@aptsarchive.bsky.social
~ Preserving the televisual past for the digital future ~ Official channel of the Alexandra Palace Television Society. All enquiries to apts@apts.org.uk
#OTD 16 October 1958 - First edition of #BluePeter was televised.
The first two presenters were #ChristopherTrace, an actor, and #LeilaWilliams, winner of #MissGreatBritain in 1957.
#BiddyBaxter became editor of the programme and until her final show in June 1988, after nearly 26 years.
#OTD 15 Oct 1951:
The UK held its first party election broadcasts. Viscount Samuel spoke for the #LiberalParty, #AnthonyEden for the #ConservativeParty on 16 Oct, and #SirHartleyShawcross for the #LabourParty on 17 Oct.
The #GeneralElection on 25 Oct saw #WinstonChurchill return to office.
#OTD - 11 October 1958
Grandstand is first broadcast from Lime Grove Studios with #PeterDimmock as the presenter. He presented the first two editions & three weeks later, he was replaced by sports commentator #DavidColeman.
The last edition was tx'd 28 January 2007.
#OTD 10 October 1955
Start of colour television test transmissions (405 VHF NTSC) from #AlexandraPalace.
#SylviaPeters took part in many of these experimental broadcasts.
The first live studio scenes were tx'd from Studio A at Alexandra Palace on 3rd April 1956, as seen here.
#OTD 1 October 1958 -
Ampex video recorder VR1000 used by BBC for first time.
The first broadcast was a trailer for the opera "A Tale of Two Cities", it was not long before it was being used for complete programmes.
#OTD 30 September 1938
Neville Chamberlain returned to Heston airport following his meeting with Hitler in Munich. His speech was broadcast live on radio and seen on television.
Seen in the photograph is a Super Emitron camera.
World War 2 commenced 11 months later.
#OTD 28 September 1923 Radio Times was first publishd.
At a cost of 2d, it listed programmess for six BBC stations (2LO, 5IT, 2ZY, 5NO, 5WA, and 5SC). Newspapers boycotted these listings, fearing a drop in sales.
Radio Times also became the world's first TV listings magazine.
#OTD 26 Sep 1954 Television Goes to Sea
On 26 Sep 1954, the BBC in arrangement with British Railways, made history by broadcasting from the SS Lord Warden ferry, marking the first TV programme transmitted from a moving ship at sea.
#OTD - 22 Sep 1955
The first ITA contractor to begin broadcasting was the London weekday contractor Associated-Rediffusion, on 22 September 1955 beginning at 7.15pm.
OTD in early British television
On Friday 16 September 1938 a television OB unit was among newsreel cameras at Heston Aerodrome to provide live coverage of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s return from meeting Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
Using archive images, we'll showcase the evolving architecture of Derby and its surroundings.
Heritage Open Days - Fri & Sat (19 & 20 Sep 2025).
Booking essential.
FULLY BOOKED - THUR 18th
#HOD2025 #HeritageOpenDay #HeritageOpenDays #DerbyHODs #Winters1852 #WWWinterHeritageTrust #WWWinterLtd
Using archive images, we'll showcase the evolving architecture of Derby and its surroundings.
Heritage Open Days - Fri & Sat (19 & 20 Sep 2025).
Booking essential.
FULLY BOOKED - THUR 18th
#HOD2025 #HeritageOpenDay #HeritageOpenDays #DerbyHODs #Winters1852 #WWWinterHeritageTrust #WWWinterLtd
#OTD - 11 September 1935
Last 30-line Baird experimental television broadcast transmitted by the BBC.
Desmond Campbell can be seen operating the scanner situated in the control room, looking into the studio.
A fantastic opportunity to help shape and build a sustainable future for the UK's oldest still operational photographic studio.
W. W. Winter can trace is roots back to 1848, and is still operating today!
winterheritagetrust.org/applications...
A fantastic opportunity to help shape and build a sustainable future for the UK's oldest still operational photographic studio.
W. W. Winter can trace is roots back to 1848, and is still operating today!
winterheritagetrust.org/applications...
#OTD 5 Sep 1949.
