BBC Radio 4 closedown, New Year's Eve 1970 with Douglas Smith
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- This is the BBC Radio 4 closedown for New Year's Eve 1970. It was recorded from Medium Wave, 434 metres, from the 150 kW Moorside Edge transmitter on the Pennine hills. The announcer is Douglas Smith, who is well remembered for his role as a BBC announcer in the comedy shows 'Beyond Our Ken' (1958-64), 'Round The Horne' (1965-68), then following Kenneth Horne's untimely death in 1969, 'Stop Messing About' (1969-70). Sadly, Douglas Smith died in 1972.
In December 1970, on a normal weekday, the late main news was at 11.15pm (first aired in March 1970). There was then a 10 minute music interlude which (since 1967) ended with "Sailing By" (SB was first used in 1967 when the music interlude ran from 11.15 to 11.45pm - until the introduction of the 11.15 late main news in March 1970), The "Sailing By" music interlude was followed at 11.45 by the weather forecast for coastal waters (in later years known as the forecast for inshore waters). Closedown was at 11.48pm with the National Anthem. There was no relay of the BBC World Service following closedown in those days, and the transmitters were usually switched off overnight. Note that the full Shipping Forecast was on Radio 2 on 1500 metres Long Wave. The Shipping Forecast moved to Radio 4 from November 1978 with the transfer of the Long Wave frequency to Radio 4. The late main news on Radio 4 was moved to midnight from April 1978. .
This December 1970 recording was on NY Eve, so things were a little different. There was no "Sailing By" music interlude that evening. At 11.45 a Watchnight service preceded the chimes of Big Ben at midnight. The weather forecast for coastal waters was moved from 11.45 to 12.02, followed by closedown at 12.05am with the National Anthem.
BBC Radio 4 first broadcast on Saturday 30 September 1967. Prior to this date it was the BBC Home Service. Here is a link to the very last Home Service closedown on Friday 29 Sept 1967.
• The final BBC Home Ser...
There's something about this this that speaks of a calmer, less crass, age.
What a different world we lived in then. I was 9. Before decimal currency. Only 3 TV channels which also closed down overnight. Few people had colour TVs. The National Anthem was also played in cinemas and theatres at the end of the film or show and everyone stood up for it. Happy childhood memories.
Yes and as far as I'm concerned it was a bleeding sight better than it is now! but then again, I have been informed by my son that I'm now a miserable old fart! hahaha
Europe was very behind the curve for colour TV. BBC 2 was the first regular colour TV channel anywhere in Europe, it didn't even go colour until 1967 and was initially only available in certain parts of London. BBC 1 didn't get the colour treatment until November 1969 and - again - only certain areas could get it.
Meanwhile, the USA had 100% nationwide colour broadcasting as far back as 1964.
I was not old enough to understand or remember that period- aged eight months old when decimalisation arrived!
I agree 100%. I was 10.
That's something I miss on Radio 4, the pauses. They seem to disappear sometime in the early 90s. There was something about a long pause before or after a programme that added some weight to the presentation. Now it seems there are trailers and other announcements to fill them. Things change, I suppose, but yes, I do miss the long pauses!
I miss the sos emergency announcements. I always used to feel sorry for whoever they were for, but I still miss them
Fantastic! Have you any more like these? You ae making a 49 year old disabled man with Cerbral Palsy very happy! To think in those days even BBC Radio 4 closed down at 8 minutes past midnight! Unless in those days BBC Radio 4 handed over to BBC World Service. Many Thanks, GOD BLESS!
Thank you. There was no relay of the BBC World Service overnight back then. The transmitters were switched off overnight, but I remember that if it was exceptionally icy they were left on with just the carrier wave.
You can hear the car horns sounding in Westminster just after the last chime of Big Ben 01:58 great piece of audio history
Douglas Smith was a brilliantly funny announcer in Round The Horne and Beyond Our Ken. Possibly his finest moment was when he announced that “And I,Douglas Smith,play the World”!!
Plus Kenneth Williams' follow-up Stop Messing About
And his 1968 rendition of "Nobody Loves A Fairy When She's 40" (Rallentando in the coda, Max)
the Auld Lang Syne in this dark version always made me cry, great piece of history
Thanks - Douglas died in October 1972 aged 62, the same age as Kenneth Horne & Kenneth Williams
Probably, the best rendition of the national anthem I've even heard.
And just over 4 weeks later, I was born! Enjoyed listening to this 😁😁
i was 9-lol
I am therefore seven months older than you, having been born the previous June!
Simply marvellous, thank you.
My mother could never listen to Douglas Smith without wondering when he was going to say something silly as in Round the Horne. Brilliant man, wonderful voice.
Medium Wave really could sound very good! I wouldn't be unhappy if this was how my radio sounded.
Loved Douglas Smith on Round the Horne.
Dobbiroids, the magical horse rejuvinator
That was absolutely fascinating to listen to reminded me when I was a nipper with my pocket transistor with my white earplug in listening to all the radio station's on m.w got loads coming through at night magical time's. ....
And within 36 hours the terrible Ibrox disaster occurred in Glasgow on January 2nd 1971. 66 deaths and over 200 injured persons and it remained Britain's worst sporting tragedy until Hillsborough in April 1989.
(January 2nd has basically always been a Bank Holiday in Scotland - if it falls on a weekend then the next working day is substituted instead).
