE SHOW TOO EARLY, AND THAT THE FORMAT HAD YEARS OF 'LIFE' STILL IN IT. T THAMES - COMMISSIONED A 13 PART SERIES EXTENDED TO 26 EDITIONS. HE CONTINUED TO PLAY A MAJOR PART IN THE SHOW'S PRODUCTION, AND WAS INFLUENTIAL IN HELPING TO SECURE SUCH HIGH RATING SUBJECTS AS MUHAMMAD ALI AND ALSO LORD MOUNTBATTEN, THOUGH HIS DREAM TO SURPRISE THE QUEEN MOTHER NEVER MATERIALISED! HE PRESENTED 480 EDITIONS OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE FOR THAMES TELEVISION BETWEEN 1969 AND 1987 SINCE 1961 EAMONN AND GRAINNE HAD BEEN LIVING IN CHISWICK WITH THEIR THREE ADOPTED CHILDREN, BUT IN 1970 THE FAMILY MOVED BACK TO IRELAND. THEY SET UP HOME OUTSIDE DUBLIN, FROM WHERE EAMONN COMMUTED TO LONDON, FOR THE WEEKLY ROUTINE OF MEETINGS AND RECORDINGS. EAMONN BECAME A SUBJECT OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE FOR A SECOND TIME IN MAY 1974 WHEN HE WAS SURPRISED WHILE APPEARING AS A GUEST ON THE DAVID NIXON SHOW. A SELF-CONFESSED WORKAHOLIC, HE SHOWED NO SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN, DESPITE A DOCTOR'S WARNING AFTER HE HAD CONTRACTED BRONCHITIS. IN AILING HEALTH, HE CONTINUED WORKING TO HIS LIMIT. FOLLOWING SEVERAL BOUTS OF ILLNESS, EXACERBATED BY THE DEMANDING SCHEDULE AND NXIETY OVER SOME TROUBLED BUSINESS INTERESTS IN DUBLIN, FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES AND VIEWERS BECAME INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT HIM. AS THE 28TH SERIES OF THIS IS YOUR LIFE BEGAN, IT WAS EVIDENT THAT EAMONN WAS DETERIORATING PHYSICALLY AND, ONLY AT GRAINNE'S BEHEST, DID HE AGREE TO POSTPONE THE PLANNED RECORDING OF A PARTICULAR SHOW, AND ATTEND THE CROMWELL HOSPITAL FOR URGENT TESTS. SOME HOURS LATER EAMONN DIED PEACEFULLY IN HIS SLEEP IN THE EARLY HOURS OF 5 NOVEMBER 1987. STAY IN TOUCH PETER

Do you have your copy of our new book yet?

Web page no 2786 22nd May 2021 BSR First picture: Daniel Mclean Mcdonald

Second picture: typical BSR deck

Third picture: Goblin teasmaid

Fourth picture: vintage Swan electric kettle

The record player When we were teenagers most of the record players contained a BSR record turntable and playing arm. I know the one my father and I built did. But I had no idea of the history and diversity of the BSR company Daniel Mclean Mcdonald (1905–1991) founded Birmingham sound reproducers as a private company in 1932 in the west midlands. By 1947, the company chiefly manufactured intercoms, laboratory test equipment, and sound recording and reproducing instruments, including phonographs. In the early 1950s Samuel Margolin began buying record auto-changing turntables from BSR using them as the basis of his Dansette record player. Over the next twenty years, Margolin manufactured more than a million of these players, and "Dansette" became a household word all over Britain. In 1957, BSR, also known by the name BSR McDonald, became a public company which by 1961 had grown to employ over 2,600 workers in several sites in the midlands. BSR McDonald supplied turntables and autochangers to most of the world’s record player manufacturers, eventually gaining in excess 87% of the market. By 1977 BSR’S factories produced over 250,000 units a week. The company also manufactured their own brand of player, the Monarch automatic record changer. This could select and play 7", 10" and 12" records at 331⁄3, 45 or 78 rpm, changing automatically between the various disc sizes, although the turntable speed had to be changed manually. BSR also made tape recorder mechanisms but these were less well known. The company Bang & Olufsen used BSR’s TDd2 tape deck in their Beocord Belcanto from 1962. During 1975, with the help of Pifco electronics, BSR started the manufacture of a new upmarket turntable called the ADC Accutrac 4000. This turntable had individual track selection capabilities, allowing the user to play specified individual tracks, or play the LP in any order desired. It had a direct drive turntable motor, and a high quality ADC lma1 cartridge and stylus. This was further developed into a turntable called the Accutrac 3500, which in addition to track selection handled a stack of up to six singles or LP’s. Both turntables were equipped with an ultrasonic (but not infrared) remote control. Changing home audio trends impacted BSR in the early 1980s. Although the company produced some reel to reel tape decks in addition to their turntables and changers, consumers had begun to expect portability from their music players, and BSR faced serious competition from eight-track cartridge and the cassette tape players of the day, particularly Sony's Walkman. In the first five years of the 1980s, BSR closed several factories and made thousands of workers redundant. During the 1980s, BSR moved away from audio equipment and manufactured the rotronics wafadrive for the zx spectrum range of computers. After producing their last turntable in 1985, BSR McDonald closed all divisions except for astec power supply. In the 1970s, BSR had diversified by acquiring the houseware companies of goblin vacuum cleaners (who also made teasmaids clocks), judge international housewares ltd (kitchen pots and pans), and even Bulpitt & Sons, who made kettles and irons under the "swan brand" name. The future was uncertain and the goblin part of the company was sold to US company shop vac in 1984, and swan was sold to Moulinex of France in 1988. Griff Writes:- I was talking to a person on the phone the other day who I hadn't seen for a number of years and I was quite surprised when they remembered and asked after my tortoise Tiggy and if he was he still around. The answer is yes, he is and he is in fine fettle after waking from his hibernation slumbers in late March. It takes him a few days to get going again but if it's a nice warm day he sets off for a trot around our secure garden. You would be amazed at just how much ground a tortoise can cover and I have a big garden. He sleeps under a large half flower pot under a bush during the summer months. You may have read this before. Tiggy was purchased in the Drayton pet shop by me back in 1958 for the princely sum of 2/6d (12.5p). My mum looked after him for years and years until she passed away and Tigs then moved back in with us. We think he is now about 75 years old. He just loves melon and strawberries and cucumber. regards to all

