GENERAL ELECTION - BBCdownloads.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/1955-pages.pdf · these broadcasts are given on page 3. 'Radio Times' Election Chart In this issue is a three-page chart

GENERAL ELECTION Results in Sound and Television

Polling Day is Thursday, May 26, and on that night

and the following day results will be broadcast in the

Home Service, the Light Programme,

and on Television as they are received.

Full details of the BBC's plans for

these broadcasts are given on page 3.

'Radio Times' Election Chart In this issue is a three-page chart for the benefit of listeners who wish to record the results. It lists the 630 constituencies in

alphabetical order and in the form in which their names will be announced over the air.

Broadcasting the General Election Results WHEN the polling booths close at nine o'clock on Thursday evening everything will be in readiness for the start of the complex broadcasting operation which will give the nation the results of

the General Election with the least possible delay, together with periodic announcements of the state of the parties, analysis and interpretation of the results by expert statisticians and commentators, and Election news from various parts of the country.

The first result is expected to flicker over the tapes in the newsroom at BBC headquarters about 90 minutes after the close of the poll. At the last Election four results were received before 11 p.m.; by midnight the total had risen to 105. In the next two hours 178 results came in, after which the flow dwindled: 31 between 2 and 3 a.m., 6 between 3 and 4 a.m. It is not known how the many boundary changes that have taken place in constituencies since 1951 will affect the announcement of results; but the peak may well be shorter and sharper.

There will be 630 M.P.s in the new House of Commons, five more than were elected in 1951. There are 35 new constituencies and 185 where boundary changes have taken place; 410 are unaltered. In announcing the results the designations ' New Division' and ' Altered Division ' will be used, and it will not be possible to make a statement of

party gains and losses in these constituencies. A country-wide network of communications has been set up to link the

BBC newsroom in London with studios and O.B. points.

HOME SERVICE AND LIGHT PROGRAMME

T'WENTY minutes after voting ends on Thursday night Home Service listeners will be able to hear a special survey entitled How the Country

Polled. Contributors in the BBC's six Regions, and observers in the party headquarters, will report on some of the notable features of Election Day.

At 10.15 p.m. the Home Service and Light Programme join forces, and before the first result comes through there will be a short programme in which the method of announcing results and the techniques of assessment will be explained.

During the night from 10.30 p.m. until close-down at 4 a.m. results will be broadcast as received, the state of the parties will be given at every quarter-hour, and considered assessments of results and trends will be broadcast when needful. The Light Programme only will broadcast a special fifteen-minute edition of Radio Newsreel at 1 a.m. and from time to time, before close-down, will relay broadcasts from outside commentary points in widely scattered constituencies. On Friday morning, to assist breakfast-time listeners, a summary of the 4 a.m. assessment will be re-

peated in the Home Service at 7.10 a.m. and 8.10 a.m. before counting is resumed. At 9.10 a.m. the start of Housewives' Choice will be delayed to accommodate a twenty-minute Radio Newsreel which will bring listeners up to date on election results and comments. From 10.30 a.m. until 5 p.m. the Light Programme and the Home Service will again join forces--except that the Home Service will broadcast the usual programmes for Schools and commentaries on racing at Epsom. Further results will be announced as they are received and the state of the parties will be given at frequent intervals throughout the day.

The main flow of results on Friday should begin about the middle of the morning and by lunch-time the picture may have changed consider- ably. The general situation, will be brought up to date in a special survey from 1.10-1.30 p.m. in both the Home Service and Light Programme.

The final stage of the operation will be reached at 9.15 p.m. on Friday, when the Home Service will broadcast an extended edition of its regular current affairs series At Home and Abroad. This will contain authoritative comments on the final result, interviews with political personalities, and a special section devoted to overseas reactions.

Professor Maurice Kendall, who holds the Chair of Statistics in the University of London, will lead a team of statisticians who will study results as they come in and assess trends. They will make use of computing machines installed in Broadcasting House, and in addition they will have at their disposal, for the first time at an Election in this country, an electronic computer that is among the fastest in the world. The use of this intricate machine has involved much careful preparation under Professor Kendall's supervision, and because it cannot be moved to London an O.B. operation has been planned in conjunction with the BBC's Midland Region. Throughout Election Night the team in Broad- casting House will be in touch with their opposite numbers in charge of the ' brain.'

