Mass-Observation Archive: Topic Collections

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RADIO LISTENING 1939-49

TC 74: 4 boxes

BOX 1: RADIO DURING THE WAR

74/1/A: Radio scripts, 1939-41

Typed scripts of seven radio programmes broadcast during the war, October 1939-May 1941

74/1/B: The Voice: Lord Haw-Haw, 1939-41

Observations and overheards on the interruptions of the forces programme by the propaganda of Lord Haw-Haw (GT, BN, JC, NM) Bolton, London, October 1939-May 1940

Indirects on Lord Haw-Haw (RI, JS, CM, PHM, JSF, PG) no area given, October-November 1941

Report on BBC radio programmes and Lord Haw-Haw listeners, including views on disloyalty and unpatriotism (EL) no area given, 6.11.41

Report on the 'Forces Ghost Voice', sent in by volunteer. No area given, undated

74/1/C: Programme surveys, May 1940

Responses to survey questionnaire on the seriousness of radio programmes, time devoted to news of RAF achievements and variety programmes in war-time (HN, MD, JA, NM, DA,) London, 27.5.40

Tabulation of survey results

Report of observers' general impression from questionnaire (HN) London, 27.5.40

Summary report of programme survey (JA) no area given, 28.5.40

Responses to survey questionnaire on favourite programmes, foreign broadcasts and the importance of the news (NM) London, May-July 1940

Summary of report of programme survey (NM) 20.7.40

74/1/D: War coverage and reactions to the news

Observations and indirects on people listening to the news and their reactions, in cafes, shops and homes (NM, RP, CF, JC, CP, LE, HP, AH, JS, JA) London, Essex, 1939-40

Indirects on Churchill's speech (DH, LE) London, September 1940

Observations of wireless in factories, including choice of programmes, effect on output and its introduction as a war measure (NM) London, August 1940

Observations, directs and indirects on radio as a relay system and unofficial siren predictor (NM) London, September 1940

74/1/E: Broadcasts during the war and talks questionnaire

Directs on the need for broadcasted interpretations of the war position and impressions of BBC war commentators, unidentified, no area given, 18.5.40

Directs and observers impression on general satisfaction with BBC news bulletins (NM, DH) London, May-June 1940

Responses to questionnaire on talks explaining the war and the news, including a question on whether 'entertainers' are in a position to give serious talks (NM, DH) London, 30.5.40

Tabulation of questionnaire results, May 1940

Responses to questionnaire on BBC talks following the nine o'clock news and favourite speakers (DH, JS,CF) London, July 1940

2 typed notes on the questionnaire (CF) 2.7.40

Handwritten key to classification and tabulation of questionnaire results, unidentified, undated

Responses to questionnaire on Lord Chatfield's talk about St George's Day and the George Medal (DH, JS) April 1941

Typed report on the 'highbrow language' used by the BBC (HP) no area given, 18.7.40

Handwritten report on reactions to Princess Elizabeth's speech (JSF) no area given, 16.10.40

74/1/F: 'Workers' Challenge' and 'New British Broadcasting Station'

Typewritten talks from 'Workers' Challenge' 'underground' radio station calling for workers to unite, 8.7.40

Responses to questionnaire on the 'Workers' Challenge' station and the German 'underground' 'New British Broadcasting Station', the slogan 'Go To It' and local wardens (CP, JS, LE, DH, NM) London, July 1940

Tabulation of questionnaire results

Summary of figures from questionnaire results (CP) 21.7.40

74/1/G: People's Convention and 'Lift Up Your Heart' broadcast 1941

Indirect on the BBC's ban on people who attend the People's Convention (DH, KT) February-March 1941

Directs on 'Lift Up Your Heart', a five minute religious broadcast in the morning (PG) 30.8.41

74/1/H: Effect of war on wireless sales and spare parts

Typed report of responses to survey questions on the effects of war on the wireless trade, from individual shops in London (SS) September 1939

Typed summary of interview with wireless dealers on the subject of wireless and the war (NM) no area given, 20.5.40

Handwritten extract, editorial taken from The Wireless World on the quality of wireless transmitters and ideas for receivers for use by troops (VMD) 9.12.39

Indirects on wireless sales (JA) Worcester, 17.7.40

Directs and indirects on the shortage of wireless parts (PG, JS) London, 30.8.41

Handwritten report on the shortage of wireless parts (JSF) no area given 1.9.41

Observations and indirects on the wireless trade (NW) London, March 1943

Handwritten summary of observations (NW) March 1943

Responses to questionnaire in wireless shops on prices and business in the future (VJ) London 2.3.43

Tabulation of questionnaire results

No File 74/1/I

74/1/J:

Typed extracts from reports on response to schools broadcasts for TH, 17.2.43

BOX 2: GERT AND DAISY

74/2/A: Limehouse survey 1940

Typed report on Gert and Daisy's BBC talks on food and cooking subjects, outlining the basis of the investigation in three London areas, Fulham, Limehouse and Romford, (TH) 23.4.40

Responses to survey questionnaire on subjects ranging from Gert and Daisy's talks on the radio about food and cooking, to refugees, Jews and the government's conduct of the war, (DH, NM, EB) Limehouse, April 1940

Typed personal comments on questionnaire sent in by observer, unidentified, undated

Indirects on Gert and Daisy, unidentified, Limehouse, 19.4.40

Tabulation of Limehouse survey results

Typed report on Limehouse survey (NM) 22.4.40

74/2/B: Fulham, Bolton and Romford survey 1940

Responses to Gert and Daisy questionnaire (BW, SS, EB) Fulham, April 1940

Tabulation of Fulham survey results

Typed report on reactions to Gert and Daisy in Bolton, Lancashire (TH) 25.4.40

Typed note on interviews in Bolton (AH) 23.4.40

Responses to Gert and Daisy questionnaire (AH, GT) Bolton, 23.4.40

Typed report on the popularity of the Gert and Daisy talks in Chadwell Heath, Romford (TH) 26.4.40

Typed report on the investigation of Gert and Daisy talks in Romford (NM) 23.4.40

Responses to Gert and Daisy Romford survey (NM) 23.4.40

74/2/C: Gert and Daisy scripts

Short typed letter to Mary Adams about the Gert and Daisy scripts, London, 26.4.40

Typed scripts for the Gert and Daisy food talks, April 1940

74/2/D: Requests for recipes

Letters and postcards to the Ministry of Food requesting copies of Gert and Daisy's booklet of war-time recipes, April 1940

2 copies of Gert and Daisy's leaflet of war-time recipes

BOX 3 : TOM HARRISSON AND RADIO DURING THE WAR

74/3/A: News broadcasts

Accounts of BBC announcements and news broadcasts (TH) no area given, 1939-40

Observation of atmosphere, conversation and reactions of people listening to the news, Dorchester, Puddletown, August 1939

Observation of German broadcast from Hamburg (TH) 20.9.39

Typed extracts taken from BBC news broadcasts (TH) August-September 1939

Indirects on reactions to the BBC's 'crisis programmes' and the importance of variety programmes (TH) various areas, August-September 1939

Typed report on the BBC's suggestion for a series of six propaganda talks on Germany (TH) 12.10.39

Typed observations of press response to news items which have been previously covered on the radio (TH) September-October 1939

Typed extracts taken from the press and the Radio Times on the BBC and broadcasting (TH) September-October 1939

74/3/B: Tom Harrisson's scripts and reviews

Collection of typed scripts on various subjects including Mass-Observation studies during the war (TH) 1939-41

TH handwritten notes for scripts

Typed script sent to TH from a musical comedy entitled 'Up The Pole' for the BBC Home Service

2 typed lists of broadcasts, undated

Typed second trial note for a review in the New Statesman on the end of 'ITMA' ('It's That Man Again' - Tommy Handley) 1.2.40

Typed trial note for a review in the New Statesman of DG Bridson's 'Aaron's Field : a morality play for the eve of war' (TH) 1.2.40

Typed review of items broadcast on the radio the previous week (TH) 5.10.42

74/3/C: Tom Harrisson's travel talks for children

Typed script for BBC travel talks for children, entitled 'Living among Cannibals' (TH) 23.2.40

Typed responses to questions on cannibals (TH) undated

Typed letter from the BBC to TH assessing his travel talks for children, 'Cannibals of the New Hebrides' and 'Among the People of Borneo', 9.4.40

General correspondence between the BBC and TH on travel talks for children, 1941-42

Typed notes for a script entitled 'Cannibal Island-an Englishman's adventures in the New Hebrides Island', 19.6.42

Typed assessment of TH's broadcast 'Cannibal Island', 19.6.42. unidentified

Typed list of dates for TH's travel talks 'Living with Cannibals'

74/3/D: Tom Harrisson's broadcasts to North America

Correspondence between TH and the BBC about a series of talks for the North American transmission on everyday life in Britain, April-June 1941

Collection of typed scripts for the North American Service broadcasts (TH) April-June 1941

Typed scripts for 'Answering You', a series of broadcasts to North America covering such topics as rationing, popular novels, women in industry, war-time reforms, business in war-time and British morale (TH) August-November 1941

Typed list of proposed speakers for the 'Answering You' broadcasts, 4.8.41

Typed questions from the 'Answering You' broadcast, undated

Correspondence between TH and the BBC about the 'Answering You' broadcasts, July-December 1941

74/3/E: Broadcasts to New Zealand and 'London Calling Europe'