Melvyn Griffiths. Stay in touch Peter

Web Page No 2784 First of all, the new book on growing up in Portsmouth “Gobstoppers and Blue Lollies” will be available from me next week. It has 75 pages and photographs plus illustrations by Peter Westcott. A real look at the past.

15th May 2021 GETTING OLD First picture: Prison gates

Second Picture: Two on a seat.

Third Picture: Weather Vane

Fourth Picture: Brush and comb set

GETTING OLD When one door closes and another door opens, in front of you, you are probably in prison. To me, "drink responsibly" means don't spill any of it. When I say, "The other day," I could be referring to any time between yesterday and 15 to 40 years ago. I remember being able to get up out of a chair without making sound effects. I had my patience tested. The result was that I'm negative. Remember, if you lose a sock in the tumble dryer, it comes back as a Tupperware lid that doesn't fit any of your containers. If you're sitting in public and a stranger takes the seat next to you, just stare straight ahead and say "Did you bring the money?" When you ask me what I am doing today, and I say "nothing," it does not mean I am free. It actually means I am doing nothing. They sat that the age 60 might now be the new 40, but to me 9:00pm is new midnight. I finally got eight hours of sleep. However, it took me three days, but whatever I got 8 hours . I run like the winded. I hate it when a couple argues in public, and I missed the beginning and don't know whose side I'm on. When someone asks what I did over the weekend, I just squint and ask, "Why, what did you hear?" I don't remember much from last night, but the fact that I needed sunglasses to open the fridge this morning tells me it must have been good, When you do squats, are your knees supposed to sound like a goat chewing on an aluminium can stuffed with celery. I don't mean to interrupt people. I just randomly remember things and get really excited. When I ask for directions, please don't use words like "east and west”’ It's the start of a brand new day, and I'm off like a herd of turtles. Don't bother walking a mile in my shoes. That would be boring. Spend 30 seconds in my head. That'll freak you right out. For most people that moment when you walk into a spider web suddenly turns you into an arm waving karate master. Sometimes, someone unexpected comes into your life out of nowhere, it makes your heart race, and changes you forever. We call those people police. The older I get, the earlier it gets late. My luck is like a bald guy who has just won a brush and comb set. STAY IN TOUCH ANIDA WRITES I really enjoyed your piece about the Theatre Royal, it holds memories for me as my Grandmother and Grandfather used to take me there on Saturday evenings, we used to get the bus to the Guildhall Square and when the performance had finished we used to go round to the Stage door, by the side of the Swan Tavern, to see if we could get an autograph or two. The shows were mainly variety and I can remember fan dancers and some probably risky comedians but as I was very young, about 8 or 9, it went over my head! My favourite was a chap on a unicycle! We used to sit in the Gods and I just loved the whole atmosphere. My great grandfather worked in the Dockyard but in the evenings he used to play the clarinet in the orchestra at the Theatre Royal, that would have been in the early 1900's as he died in 1911. We occasionally went to the Empire (I think it was) in Edinburgh Road, that was almost music hall. I have attached a picture of two carvings, these have been knocking around in the family for decades and came from the Swan Tavern when there was some refurbishment going on possibly back in the 1930's or 40's. My father acquired them, don't quite know how but he was an electrician, they are heavily carved and appear to be cupboard doors and are about to be hung in my garden and hopefully will survive for another number of years. In recent years they decorated the front of my Mum and Dad's house in Yealmpton. I was interested in your picture of the top of Cosham High Street before Spur Road was cut through. I didn't realise that the Red Lion started its days actually in the High Street. You remarked that Mr Boughton was the Manager and later owner of the Theatre Royal, he lived in a house just to the right of the Red Lion set back. It later became Ashleys wallpaper and paint shop and has probably disappeared now. You may be surprised to see that in your photograph it shows quite clearly the chimney pots which were on the shop which later became the Olde Sweet Shoppe, my second picture shows one of those very pots in my garden. I have carted it around from house to house after rescuing it when the shop was demolished in the 1970's.