To this ' back-room ' assessment of Election statistics will be added care- fully prepared political analyses compiled with the help of Noel Annan, Lecturer in Politics in the University of Cambridge. Then, in the ' front

The electronic com-

puter which will be used to help in the

assessment of Elec- tion results. It is a

digital computing engine working on two storage capaci- ties or ' memories.' One ' memory ' is a

high-speed machine

for producing im- mediate calcula-

tions, the other is a storage 'memory' used for combining a series of calculations to produce the logical answer

line,' will be a team of broadcasters already well known to the listening public, whose task will be to write and broadcast the commentaries. The team will include Andrew Shonfield, Honor Balfour, Walter James, and Cyril Ray, with William Hartley at the headquarters of the electronic computer in Staffordshire. Another facility will be direct lines between ' Broadcasting House and the national headquarters of the three main parties in London. The commentaries will not be allowed to hold up the announcement of constituency results. Despite the complex nature of the network, as soon as a commentator knows that a new result has come through he or she will be off the air within sixty seconds.

ON THE TELEVISION SCREEN T'HIRTY-SEVEN cameras, sixteen more than were used during the Coronation, will be employed by the BBC Television Service to cover

the General Election results. With outside broadcasts planned from some eighteen centres-including Edinburgh, Manchester, Cardiff, Cheltenham, and Bristol-the Service will again show election scenes and declarations of poll.

At 9.30 on Thursday night Richard Dimbleby will introduce the studio team of expert analysts: David Butler, author of The British General Election 1951, who took part in the last General Election broadcasts; Robert McKenzie, author of British Political Parties, who has frequently appeared on Television; and E. R. Thompson, the BBC's Parliamentary Correspondent.

At the headquarters of the parties to interview leaders will be William Clark, of The Observer and a frequent chairman of Press Conference. Herbert Nicholas, author of The British General Election 1950, will this year contribute his analysis of the results from Oxford, where he will be joined by Alan Bullock, historian and Censor of St. Catherine's.

Two studios at Lime Grove, D and E, will be used for the operation. D will be the information studio and will contain no microphones. This is to enable the messengers, caption artists, sub-editors, and checkers to talk at will without any of their comments going on the air. Results will be filled in on slips which already bear the name of the constituency, candidates, etc. The slips are matched with caption cards bearing the same information and taken to caption artists who use quick-drying paint to fill in the figures. The cards are then taken to studio attendants who place them on easels before the cameras. Meanwhile duplicate slips are taken to statisticians working with slide rules to tabulate the overall figures and to assistants who translate the individual results into squares on a map of the British Isles and into additions to other diagrams. Michael Balkwill, Deputy Head of News Output, News Division, will be in charge of information in Studio D.

Cameras in both studios will be controlled from the gallery of Studio D by the producer, Grace Wvndham Goldie, BBC Assistant Head of Television Talks, who was in charge of the operation in 1950 and 1951, and associate producer Michael Peacock. They will also be in direct touch with all the outside broadcast units.

Transmission will continue through the night until approximately 4 a.m. on Friday and will be resumed again at 6 a.m. Results will again be shown as they come in and there will be interviews, outside broadcasts, and expert analyses throughout the day. If decisive results should still be coming in on Friday afternoon, Children's Television may be interrupted; at 6 p.m. there will be a brief survey and at 7.45 a final review.

'Radio Times' Chart for Recording the

BROADCAST ELECTION RESULTS This is a complete list of the United Kingdom's 630 Borough and County constituencies, arranged in alphabetical order for listeners who wish to record the results as they are broadcast on Thursday and Friday. The constituencies are shown in the form in which their names will be announced over the air. With each constituency in this list is the name of the Party which won the seat and its majority at the last General Election. Subsequent By-Election figures are given in brackets.

There have been boundary changes in a number of constituencies since the last election and in these cases no figures are given. Minor boundary changes are marked thus it; major changes thus -ftft; new constituencies are marked New.'