Typed invitation from the BBC for TH to take part in broadcasts 'Calling New Zealand', 14.7.42

Draft of script for TH's broadcast to New Zealand on Mass-Observation and people's attitudes to the war, 24.6.42

Collection of typed scripts for a series of broadcasts 'London Calling Europe' recording the home front war in Britain, on attitudes to the war and expectations of the post-war world, July 1942

74/3/F: Correspondence

General correspondence between the BBC and TH 1939-42

Correspondence between The Listener and TH, 1939-41

BOX 4 : VARIETY PROGRAMMES, TELEVISION AND POST WAR RADIO

74/4/A: Broadcasting and variety programmes 1939-41

Typed observation of Billy Cotton's recording in the studios of J Walter Thompson, Bush House, Aldwych, for Radio Luxembourg (TH) 8.12.38

Copy of The Cotton Reel, magazine of the fan club of Billy Cotton and his band, undated

Handwritten observation of a dance band and director Van Phillips, performing for a BBC broadcast (HAC) London, 19.5.39

Typed note on a radio programme 'Commentary on Comedy' by Roy Rich (Home Service) (LE) no area given, 12.5.40

Handwritten extract from the Sunday Sun, weekly Newcastle paper, on the BBC's attempt to keep everyone in good spirits by putting out 'incessant jazz and swing music', Newcastle, 2.5.40

Handwritten report of talk with Roy Speer, variety producer at the BBC (TH) 26.4.40

Typed report of interview with Roy Speer (LE) 15.5.40

Handwritten report on the sale of radiogrammes, and dance and swing music (JS) no area given, 20.8.40

Handwritten observation of BBC Forces programme, with 'Bands of the Brave', famous British regiments and their bands (JS) 4.6.41

74/4/B: Radio magazines and newspaper cuttings

1 copy of Radio International giving details of programmes to the British Expeditionary Force in France, 1939

4 copies of Radio Times (2 incomplete), 1940-42

Pamphlet entitled 'One Hundred Million Listening Re-makers of the World', 1939

Leaflet announcing the first broadcast since war was declared, from the New Alexandra, Hull, 1939

Newspaper cuttings on radio, 1938-42

74/4/C: Radio listening 1947-49

Responses to special directive on radio listening sent in by volunteers, London, 1947-48

Directs on attitudes towards BBC programmes, London, January-March 1948

Typed special directive on radio personalities and singers of dance music, July 1949

Tabulation sheets for directive, July 1949

Handwritten list of radio programmes with likes and dislikes, unidentified, undated

74/4/D: The death of Tommy Handley, January 1949

Overheards on comedian Tommy Handley's broadcast, ITMA, 'It's That Man Again', (LE) no area given, 31.1.40

Indirects and overheards on the death of Tommy Handley, unidentified, London, 10.1.49

Response to questionnaire on the death of Tommy Handley and the ITMA programmes (BS, DM, LB, JPS) London, January 1949

Observation at Tommy Handley's Memorial Service, St Paul's Cathedral (LB) London, 27.1.49

Order of Service at St Paul's Cathedral (LB) London, 27.1.49

Press cuttings on the death of Tommy Handley, January 1949

74/4/E: Wireless prices 1949

Directs on the effect of the reduction in the price of wireless sets on sales (BS, JPS) London, September 1949

Responses to questionnaire on the price of wireless sets (DA, JPS, GP) no area given, September 1949

Tabulation of questionnaire results

74/4/F: Television

Code sheets for survey on television, to find out who owns a set, views on the present state of television and its relation to radio, March 1949

Responses to survey, no area given, February 1949

Tabulation of survey results

Typed script and details of technical requirements for a broadcast 'Lambeth keeps on walking', about the popular dance the Lambeth Walk (TH) January 1939

74/4/G: Miscellaneous

Handwritten summary of survey on the popularity of commercial radio stations, unidentified, Crossley, undated

Direct on favourite radio programmes, London, unidentified, undated

Typed report taken from Hansard on the effect of propaganda from the Ministry of Information's broadcast talks. Undated

Typed report taken from Hansard on Ministers' broadcasts to America, 4.7.40

Personal letter including comments on BBC news broadcasts and its ability to lower morale. Unidentified, no area given, undated

Correspondence between RJE Silvey, Listener Research Director of the BBC, and the editor of Advertisers Weekly, concerning sampling errors in research, 10.10.41

Typed report on a series of BBC talks 'My Day's Work' aimed at reflecting the daily life and thoughts of ordinary men and women. Unidentified, no area given, undated

Typed report on the conversion of a swimming pool into a radio studio for J Walter Thompson's new production and recording unit. Unidentified, no area given, undated

Indirect on the behaviour and 'morals' of people who work at the BBC, (BA) Bolton, Bradshawgate, 24.6.40