ON THIS DAY 15TH MAY 1960 – 1965 On 15/05/1960 the number one single was Cathy's Clown - Everly Brothers and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Wagon Train (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 15/05/1961 the number one single was Blue Moon - The Marcels and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 15/05/1962 the number one single was Wonderful Land - The Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Film star Emilio Estevez born On 15/05/1963 the number one single was From Me To You - The Beatles and the number one album was Please Please Me - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 15/05/1964 the number one single was Don't Throw Your Love Away - Searchers and the number one album was Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 15/05/1964 the number one single was Don't Throw Your Love Away - Searchers and the number one album was Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 15/05/1965 the number one single was Ticket to Ride - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

The New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth. Web Page No 2782 8th May 2021

1st Picture: The frontage of the present building

2nd Picture: The words New Theatre Royal incorporated in the frontage

3rd Picture: One of the famous wrestlers when the building was the Royal Arena was the Mohawk Indian Billy Two Rivers.

4th Picture: Victorian advertising poster for the theatre

The Theatre Royal is a Victorian Grade II listed theatre with a capacity of 667. The theatre was built in 1854 as the Landport Hall and was converted to a theatre two years later. It was rebuilt in 1884 by Charles J. Phipps and again in 1900 by Frank Matcham. The Theatre reopened in October 2015 after a £4.7M refurbishment project. The present building was built to replace a theatre located in the High Street Old Portsmouth that features in Nicholas Nickleby. It was a popular music hall and hosted performances by Paganini and Liszt . It closed in 1854 and was demolished in 1856 to allow for the construction of Cambridge Barracks. This building now houses Portsmouth Grammar School. The three-arch entrance to the school occupies the location of the theatre. In the same year as the old theatre was demolished, Henry Rutley opened a new venue on the present site. He was an impresario and circus proprietor who had arrived in Portsmouth in 1854 and purchased the Swan Tavern in Commercial Road and the adjoining Landport Hall, a racquet court. He converted the hall to accommodate equestrian displays and applied to the magistrates for permission to construct a new theatre on the site. The magistrates granted a licence for a limited period with the condition that there was no direct access from the tavern. A door to the hall, bricked in during building, was temporarily uncovered during renovation work in 2004. The theatre opened on 29th September 1856. In a typical week the theatre would host two plays a night with matinees at the weekend. Rutley died in 1874. \Mr. Boughton then became manager in 1876 and after the death of Rutley's successor took over control of the Portsmouth Theatres Company in 1882. Rutley's widow eventually sold the theatre to him. Most of the famous performers of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries appeared at the Theatre Royal. Sir Henry Irving and his leading lady and mistress, Ellen Terry, appeared many times both individually and together. Sarah Bernhardt performed there on several occasions, including her legendary appearances in later life when in a wheelchair. She left her signature on the wall of the dressing rooms, Marie Lloyd was also a regular. Laurel and Hardy appeared before fame in Hollywood and Oliver Hardy chose the theatre as the venue for his birthday party in 1954. Morecombe and Wise were among many stars who appeared early in their career. Henry Irving died on tour in 1905 but his last complete set of performances was completed two weeks earlier at the Theatre Royal Portsmouth. Ellen Terry was appearing there the week he died. During some of performances his secretary Abraham ('Bram') Stoker - author of his biography and of Dracula - worked in the offices backstage. The programming provides an insight into the talent and workload of the acting profession up to theWW2. In most weeks, the performances would change with as many as three distinct programmes of shows. Posters show an actor taking the lead in Hamlet followed by the lead in a farce at the start of the week and the lead role in different plays at the weekend, a formidable memory load. From 1856 to 1976 the theatre was officially the Theatre Royal. At some point the 'New' was informally added probably inthe middle of the century. The frontage of the theatre says both "Theatre Royal" and "New Theatre Royal". By the 1920s, radio and cinema led to the decline in attendances and, coupled with economic depression, theatres began to close. These including the Prince's and Kings. theatres The Theatre Royal was home to a repertory company, The Denville Players, until 1932 when it had a projection room installed and became a cinema. Portsmouth was subject to extensive damage during WW2. The neighbouring Prince's theatre was destroyed by a direct hit during a matinee for children but the Royal escaped unharmed. It continued as a cinema until 1948 when it reverted to a variety theatre in fact the theatre was the venue for the first live rock 'n' roll performance in the UK in 1954. The Theatre Royal was eventually forced to shut