Never knew about the Ibrox disaster as I was nearly seven months old at the time- what I know is second hand observations of other people. Hillsborough I remember very well, two months away from my 19th birthday. I saw the events unfolding on the BBC News. Some of the casualties would have been the same age as me!
Thanks for sharing this. Excellent :-)
Thanks so much; I've always wanted to know what Douglas 'Smoochie' Smith sounded like when he wasn't part of the 'Round the Horne' crew!
I like this playing of the National Anthem.
It isn't played enough on radio and television stations now . It should still be played when BBC 1 hands over to World News .
I couldn't agree more. Radio 4 (aka the Home Service) still manages to play the National Anthem and closed down before handing over to the World Service. I can't see why BBC1 can't do the same
Amazing..Thank you!
Great upload thanks.
Think it was the Glasgow Orpheus Choir singing under Hugh Robertson, recorded in the 1930's. Great!
BST all year then :) No changing clocks in the UK. 1968-1971.
We don't need BST anymore. It was brought in during the First World War to get farmers up a bit earlier and try to make them more productive for the war effort.
We're no longer on a war footing and we have much more advanced and efficient farming method and agricultural equipment which means more gets done during the day, not to mention very powerful electric floodlights for working at night if required.
@@clarissamcpigeon7857 So you would want daylight at 3am in the morning in May/June if left on GMT? What use would that be?
1:16. Oh my God! What awesome thing to do!!!!!!!!
i been doin it since 1985s.i have over 300 casstte tapes from radio one to my 650 prizes i won on radio.
if i die sumday,i dont know were i shud put them.
Sadly Douglas Smith died 21 months later at the age of only 48.
Yeah He Died in 1972
I believe he was 62 when he died. Someone has altered the Wikipedia entry..
@@ricardo2266 A native of Croydon, he died aged 48 in Kingston upon Thames.[3]
@@ricardo2266 also I like you
What is that song playing on the harpsichord before the midnight Big Ben clock chimes?
1:08 is UNIX second -3600
(they were on BST at the time - would be cool to see a new years recording actually *at* second zero!)
The UK doesn't use BST in winter. It uses GMT.
@@CaptainX2012 Yeah, except that they were doing an all-year-BST experiment at that time.
3 days later, my mother is born. Very original comment, I know.
Nothing wrong with that mate.
@@didiask4485 How should I?
Wow I don't even know what I'm talking about in this reply.
Bruh no Yvonne Dickie
@@weridarchivething6407 Either the comment was deleted or Yvonne's channel closed. Now if either of our channels close, this conversation won't make any sense.
chimes start at 0:46
As used by Roger Waters (and Nigel Godrich) on "Is this the life we really want?". Brilliant.
Thank you. And here is one of the music tracks from that album that features snippets of this closedown. Roger Waters, 'The Last Refugee' th-cam.com/video/_XdLNqWYgGI/w-d-xo.html
when world esp england was sane.
Yes, especially now 2022😩
I was just six months old and in the pram - my first New Year! Too young to understand or remember that period. It would be some years before I understood the significance of Auld Lang Syne.
Me too. Happy 55th this June.
@@jonjames7328You mean next June? I was 54 two months ago!
May Queen Elizabeth RIP.
The slower version of the anthem was used here
The following day,January 2nd 1971 was the Ibrox football disaster in which 66 football supporters perished.
I knew nothing about it - a mere six months old at the time.
Is this Douglas Smith who was also in Beyond our Ken and Round the Horne?
Yes
Sounds like an excerpt from Peter Hurford's complete Bach cycle...
What a wonderful thing this is!! I think BBC radio stations are afraid to close down at night now in case The Tories or Rupert bloody Murdoch decide to close them down for good.
All of them bar Radio 4 which does still closedown with the National Anthem just before 1am (even though it then broadcasts the World Service until start up the following morning)
4:03 God Save the King!
Time 00:05 am
Date 31st December 1970 early hours of 1st January 1971
Which would make me just six months old and in the pram at the time! My first New Year- too young to understand or remember.
We still an original of one of those Bush radios (not the Argos etc replica!) I still remember my grandparents using it.
Great broadcast in its simplicity...shame the man died so young. Must admit though Roger Waters of Pink Floyd brought me here.
You and me both :)
Tell the man @0:13 to bring cough drops to church next time. :-)
*chews a cough drop*
Bob Fleming 25 years early.
+ricardo2266 Thats like national anthem of UK
I was 4 1/2 yo. when this broadcast was made.
...and I was 6 years. Fascinating to listen to this.
(Douglas Smith and Round the Horne was to be known to me some 40 years later!)
Are you 58 year old now?
wtf 1927 Well, yes.
OK pt boomer
I was just six months old at the time- not old enough to understand or remember that period. You are four years older than me and a year older than my brother Anthony.
Why is the shipping forecast cut out😰?
Unfortunately it was never recorded in full - running low on tape.
@@ricardo2266 thanks for the response. love to hear the old closings. thank you!
💜😪💔
A very happy new year to
1993 welcome to Carlton television 0:44
That was ITV.
what's that 1st song at 0:00?
The church organ music at the start of the recording, is the end of the final programme of the night, a Watchnight service which started at 11.45.
I am going to be a smart ass and say they never had reproduction Bush radio's then