The Home Service 330 m. (908 kc/s) 93.5 Mc/s VHF

5.0 p.m. CHILDREN'S HOUR

For Children of Most Ages

' Jekka '

A true story by Winifred Revill

told by Jo

5.15 ' 'Find, Fix, and Strike '

A team of BBC commentators

reports from an aircraft carrier

taking part in an operational exercise in the English Channel

On board H.M.S. Bulwark Douglas Fleming in the Operations Room: Max Robertson on the Com- pass Platform: David Lloyd-James in '

Flying Control ' In the Air

Cliff Michelmore in a Sky Raider; Raymond Baxter in a Sea Venom

Produced by John Lane (in co-operation with the Admiralty)

Capt. J. M. Villiers, R.N., writes on page 21

5.55 The Weather

Shipping and general weather fore- casts. followed by a detailed forecast for South-East England

Greenwich Time Signal 6.0 NEWS

6.15 S?ORT

1

The bulletins of

by the BBC are the Copyright Joint Service of the Press Association, Ltd., and the Exchange Telegraph Co., Ltd., and are intended for, private reception only

6.20 THE MAY MEETINGS by Shaun Herron

Editor of the British Weekly The older Free Churches of this country � Baptist, Congregationalist, and Presby- terian�hold annual assemblies that are usually referred to as the May Meet-

ings. These assemblies are inspirational and also afford opportunities for a denomination to pass resolutions on matters of public interest. In this talk Shaun Herron examines the function of these Mav Meetings in the life of the older Free Churches, and reports on the meetings held this year.

(BBC recording)

6.30 BAND OF THE SCOTS GUARDS

Conducted by Lieut.-Colonel S. Rhodes, M.B.E.

Director of Music

March: The Emperor Wagner Overture: La Cenerentola Rossini Waltz: The Sleeping Beauty

Tchaikovsky Selection: Faust.....................Gounod The Musical Typist Ronnie Munro March: Scotia to Columbia

S. Kershaw

(BBC recording)

7.15 SCIENCE SURVEY

Metamorphosis of Insects

by V. B. Wigglesworth, F.R.S. Quick Professor of Biology,

University of Cambridge Professor Wigglesworth describes some

of the research which, in recent years, has shown that the changes from the

caterpillar to the fully developed insect are controlled by hormones.

(BBC recording) Repeated on Saturday at 9.30 a.m.

7.30 SONGS BY

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Nancy Evans (mezzo-soprano)

Richard Lewis (tenor)

Keith Faulkner (bass-baritone)

Michael Mullinar (piano)

Members of the Hirsch String Quartet:

Leonard Hirsch (violin) Leonard Dight (violin)

Francisco Gabarro (cello) Mezzo-soprano songs:

Let us now praise famous men (Ecclesiasticus) ; Motion and still- ness; Four nights; The new ghost: The water mill (words by Frede- gond Shove)

Tenor songs, with violin and cello accompaniment: Merciless beauty-three rondels: Your eyen two will slay me

suddenly; So halh your beauty from your herte chased; Since I from love escaped am so fat (words by Geoffrey Chaucer)

Bass-baritone songs: The vagabond: Let beauty awake: The infinite shining heavens (Songs of Travel, words by R. L. Steven- son) Lovesight (The House of Life, words by Dante Gabriel Rossetti) Menelaus on the beach at Pharos (words by Ursula Wood)

(first performance in England) Part of the first of six concerts of English Song presented by the Arts Council of Great Britain at the Wig- more Hall, London

8.15 'DINNER FOR EIGHT' A short story

by Anthony Armstrong Read by Ivan Samson

8.30 TWENTY QUESTIONS Anona Winn, Joy Adamson

Jack Train, F. C. Hooper and Gilbert Harding

(* Tzventy . Questions' is broadcast by arrangement with Maurice Winnick) To be repeated on Sunday at 1.45 (Light); Monday at 3.10 (Home)

Big Ben Minute 9.0 NEWS

9.20 app. HOW

THE COUNTRY POLLED Voting which has been taking place today is now over Commentators stationed at regional centres throughout the country and at Party Headquarters in London describe Polling Day scenes and incidents and comment on the strength of the poll.