in 1955. In 1956 Bernard Delfont's 'Brilliant Summer Revue' starring David Nixon was in the Theatre Royal for a Summer Season. In 1957 it opened as a repertory theatre but this was short lived and from 1960 it operated only as a bingo hall and a venue for wrestling. In 1966 the owners the Portsmouth Theatres Company, sought permission to over-ride its 'listed' status and demolish it. The council agreed. A pressure group was formed to oppose this, leading to a council decision in which the proposal was beaten by only one vote! The empty building began to attract vandals. In 1968 squatters occupied it and brass fittings and roof lead were stolen. The continuing decay and damage led to the formation of the Theatre Royal Society which pressured to defend and preserve the building. This campaign included the locally born actor Brian Murphy who had starred in 'The Boyfriend' and is now a patron of the theatre. The society became the New Theatre Royal Trust in 1976. In 1971 Ken Russell chose the theatre as the location for a film version of "The Boyfriend". He chose the ballet dancer Christopher Gable and Twiggy for the lead roles backed by a cast of experienced actors including Barbara Windsor, Brian Murphy and there was a cameo role for Glenda Jackson (not listed in the credits). Ken Russell shot most of the film on location in the empty theatre and adjoining streets. It was to be the Victorian theatre's last performance. The following year, 1972, children entered the theatre and lit fireworks setting the stage on fire. But by the time the fire brigade arrived the rear was ablaze. Early in the fire the ropes of the safety curtain burned through causing it to fall into place saving the auditorium. The stage and the entire building behind the proscenium arch was destroyed. Once again, demolition was proposed but the Theatre Royal Society opposed the plan. In 1975, volunteers started the long process of repair and renovation. The New Theatre Royal (Portsmouth) Limited was registered in 1976. The theatre was gradually repaired, largely by volunteers, and slowly came back into operation. In 1984 a small temporary stage was built over the orchestra. Productions were largely restricted to amateur performances. Damage extended beyond the fire in 1972. Thieves stole brass fittings and other artefacts and in the 70's thieves with a van stole the auditorium doors which had been removed for renovation whilst volunteers worked in the theatre. In the early 70's artefacts, papers and records including a large collection of posters were moved from the managers office for safekeeping. These records were transferred to an empty shop nearby in Guildhall Walk. Two years later, the entire content of the shop had disappeared. Neither the volunteers or the owner of the shop had authorised or knew of their removal. These items were never retrieved. In the early 'noughties', builders renovating a house in Southsea found a number of posters from the theatre under the floorboards. Most dated from the 1860s. They were sold to Langford Antiques in Albert Road Southsea where they were framed and sold. Several were purchased for the theatre trust. In 2003 the Board of Trustees commissioned a report which advised a short closure and re-launch and the appointment of an experienced professional director. The Trust was awarded £440,000, the largest single grant given by the Onyx Trust. With additional funding, the cast iron portico was renovated, central heating and a new pit bar installed, and the original seating in the stalls. A larger stage was built in front to accommodate this, the frontage of the lower boxes had to be removed. Investigation revealed that these were prefabricated and fitted using large bolts. They were stored until eventually reinstatement when the new stage was built. Drama, stand-up comedy, music and dance became features of each season whilst work with local schools and community groups was expanded. However, performances were still restricted by the lack of a proper stage and limited seating capacity. Inevitably, lack of operating finance became problematic necessitating a period known as "NTR Lite" with less risky but less exciting programming. Shortly after the recruitment of a new executive director, the trust embarked upon the most challenging an exciting period since the remodelling by Matcham. The board of trustees came up with a plan to rebuild the stage and back stage accommodation in addition to teaching facilities for the university. In 2009, Peynore and Prasad were contracted to design the building and a professional fundraiser was appointed to raise the estimated £4m cost. A fund-raising programme began in 2010 with a weekend finishing with a gala performance Compared by Sandi Toksvig and headlined by Sheila Hancock, Paul Jones and Christopher Timothy were among the cast list. At the end of the evening, Sheila Hancock accepted the invitation to become the patron of the theatre. In May 2010, the theatre hosted the first screening in nearly three decades of "The Boyfriend. The screening was preceded by an interview with Ken Russell and cast members Twiggy, Brian Murphy and Georgina Hale plus the score composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davis, former Master of the Queens Music. The interview was hosted by local television personality Sally Taylor. Following this event, Twiggy, Sir Peter and Brian Murphy agreed to join Sheila Hancock as patrons. The theatre is now planning a full programme for the future Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