The moon was televised for the first time from a balcony at Alexandra Palace.
A complicated arrangements of telescope & mirrors was required which directed the image into the television camera.
Produced by #AndrewMillerJones
#BBCTelevision #BBCTelevisionService
OTD in early British television
On the morning of Friday 1 September 1939, AP broadcast an edition of Come and Be Televised from Radiolympia. Among Elizabeth Cowell’s guests were Mr J. McIntyre giving ‘impressions of English life as a West Indian’...
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
#OTD - 1st Sep 1939
BBC Television Service closed for duration of World War II, for reasons of national defence.
Only 20,000 households had TVs, & since TV programmes were costly to produce, resources were redirected to more critical wartime needs.
Fifty engineers were reassigned to radar projects
Letter text reads: History written off 'I agree that the BBC’s decision, apparently a fait accompli, taken without prior consultation to refashion the BBC Written Archive Centre in Caversham (re Vanessa Thorpe’s article “Historians dismayed by ‘scandal’ of BBC cutting access to written archives”, News, last week), is very disappointing. It appears to run counter to the BBC‘s compact with the public, Our BBC,Our future, and arguably the broadcaster’s charter itself. This would have deeply disturbed my father, Asa Briggs, the first official historian of the BBC who played a key role in setting up the archive. As Adam Sisman writes in his new biography, my father rescued countless papers, broadcasts and artefacts. The archive has since provided a valuable and rich seam of research material. The plan to step up the release of material in themed batches, rather than as now, respond to specific research enquiries clearly ‘dumbs down’ the value of the archive as an open and accessible resource.' Dan Briggs Lewes, Sussex
Absolutely delighted that Dan Briggs, son of the BBC's first official historian Asa Briggs, has written to The Observer supporting the need for on-request vetting to re-instated at the BBC Written Archives Centre (p.29; not I think online).
Letter's wording is in the .alt element.
#waccampaign
#OTD - 31st Aug 1936
First appearance of Elizabeth Cowell, the BBC Television announcer on screen.
Also this day saw British Movietone & Paramount newsreels filming at Alexandra Palace. The British Movietone Newsreel was issued on 3rd September 1936.
OTD in early British television
Having noted the first activity in at Alexandra Palace in 1936 yesterday, today we make a jump on a year on to an article that marked what was claimed as television’s ‘first birthday’.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
#OTD 25 Aug 1937
Electronically generated television test signal "Art Bars" were transmitted for the first time.
Prior to this a test signal was generated using an image on a board in front of an Emitron camera.
OTD in early British television
Late August means it’s time for the annual trade show Radiolympia. Manufacturers and consumers gathered for a week in west London to look at the latest radio and television receivers and to be entertained by the BBC.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
#OTD - 22nd Aug 1961 - The first BBC demonstration of colour television to the public at Earls Court Radio Show.
Footage by Dicky Howett captures the 1961 Radio Show, showcasing the BBC NTSC colour demonstration on 405-line and 625-line monitors.
Great photograph of Desmond Campbell operating the scanner looking through a plate glass window into the television studio.
The studio was in darkness & the reflected lights from the scanning beam was picked up by photo electric cells, which took the place of lights.
#OTD - 22nd Aug 1932 - The BBC began making regular television programmes.
From this date the TV transmissions by the Baird process were devised & produced by the BBC.
Photo shows Louie Freear in Studio BB at Broadcasting House, with the photocells which took the place of lights in the studio.
This is an important campaign to ensure continued access to the BBC Written Archives Centre.
Please consider joining the campaign & sign the open letter
OTD in early British television
After a three week break. a full schedule began again from AP on Monday 16 August 1937. Two afternoons of Davis Cup tennis and some test broadcasts had been the only offering for lookers-in during the ‘holiday’.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
OTD in early British television
Late evening on Monday 15 August 1939 saw a mobile control unit in Hammersmith for an hour-long outside broadcast from the Palais.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
OTD in early British television
My fascination with the ballet stars who appeared on early television continues. This time, I am featuring a performance just before the war by the famed Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo star Irina Baronova.
www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...