The programme, introduced by Andrew Shonfield, includes a contribution by Alistair Cooke, who is over here

specially for the Election.

9.50 app. REG LEOPOLD and his Orchestra

10.15 RESULTS OF THE POLL An explanation for listeners of the way in which the Election results will be broadcast and of the methods by which the statistical analysis of their trends will be calculated

10.30 p.m.-4.0 a.m.

ELECTION RESULTS will be broadcast as they become available. Summaries of the State of the Parties will be given at every quarter-hour

See panel above and page 3

During this period light music will be played by

10.30 Bernard Monshin and hfs Rio Tango Band

11.15 The Racburn Orchestra Conductor, Wynford Reynolds

12.0 midnight Sidney Davey and his Players

12.45 a.m. Troise and his Continental Music

1.30 Jack Salisbury and his Salon Orchestra

2.15 The Kursaal Orchestra Directed by Louis Voss

3.0 Marcel Gardner and his Serenade Orchestra

3.45 The Promenade Players Conductor, Sidney Bowman

(BBC recordings from midnight)

4.0 aan. Close Down

In Other Home Services MIDLAND (276 m.; 1,088 kefs)

6.15-6.30 News. Sport. 6.30-7.0 Sportsmen's Diary: preview. 7.0-7.30 Carole Carr and the Harry

Engleman Orchestra. 7.30-8.0 ' -Sunday Out ': four travellers

visit Stamford.* 8.0-8.15 William Bartlett (flute)-; Leo

Wurmser (piano): Bach; Max d'Ol- lone; Raymond Galois Montbrun.*

NORTH (434 m.; 692 kc/s) 5.0-5.15 Children. Competition results. 6.15-0.30 News. sport. 6.30-7.0 Radio Roadshow visits Fleet-

wood.* 7.0-7.30 ' A Simple Case of Murder,'

by Reginald Martin: serial � 2.*

N. IRELAND (261 m.; 1,151 kc/s) 5.0-5.15 As North. 6.15-6.30 News, sport. 6.30-7.30 As North.

SCOTTISH (371 m.; 809 kc's) 6.15-6.35 News, sport. 6.35-7.0 Sandy Macpherson (BBC

Theatre Organ): Scottish requests. 7.0-7.30 Farm Forum: magazine. 7.30-8.30 BBC Scottish Orchestra:

Mozart: J. B. McEwen; Sibelius.

WELSH (341 m.; 881 kc/s) 5.0-5.30 Children. Story. Making a

Garden Pool. 5.30-5.55 Children's Hour in Welsh: ' Jim Cro Crwstyn.' 6.15-6.30 News. sport. 6.30-6.45 News in Welsh. 6.45-7.15 Discussion for farmers, In

Welsh. 7.15-8.15 Students' Music Hour: BBC

Welsh Orchestra; soloists.

WEST (285 m.; 1.052 kc/s and 206 m.; 1.457 kc/s)

6.15-6.30 News. sport. 6.30-7.0 Singers in Disguise: last of

three operatic record programmes. 7.0-8.15 Bournemouth Symphony Or-

chestra: Overture: Semiramis (Rossini) ; Concerto Grosso (Corelli- Barbirolli); Symphony No. 41 in C (Mozart); Two Nocturnes (Debussy).

Light Programme 1,500 m. (200 kc/s) 247 m. (1,214 kc/s) 89.1 Mc/s VHF

THE RESULTS in the General Election will be announced as they

become available-the first are expected to be known between

10.30 and 11.0 p.m. The Home Service and the Light Programme

will share a programme from 10.15 p.m. until the early hours of

the morning (app. 4.0 a.m.) with the exception that the Light

Programme will present a Newsreel at 1.0 a.m. and will break

away from time to time for direct reports from the constituencies.

The state of the Parties will be given at every quarter-hour.

In addition, analysis and interpretation of the trend of the returns will be broadcast from time to time. Speakers will include Noel Annan, Andrew

Shonfield, Honor Balfour, Walter James, Cyril Ray and William Hartley, and statistical information will be computed by a team led by Maurice Kendall, Professor of Statistics in the University of London. Reports will also be included of assessments of trends calculated by an Electronic Computer.