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On this day 8th May 1960 – 1965 On 08/05/1960 the number one single was Cathy's Clown - Everly Brothers and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Wagon Train (ITV) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Contraceptive pill becomes available in US. On 08/05/1961 the number one single was Blue Moon - The Marcels and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was No Hiding Place (AR) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 08/05/1962 the number one single was Wonderful Land - The Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 08/05/1963 the number one single was From Me To You - The Beatles and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 08/05/1964 the number one single was Don't Throw Your Love Away - Searchers and the number one album was Rolling Stones - The Rolling Stones. The top rated TV show was Conservative Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 08/05/1965 the number one single was Ticket to Ride - The Beatles and the number one album was Beatles For Sale - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

Web Page No 2780 1st May 2021 1st Picture: Max in his early days

2nd Picture: With Tommy Cooper and Arthur Askey

3rd Picture: With his wife Connie

4th Picture: Educating Archie: Max, Hattie Jacques, Archie Andrews, Peter Brough and Harry Secombe

Max Bygraves, It seems to me that throughout my younger years, in the entertainment world there was always Max Bygraves through Educating Archie, the Tooth Brush Song, Singalongwithmax and the rather uncomfortable couple of series of game shows. He always kept the persona of a cheerful cockney stevedore but good-natured, with a sort of innocence that would not upset anyone. This was suited to his voice and stage personna. He was born Walter William Bygraves in Rotherhithe to Henry Bygraves, a prize fighter who became a docker, and his wife, Lilian. The family lived in a two-room flat and money could be scarce. His father tended to fend off his young son's questions about life and sex with jokes. When, in early adolescence, the boy asked him why hair was beginning to grow on his body, his father told him it was God's punishment for his misdeeds: "You're turning into a coconut." Max attended St Joseph's school, Rotherhithe, and sang with his school choir at Westminster Cathedral. When his father dressed him up in an old army cap, gave him a broom for a rifle and got him to sing a popular song in front of an audience of dockers, the collection for him was large enough to encourage the thought of a career in show business. After leaving school at the age of 14, he went into an advertising agency as a messenger boy, ferrying copy to newspapers and stopping at the Holborn Empire to see variety acts whenever he could afford it. When the advertising industry slumped at the beginning of the second world war, he got a job as a carpenter's apprentice and built air-raid shelters. After being blown off a roof he was repairing during an air raid, he decided to volunteer for the RAF in 1940 and served as an airframe fitter for five years. He met a sergeant in the WAAF, Blossom Murray, and they married in 1942. Together, they had three children, Christine, Anthony and Maxine. Stationed near Kew, Max started entertaining the troops and performed in pubs, doing impressions of Frank Sinatra, the Inkspots and Max Miller (earning him the nickname Max, which he kept). By the time the war ended, he decided to turn professional. At the Grand theatre, Clapham, he was spotted by the agent Gordon Norval, who got him six weeks' work. Further engagements followed but the going was tough. Despite their love of Britain, he and Blossom had decided to emigrate to Australia when a letter arrived from the BBC asking him to repeat the audition act he had recently given. This earned him an appearance in the radio series They're Out, which featured other demobbed entertainers such as Spike Milligan, Jimmy Edwards, Frankie Howerd, Harry Secombe and Benny Hill. In 1946 he did a touring revue, For the Fun of It, with Frankie Howerd. He then made his first films, Bless 'em All and Skimpy in the Navy (both in 1949), and had another radio hit in the 1950s, performing in Educating Archie. He also made a handful of films in that decade in the 1950’s Meanwhile, the London Palladium had become something like his professional home. He made his debut there in 1950, after he was seen at the Finsbury Park Empire and was asked to stand in for Ted Ray at the Palladium. He appeared in 14 shows there over a period of 10 years and eventually starred in 19 Royal Variety Performances. After the first of these, in 1950, Judy Garland asked him to appear with her at the Palace theatre in New York where, wrongly, he did not expect his cockney humour to register. He was naturally laidback and worked on perfecting the art of unforced pace on stage and his delivery was always apparently casual. He regarded his catchphrases as better value than a press agent, and lines such as "A good idea, son" and "I wanna tell you a story" became very popular. His company Lakeview Music bought the rights to Lionel Bart's musical Oliver! for £350 and later sold them on for £250,000. In 1960, he released his version of one of the musical's numbers, Consider Yourself. In the 50s, he had reached the Top 5 with the singles Meet Me on the Corner, You Need Hands/Tulips from Amsterdam and Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be. Often nostalgic or comedic in tone (such as You're a Pink Toothbrush), he also released in a series of "singalong" albums. He picked up 31 gold discs in total and was appointed OBE in 1983. In 1977 he published a novel, The Milkman's on His Way and his autobiography, I Wanna Tell You a Story, appeared the previous year, and further memoirs followed, including After Thoughts (1989), Max Bygraves: In His Own Words (1997) and Stars in My Eyes: A Life in Show Business (2002). In his later years he settled into a routine of overseas shows, especially in South Africa, which he had often visited before the end of apartheid. He was generous to family, friends and old associates and worked for theatre charities. He relocated to Australia from Poole in later life. Blossom died in 2011 and he died 31 August 2012 was survived by his children and several grandchildren. He died aged 89 after suffering from Alzheimer's disease he was an all-round entertainer singer, a television host and a reluctant gameshow compere (his two years with Family Fortunes between 1983 and 85 convinced him it was not for him). he died from complications of this illness at his daughter's home in Australia on the evening of 31st August 2012. His place of burial is unknown. But who can forget Gilly Gilly Ossenfeffer Katzenellenbogen-By-The-Sea? Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

