The Children's Hour

In a rather nice trinket box I inherited from a cousin I have a collection of badges, each of which tells a story.    I think the oldest one is a badge which says 2LO.  This dates back to the earliest days of radio broadcasting from the Savoy Hill studio - 2LO, some ten or more years before Broadcasting House was built.  Our family were avid listeners to this new medium.  We had a set with valves (very fragile), a huge battery and an accumulator filled, I think - with acid which had to be taken to Mr. Doubell's (prounced Do-Bells) shop in Lambeth Walk, to be renewed frequently.

Children's Hour was my favourite programme.  It started in 1923 the year I was born.    I think it went out at 5 p.m.  To become a member of the Radio Circle you had to pay, I think a shilling and in return you received a certificate and a badge,  The certificate has long gone  but I still have the badge.

For some years you could request to have your name called out on your birthday.   How thrilling to hear Uncle Mac read out "Maisie Ellis".  If there were twins Uncle Mac would say in a deep voice  "Hallo twins"

I loved the names of the writers and presenters.  Rosemary Sutcliffe who wrote about the Roman Legions in Britain,  S.G. Hulme Beaman who wrote about Toytown  with naughty animals with funny voices.  We all loved Larry the Lamb and Dennis the Dacshound with a German accent.    L. du Garde Peach  Wilfred Pickles, Romany who took two children on nature walks, the Zoo man and Steven King-Hall, who always finished his improving talks with  "Now be good but not so good that some grown up says "Now what have you been up to?"

The aunts and uncles were as familiar as our own aunts and uncles.  My very favourite programme was Toytown.  Somewhere I have a Toytown book which I remember reading to my young grandson when he woke in the night with some ailment. My love of reading and story telling must have been enhanced by Children's Hour.