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CONSTITUENCIES ON PAGES 6, 7 AND 9

5.0 p.m. FODEN'S MOTOR WORKS BAND

(Programme continued)

5.30 FELTON RAPLEY at the BBC theatre organ

Paso doble: Argentina Tolchard Evans

Miniature Overture: The City Haydn Wood

Poeme pastoral Picon Bob Sleigh Eric Jupp Selection: Wonderful Town

Comden, Green, and Bernstein, arr. Langdon

Jamaican Juggler William Davies Moon through the trees

Jeanne Harker March: Royal Edinburgh

Sandy Macpherson

6.0 The Composer Portrays ...

THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE

BBC West of England Light Orchestra

(Leader, Frederick Lunnon)

Conductor, Frank Cantell

Western Rhapsody Kleinsinger Florida Spiritual John Foulds Manhattan Serenade Louis Alter Alcan Highway Robert Farnon The Lonesome Whistler; The Har-

monica Player (Alley Tunes) David Guion, arr. Adolf Schmid

Virginia (A Southern Rhapsody) Haydn Wood

Cuban Suite.......................Don Felipe

6.45 THE ARCHERS'

(BBC recording)

Greenwich Time Signal

7.0 News and

RADIO NEWSREEL

7.25 app. Sport

7.30 THE SHOW GOES ON Variety at high speed

with The Kordites and

The Raymond Woodhead Choir Morecambe and Wise

John HorveIIe Gladys Morgan Ronald Chesney

Ken Dodd The Hedley Ward Trio

The Augmented BBC Northern Variety Orchestra

Conducted by Alyn Ainsworth

Produced by Geoffrey Wheeler and Ronnie Taylor

(BBC recording) (Morecambe and Wise, Ken Dodd, and The Kordites are appearing in ' 'Let's Have Fun ' at the Central Pier, Blackpool; Gladys Morgan in Variety at the Empire Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne)

8.0 FAMILY FAVOURITES Tunes you have asked us to play, including some records chosen by Servicemen and women overseas

8.30 STRING SONG Music for voices and strings

in an original style arranged and conducted by

Ronald Binge and played by

Max Jaffa with The Silver Strings

and the BBC Chorus Introduced by Joy Worth

Produced by Charles Beardsall

9.0 Bebe Daniels and Ben Lyon in

LIFE WITH THE LYONS ' Children Should be Seen

and Heard' with Barbara Lyon, Richard Lyon

Horace Percival, Doris Rogers Molly Weir, Richard Bellaers

BBC Variety Orchestra Conductor, Paul Fenoulhet

Written by Bob Block Ronnie Hanbury. and Bebe Daniels

Incidental music by Arthur Wilkinson Production by Tom Ronald

(BBC recording) To be repeated on Sunday at 5.30

9.30 Dick Bentley, Jimmy Edwards

in

TAKE IT FROM HERE with Wallas Eaton

Alma Cogan, June Whitfield The Keynotes

Augmented BBC Revue Orchestra Conductor. Harry Rabinowitz

Announcer, David Dunhill

Script: Frank Muir and Denis Norden

Produced by Charles Maxwell

(BBC recording) (Jimmy Edwards is in The Talk of the Town ' at the Adelphi Theatre, London)

Repeated on Friday at 8.30 (London Home Service); Sunday at 6.30 (Light)

10. 0 Greenwich Time Signal NEWS

10.15 RESULTS OF THE POLL An explanation for listeners of the way in which the Election results will be broadcast and of the methods by which the statistical analysis of their trends will be calculated

10.30 p.m.-4.0 a.m.

ELECTION RESULTS will be broadcast as they become available. Summaries of the State of the Parties will be given at every quarter-hour

See panel above and page 3 During this period

light music will be played For details see Home Service

String Song Max Jolla and The Silver Strings simg out the melodiesin Ronald Binge's sunuual musical programme at 8.30 this evening

Third Programme 464 m. (647 kc/s) 194 m. (1,546 kc/s) 91.3 Mc/s VHF

6.0 p.m. LENNOX BERKELEY Sonata

played by Maurice Cole (piano) This is the last of eight programmes of piano sonatas by British composers.