On 01/03/1960 the number one single was Why - Anthony Newley and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was not listed and the box office smash was Some Like It Hot. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was First plain paper photocopier introduced.

On 01/03/1961 the number one single was Sailor - Petula Clark. The top rated TV show was The Army Game (Granada) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth 13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was Bootsie & Snudge (Granada).

On 01/03/1962 the number one single was Rock-a-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling In Love - Elvis Presley and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. The big news story of the day was 93 die in New York plane crash. 01/03/1963 the number one single was The Wayward Wind - Frank Ifield and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

On 01/03/1963 the number one single was The Wayward Wind - Frank Ifield and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. div class="separator" style="clear: both;">

Web Page No 2778 24th April 2021

Marmalade

1st Picture: Robertson's Jam Factory in Droylsden

2nd Picture: James Robertson founder of Golden Shred circa 1890

3rd Picture: Golly Badge

4th Picture: Golden Shred with Paddington

Golden Shred One of the staple items on the breakfast table since I was a child is Robertsons Marmalade, either Golden Shred or Silver Shred. was founded by James Robertson in 1864. The firm was run as a partnership until 1903, when it was incorporated as a limited company - James Robertson & Sons, Preserve Manufacturers, Limited. James Robertson of Paisley, was born on 16th January 1832 and started life working in the local thread mills at the age of eight. During a long down turn in the silk trade, in 1847 Robertson's parents decided to apprentice him to a local grocer, Gibson & Craig, wine spirit and tea merchants. This redefined James' future. Only at this late stage did he learn to read and write attending night classes.

