• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

Birmingham in 1950s

  • Thread starter Thread starter Kandor
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
When I was at junior school a group of us were chosen to go on the radio. This will make you laugh....yes country dancing..ha ha. It was a lovely day and also appearing was Shirley Abbercare who played her zither, she was lovely. I remember it was recorded and went out on BBC Christmas Day. I was very proud as we all sat round Dad's state of the art gramophone with radio and, listened through the very large speakers he had built.
 
I think we could only receive 4 stations on our radio,(1) the third programme (uggh!!!! Very high brow) (2) the Home service (3) the light programme (not bad) and (4)radio Luxemburg (my favourite) Eric
 
Hi

Spent hours as a youngster fiddling about. Not sure of 208 Rad Lux. Tended to be blocked out
due to the distance accross Europe. It tended to fade in and fade out. The rest fine The Light
Programme in our world now Rad 2 was used for Forces Favourite the Home service didn't have
the Range. Interesting thats all we had hours spent on a Monday night with Journey into space
pre Coronation St Days. From these extracts one can see the huge interest in Cinemas.
Amazing in a couple of weeks got DVDs of Thatcher and War Horse for less than £20. Not in the 50's

Mike Jenks
 
This 1957 programme for Radio Luxemburg would have been just before rock and roll really influenced the programming. Viv.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1336981623.617549.jpg
 
There was Rock 'n Roll going on before then. It was '56 I think that four of us used to kip down in our mate's garage on a Friday night and listen to Jack Jackson playing the Top Ten. ("Oooh, it's Friday, . . . yes it's Friday !").
A good record would come on and Luxembourg would do it's usual and fade out. It never happened when Horace Batchelor was talking though !
 
I remember Jack Jackson too maypolebaz, I don't know if my memory is getting bad, but I always thought it was on a Saturday. What was that other thing that used to come on Luzembourg, when they used to repeat Keynsham, does anyone remember?
 
Was Keynsham something to do with the pools? Don't know why I think that. But I do remember the ad for Keynsham ***** Also remeber it was the first time I heard jingles. We also used to listen to Radio Caroline, although I think that might have been more early 1960s. Viv.
 
hi

yes Jack Jackson. pre Pete Murray always looked a bit of a spic character
but one of the first pop disc Jockey's There must be more Pop Pickers

Mike Jenks
 
Radio Caroline was the pre-empt to Radio 1. We all should know that the first record played on it was the Birmingham group The Move - Flowers in the Rain.
 
hi

Yes Keynsham the address of Horace Batchelor on 208. He was the best Pools
Supplier of Winning lines ever. In effect he created a huge plan thet covered all
the Teams and everybody who wrote in and paid got a small section of this vast
Lit Plan. Somebody out there got winning lines and each week he could tell how
many there were and where they lived. A bit of a scam but who cares

Mike Jenks
 
Yes Viv, I think it was something to do with the football pools, you have reminded me, thank you.

I am trying to think of the name of the man who used to do 'Saturday Club' on Sat mornings on Radio 2. He had the most wonderful speaking voice. Using imagination, I pictured the handsomest man to go with it, but what a disappointment it was when I. at last, saw a pic of him. Talk about radio being good for the imagination! I know someone on here will remember who this man was.
 
Vivienne14 said:
Was Keynsham something to do with the pools? Don't know why I think that. But I do remember the ad for Keynsham ***** Also remeber it was the first time I heard jingles. We also used to listen to Radio Caroline, although I think that might have been more early 1960s. Viv.
Click to expand...

Yes it was the pools Vivienne.
The Horace Batchelor Infra Draw Method was supposed to help you wins loads on the pools.
We allways said "If it's so b.....'n good then why don't he keep it to himself and win millions ?".

When Caroline and all the other Pirate stations came out I was stationed in Colchester. Every little office and stores would have a "tranny" hanging up and each seemed to have a different station playing.
 
maggs said:
Yes Viv, I think it was something to do with the football pools, you have reminded me, thank you.

I am trying to think of the name of the man who used to do 'Saturday Club' on Sat mornings on Radio 2. He had the most wonderful speaking voice. Using imagination, I pictured the handsomest man to go with it, but what a disappointment it was when I. at last, saw a pic of him. Talk about radio being good for the imagination! I know someone on here will remember who this man was.
Click to expand...
I think it was Brian Mathew,and he is still broadcasting !Sounds of the Sixties radio 2.
 
Nico said:
Mum used to say tun up boys. What were they, Teds?[/QUOTE
More "Rockers" than "Ted's",Could be wrong but I always picture Ted's in drape jackets,drainpipes and "brothel creepers"(can I say that ? ),rather than leathers.
Keegs
Click to expand...
 
Thank you keegs. yes it was Brian Mathews. I think Saturday Club was in the late 50's, so he would be getting on in age now wouldn't he?
 
maggs said:
Thank you keegs. yes it was Brian Mathews. I think Saturday Club was in the late 50's, so he would be getting on in age now wouldn't he?
Click to expand...

Yes, he is 83 (according to Wiki).
It's amazing to think he's still on the radio - his voice is instantly recognisable.
I got his autograph back in the 60's, outside the Alpha TV studios in Aston when I went to a recording of Thank Your Lucky Stars!
 
maypolebaz said:
Was that to me, nico ?
When people ask where we are from and we say "Sandbach", if they look blank we add "M6, Junction 17". That normally does it.
Ar, 'tis a nice area !
Click to expand...
Yes Baz. We always have a few days our only proper holiday in the lakes and stop often at Sandbach. That part of the M6 is nice. We get off before Brum and get lost after Lichfield usually trying to avoid the toll and find the M42.
 
A Sparks said:
Yes, he is 83 (according to Wiki).
It's amazing to think he's still on the radio - his voice is instantly recognisable.
I got his autograph back in the 60's, outside the Alpha TV studios in Aston when I went to a recording of Thank Your Lucky Stars!
Click to expand...
I remember Thank your Lucky Stars, and Stars and Garters. I listen to Hubert Gregg he must be getting on too.
 
keegs said:
Nico said:
Mum used to say tun up boys. What were they, Teds?[/QUOTE
More "Rockers" than "Ted's",Could be wrong but I always picture Ted's in drape jackets,drainpipes and "brothel creepers"(can I say that ? ),rather than leathers.
Keegs
Click to expand...
Mum used to say brothel creepers (and she ended up working opposite a knockin' shop as she called it in her last job) and beetle crushers. I supposed I can say DA's and bum starvers? Maybe rockers then. We used to do the march of the mods at weddings and such. And somebody somewhere said, swingin' - dodgy with a thumb action. And young people older than me danced waving their thumbs and climbed invisible ladders.
Click to expand...
 
Nico, you don't have to get off the M6 to avoid the toll, you just don't get on it. The toll runs sort of at the side, the M6 does not just become a toll road.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top