6.25 PSYCHOLOGICAL TIME John Cohen, Professor of Psychology in the University of Manchester, describes an experimental approach to the sub-

jective assessment of time.

(The recorded broadcast of April 21)

6.50 BRUCKNER Symphony No. 9, in D minor

played by the

BBC Symphony Orchestra (Leader, Paul Beard)

Conducted by Bruno Walter

René Eivin writes on page 8

7.50 LAW IN ACTION A series of talks commenting

on current legal issues

19 � Leaseholds and the Dead Hand

by a barrister

(BBC recording) To be repeated on June 1

followed by an interlude at 8.10

8.20 Raymond Huntley Donald Wolfit

and James McKechnie in

'THE HUMAN AGE' Part 2

' Monstre Gai '

by Wyndham Lewis SCENE : THE MAGNETIC CITY

Narrator James McKechnie James Pullman Raymond Huntley Satterthwaite Lewis Stringer The Bailiff Donald Wolfit Mannock Ronald Simpson Sentoryen Martin Benson Angel Denis Goacher Devil Charles Leno The Padishah Carleton Hobbs Police President Felix Felton

Hyperides..................Robert Speaight with

Ivan Samson. Howard Rose Cecil Brock. Joe Sterne

and Gladys Spencer Music composed and conducted

by Walter Goehr Produced by D. G. Bridson

(BBC recording)

(Martin Benson is appearing in ' The King and I ' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London)

' Malign Fiesta ' Saturday at 6.0

D. G. Bridson writes on page 4

10.50 SCHUMANN Dichterliebe, Op. 48

Aksel Schiotz (tenor) Gerald Moore (piano)

Im wunderschonen Monat Mai; Aus meinen Tranen spriessen; Die Rose, die Lilic; Wenn ich in deine Augen sen'; Ich will meine Seele tauchen; Im Rhein, im heiligen Strome; Ich grolle nicht; Und wusstcn's die Blumen; Das ist ein Floten und Geigen; Hor' ich des Liedchen klingen; Ein Jiingling Hebt ein Madchen; Am leuchtenden Sommermorgen; Ich hab' im Traum geweinet; Allnachtlich im Traume; Aus alten Marchen winkt es; Die alten, bdsen Lieder

on gramophone records

11.20 Close Down

COMING EVENTS in the Third Programme

'THE DEVIL AND DANIEL WEBSTER ': two studio perform- ances of the one-act opera by

Douglas Moore (June 5 and 6) ' HOLIDAY LAND ': play by Ugo Betti, translated by Henry Reed

(June 5 and 11)

OXFORD UNION: recording of the debate on the motion: This House believes that the methods of science are destructive of the

myths of religion ' (June 7) 'THE DYER'S HAND': first of three weekly lectures by W. H. Auden on poetry (June. 8 and 13) ' LE NOZZE DI FIGARO': Mozart's opera, from Glyndebourne

(June 12) GoTTERDAMMERUNG ': from

Covent Garden (June 17)

THURSDAY TELEVISION

The results in the General Election will be shown as they

become available-the first are expected after 10.0 p.m. The

Television Service begins at 9.30 with experts setting the

scene, interviews, and broadcasts of election-night scenes

from several parts of the country.

Results will be shown from the studio or in direct outside

broadcasts of Declarations of Poll, and analysis and inter-

pretation of the trend of the returns will be maintained

throughout. The programmes will continue through the night

until 4.0 a.m. on Friday, and will be resumed at 6.0 a.m.

RESULTS OF THE POLL from 9.30 p.m. to 4.0 a.m.