In 1859 he started in business in his own right as an independent grocer in Paisley. In 1864 he bought a barrel of Seville oranges, which are known for their bitter taste. They did not sell well. Not wanting to see her husband waste money, Mrs Robertson made a sweet tasting marmalade, which they later perfected. They rented factory space and the resultant clear and tangy marmalade was branded as "Golden Shred"; it became a commercial success. In 1880 Robertson built a three storey, custom-made marmalade factory. The couple had developed a method to remove the bitterness of the orange, while retaining what Robertson called "the highly tonic value of the fruit". It is asserted that this same process is used in the present day to give Robertson's preserves a distinct flavour. So popular was the product, that in 1864 a separate company was formed to lease another factory to meet increased demand this time in England. Jam and mincemeat were soon added to the range. In 1891 the company built a second English-based factory to meet southern demand, at Droylsden, Manchester. 1900 a third factory was built in Catford. In 1914 a fourth factory was created at Brislington near Bristol. In 1903, James Robertson & Sons, Preserve Manufacturers, Limited was incorporated to run the business. The famous Robertson's Golliwog symbol (not seen as politically incorrect at the time) appeared in 1910 after a trip to the USA to set up a plant in Boston. His son John bought a golliwog doll there. For some reason this started to appear first on their price lists and was then adopted as their trade mark. In 1914 James Robertson died aged 83. He had been a member of the council, a magistrate, a school director, and the manager of a savings bank, as well as belonging to a variety of philanthropic societies. His eldest son John succeeded as company chairman, establishing the firm as a leader in the preserves industry. Robertson’s were awarded royal warrants of appointment by King George V in 1933, King George VI and also by the present Queen. The marmalade was sold in an opaque earthenware jar until the 1930s and only then was it placed in glass jars. The original factory in Paisley is now a housing estate, St. Andrew's Court, with the street itself named Robertson's Gait. In 2007, owner Premier Foods announced the closure of the factories in both Ledbury and Droylsden by the end of the year, with the group's UK jam production all concentrated on Hartley's plant at Histon. The Droylsden factory was demolished in 2010 and only the small building which housed the electricity mains transformer remains on an otherwise derelict site. In the 1920s a Robertson's factory was built in Water Lane, Brislington, Bristol. This was expanded and became the largest jam factory in Europe, and was served by its own branch railway line. The factory was eventually closed in 1981 with manufacturing transferred to Droylsden. The Paisley factory closed in 1979 and in 1981 the company was bought by Avana Foods. In December 2008, Premier Foods announced that it would discontinue jam in the UK under the Robertson brand in 2009. This removed the internal rivalry between two of their products: Hartley's jam and Robertson's jam. The Robertson's label was retained to focus on the marmalades: Golden Shred and Silver Shred. The Hartley's name was concentrated on the jam range. In 2012, Premier Foods sold its sweet spreads and jellies business to US multi-national Hain Celestial for £200 million. For the first time in its 150-year history Golden Shred is no longer a British brand. In 2013 James Robertson and Sons Ltd, first incorporated in 1903 was dissolved. In 2015, James Robertson and Sons Ltd was incorporated by James Robertson's great-great-grandson (also James Robertson). Just before World War I, John Robertson (son of James Robertson) was on a tour of the United States. Whilst on a visit to the backwoods he noticed many young children playing with little black rag dolls with white eyes, made from their mothers' discarded black skirts and white blouses. Intrigued by the popularity of the "Golly" (the name being the children's interpretation of doll), he thought it would make an ideal mascot and trade mark for the Robertson's range of products. Accepted by the company, Golly was first shown on Robertson literature in 1910, on items such as labels and price lists. In the mid-1920s, skilled enameller H. Miller from Birmingham's Jewellery Quarter approached the company with the idea of enamelled "mascots". Miller produced the first design, a Golly golfer in 1928. These brooches were given out to people posting in sufficient labels from jars of jam. Developed as a brooch-based collector series, by the early 1930s more sporting designs followed, including county cricketers and footballers with footballs in team colours. 1937 saw the Coronation Golly, complete with Union Jack on its chest. In 1939 the scheme was discontinued as the metal was needed for the war effort, but by 1946 the Golly was back again. The Golly pendant with chain was introduced by popular demand in 1956. In the 1970s, the design of all Gollies changed from the old Golly with "pop eyes" to a new Golly with eyes looking to the left. The words "Golden Shred" were removed from his waistcoat, his legs straightened and smile broadened. At about the same time a range of 11 footballer and 12 musician Golly figures were produced in plaster, standing about 2.5" high. There were Robertson Golly dolls, ceramic, Golly games for children, the 1979 illustrated storybook Here Comes Golly by Gyles Brandreth and even Golly clothing. At the start of the 1980s the hard enamelled badges were replaced with cheaper to produce acrylic badges, but this did not affect their popularity. When production stopped in 2001, over 20 million Gollies had been sent out.

Robertson's officially 'retired' Golly in 2002. The company had found that Golly was, on the whole, no longer popular with children, although the scheme was still successful and popular with adult collectors. Robertson's always insisted that they did not retire the Golly because of the pressure of political correctness in the 1990s, but simply for commercial reasons. In 2001, the Golly collectables were replaced by seven Roald Dahl-created characters, as illustrated by Quentin Blake. These included the Big Friendly Giant, Matilda, James and the Giant Peach, and Willy Wonka. This collectables scheme ended in 2006.In 2014, Robertson's started a sponsorship deal tied-in to the Paddington movies, including a limited-edition version of Golden Shred. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

On this day 24th April 1960 – 1965 On 24/04/1960 the number one single was My Old Man's a Dustman - Lonnie Donegan and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Armchair Theatre (ABC) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 24/04/1961 the number one single was Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Bootsie & Snudge (Granada) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 24/04/1962 the number one single was Wonderful Land - The Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 24/04/1963 the number one single was How Do You Do It? - Gerry & the Pacemakers and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Labour Party Political Broadcast (all channels) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 24/04/1965 the number one single was Ticket to Ride - The Beatles and the number one album was Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.

Web Page No 2776 17th April 2021 1st Picture: Marbles used in a game of Solitaire

2nd Picture: Ball and Jacks

3rd Picture: Traditional Skipping Rope

4th Picture: Conkers

The Seasons of the year Not the Chronological seasons we experience every year but the seasons of play when we were kids. No one told us when it was the season for marbles or five stones or ball and jacks, toy cars or skipping ropes, ball games or card swaps! Some activities were regulated by the weather, for example it was no good trying to build and use a sledge in the summer months likewise it was no good building a go cart in January or February. However some things were regulated but nature. You could not play conkers before the conkers had fallen from the Horse Chestnut trees.

