Found BBC radio programme - The Grumbleweeds

[sjsuddens]

First post. Thought the group may be interested in a find last week of the final programme from The Grumbleweeds first BBC radio show series (1979) which was a comedy sketch show. I have been in contact with The Radio Times 'Treasure Hunt' team (which is actually the Radio Circle team) mentioned on here in a few posts and the show isn't in the BBC archive and Radio Circle only have a short excerpt.


I have named it 'I Think There's Somebody At The Door Betty' (the first words spoken after an opening sequence of church bells/big ben). This was broadcast on Friday 14th Sept 1979, on R4 FM, at 10:30pm. It is a repeat of the 18th April 1979 first broadcast of this episode on R2 I believe. The date is derived from the mention of a forthcoming LP (which was released in 1979) at the end of the episode, and the mention that tomorrow night is the 'Last Night Of The Proms' live on TV/Radio which was Sat 15th Sept 1979. It is 30 mins duration.


I also found a second programme which follows on from the first during the 'Study on 4' slot. It is Part 3 (of 5) of a Series 'Children And Books' presented by Aiden Chambers with guest Elaine Moss, approx 8 minutes.



Both programmes are complete and excellent quality. I am in the process of checking the contents of about 40 7" reels and will forward any interesting digitised content to Radio Circle in due course for them to provide to the BBC archives for potential inclusion in the Radio 4X schedules.

Steve.

[Richard Harrison]

Many thanks for getting in touch with Radio Circle, Steve! My colleagues and I await news of the reels with interest, and will happily help digitise anything that's missing.

[Robert Clark (rcgreybeard)]

Always good to find lost material. I think The Grumbleweeds falls into the 'difficult to repeat' class of programmes though. I was never a great fan, and only remember poor Jimmy Savile impersonations and someone in a gas mask. The latter would be lost on radio.

[sjsuddens]

Feb 12, 2024 18:21:41 GMT Richard Harrison said:

Many thanks for getting in touch with Radio Circle, Steve! My colleagues and I await news of the reels with interest, and will happily help digitise anything that's missing.

Hi Richard, do you know if the BBC are interested in classical concerts that were broadcast live for their archives? Last night I was listening to the 35 mins (of an hour) I have found on a tape of a 'BBC Lunchtime Concert'. It was broadcast at 13:05 on Monday 11th March 1974 (you can find it on the Radio Times Genome website) on Radio 3 live from St. John's, Smith Square, London and featured Margaret Price (soprano), with piano accompaniment. Most of my reels seem to contain Radio 3 classical content but these are mostly from records so of little 'rarity' interest. Occasionally though a live broadcast performance crops up.

Steve.