Five stones could be known as knucklebones, snobs, tali, dibs, snobs, astragalus or jackstones, among many other names, is ancient in origin and is found in various cultures worldwide. The name "knucklebones" is from the Ancient Greek version of the game which used a bone in the ankle of a sheep. However, different variants of the game from various cultures use other objects, including stones, seashells, seeds, and cubes. Modern knucklebones consist of six points, or knobs, projecting from a common base, and are usually made of metal or plastic. The winner is the first player to successfully complete a prescribed series of throws, which, though similar, differ widely in detail. The simplest throw consists in either tossing up one stone, the jack, or bouncing a ball, and picking up one or more stones from the table while it is in the air. This continues until all five stones have been picked up. Another throw consists of tossing up first one stone, then two, then three and so on, and catching them on the back of the hand. Different throws have received distinctive names, such as "riding the elephant", "peas in the pod", "horses in the stable",and "frogs in the well". A traditional marble is often made from glass, clay, steel, plastic, or agate and vary in size. Most commonly, they are about 13 mm (1⁄2 in) in diameter, but they may range from less than 1 mm (1⁄30 in) to over 8 cm (3 in). Marbles can be used for a variety of games called marbles. They are often collected, both for nostalgia and for their aesthetic colours. In the North of England the objects and the game are called "taws", with larger taws being called bottle washers after the use of a marble in Codd-neck bottles, which were often collected for play. They were commonly made of clay, stone or glass. Marbles arrived in Britain, imported from the Low Countries, during the medieval era.

In 1503 the town council of Nuremberg, Germany, limited the playing of marble games to a meadow outside the town. It is unknown where marbles were first manufactured. A German Glassblower invented marble scissors, a device for making marbles, in 1846. Ceramic marbles entered inexpensive mass production in the 1870s. The game has become popular throughout the US and other countries. The first mass-produced toy marbles (clay) made in the US were made in Akron, Ohio, by S. C. Dyke, in the early 1890s. Some of the first US-produced glass marbles were also made in Akron, by James Harvey Leighton. In 1903, Martin Frederick Christensen—also of Akron, Ohio—made the first machine-made glass marbles on his patented machine. His company, The M. F. Christensen & Son Co., manufactured millions of toy and industrial glass marbles until they ceased operations in 1917. The next US company to enter the glass marble market was Akro Agate. This company was started by Akronites in 1911, but located in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Today, there are only two American-based toy marble manufacturers: Jabo Vitro in Reno, Ohio, and Marble King, in Paden City, West Virginia.

Meanwhile here at home the British and World Marbles Championship has been held at Tinsley Green, West Sussex every year since 1932. (Marbles has been played in Tinsley Green and the surrounding area for many centuries in fact TIME magazine traces its origins to 1588. Traditionally, the marbles-playing season started on Ash Wednesday and lasted until midday on Good Friday: playing after that brought bad luck. More than 20 teams from around the world take part in the championship, each Good Friday; German teams have been successful several times since 2000, although local teams from Crawley, Copthorne and other Sussex and Surrey villages often take part as well. The first championship in 1932 was won by Ellen Geary, a young girl from London. Stay in touch Peter gsseditor@gmail.com

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You Write: On this day 17th April 1960 – 1965

On 17/04/1960 the number one single was My Old Man's a Dustman - Lonnie Donegan and the number one album was South Pacific Soundtrack. The top rated TV show was Armchair Theatre (ABC) and the box office smash was Psycho. A pound of today's money was worth £13.68 and Burnley were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 17/04/1961 the number one single was Wooden Heart - Elvis Presley and the number one album was GI Blues - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was The Budget (All Channels) and the box office smash was One Hundred and One Dalmations. A pound of today's money was worth £13.25 and Tottenham Hotspur were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 17/04/1962 the number one single was Wonderful Land - The Shadows and the number one album was Blue Hawaii - Elvis Presley. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was Lawrence of Arabia. A pound of today's money was worth £12.89 and Ipswich Town were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 17/04/1963 the number one single was How Do You Do It? - Gerry & the Pacemakers and the number one album was Summer Holiday - Cliff Richard & the Shadows. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Great Escape. A pound of today's money was worth £12.64 and Everton were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 17/04/1964 the number one single was Can't Buy Me Love - The Beatles and the number one album was With the Beatles - The Beatles. The top rated TV show was The Budget (All Channels) and the box office smash was Dr Strangelove. A pound of today's money was worth £12.24 and Liverpool were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions. On 17/04/1965 the number one single was The Minute You're Gone - Cliff Richard and the number one album was Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. The top rated TV show was Coronation Street (Granada) and the box office smash was The Sound of Music. A pound of today's money was worth £11.69 and Manchester United were on the way to becoming the Season's Division 1 champions.