9.30-10.15 (app.) Results analysed by

Awaiting the First Result David Butler

Experts set the scene ... , author of Experts set the scene

The British General Election 1961' Visits to constituencies

Interviews Robert McKenzie

author of Election Night scenes ' British Political Parties '

10.15 (app.)-11.30 Background information from

Early Results E. R. Thompson Declarations of Poll from BBC Parliamentary Correspondent

some of the constituencies and

Individual results will be Richard Dimbleby shown as they come in

Interviews At Party Headquarters:

Analysis and background William Clark information

In New College, Oxford: 11.30-2.30

Herbert Nicholas Herbert Nicholas The Peak author of

Results 'The British General Election 1950'

Latest Party totals and

Background information Alan Bullock

Illustrated progress reports

�..,.. (app.)

Declarations of Poll, election 2.30-4.0 (app.) Declarations of

Poll, election '

scenes, and interviews from Late-Night Results

with interviews and reports Edinburgh, Glasgow, Lanark

from various parts of the Cardiff, Cross Hands, Manchester

country Leeds, Salford, Birmingham

Bristol, Exeter, Cheltenham 4.0 (app.) Watford, Wembley, and a report

The Television Service will from Northern Ireland close down when the last results for the night have

* *

been received and will resume Television operation under the at 6.0 a.m. (See page 44) direction of Grace Wyndham Goldie

The bulletins of General Election news broadcast by the BBC are

the Copyright Joint Service of the Press Association, Ltd., and the

Exchange Telegraph Co., Ltd., and are intended for private reception only

Keeping the Tally Commentators and statisticians

facing the cameras during the last

General Election. A similar method

will be in use tonight (see p. 3)

3.0 ABOUT THE HOME Practical help for the housewife

Introduced by Joan Gilbert

Felt Toys

Mary Vellan shows a simple way of making a toy rabbit

Golden Jubilee

Verral Dunlop recalls some of the developments in the history of the National Federation of

Dyers and Cleaners

Growing Fur Coats

R. J. Williams shows rabbits

suitable for producing good pelts and offers general advice

Produced by S. E. Reynolds

4.0-4.15 WATCH WITH MOTHER

Rag, Tag, and Bobtail

(A BBC Television Film)

� � �

5.0-5.55 CHILDREN'S TELEVISION

Children's Newsreel'

The Dam Busters

A film programme on the story of the preparations for the 1943 R.A.F. raid on the Moehne and Eder Dams as told in the Associated British Picture film The Dam Busters.' produced by Robert Clark

Compiled by Associated British Pathé. Ltd.

(Previously televised last Friday)

" The Jackdaw'

Freely adapted by J. M. Smith Wright

from Richard Harris Barham's poem ' The Jackdaw of Rheims '

Produced by Dorothea Brooking The Cardinal, Lord Archbishop of

Rheims....................Percy Marmont The Abbot...............Raymond Rollett Friar Augustine..........Toke Townley Adrienne, a washerwoman

Dorothy Blythe Jean, her husband............Philip Dale

Michel, their son............Colin Gibson

Jacques..............................A jackdaw Guests:

Kara Aldridge. Gillian Webb George Bradford, Patrick Dowling Monks: Ian Ainsley, David Crane

Patrick Dowling, Derek Pratt Anthony Viccars, Michael Hall

(Continued in next column)

Boy Choristers: Barry Barnett, Irving Child

David Langford. Michael Walker Robin Willett

Incidental music and carol setting by Tristram Cary

played on the guitar by John Roberts

Designer, John Cooper (A BBC telerecording of the broadcast on May 8)

� � �

7.25 WEATHER CHART

7,30 NEWS and NEWSREEL

7.45 SPORTSVIEW Introduced by Peter Dimmock

A topical programme that spot- lights the latest news, views, and personalities of sport

Edited by Paul Fox Presented by Alan Rees

8.15 ULSTER MIRROR A magazine from Northern Ireland

Film cameraman. Douglas Wolfe Film Editor, Valerie Best Written and produced by

Harry Govan

8.30 DOWN YOU GO ! with Roy Rich in the chair

Elizabeth Gray Helen Bailey

Paul Jennings and Eric Sykes

trying to find the answers

Special effects by Alfred Wurmser Material by Dennis Yates

The game devised by Polly S. and Louis G. Cowan

and introducing ' Droodles '

Presented by T. Leslie Jackson

9.0 DISNEYLAND

Operation Undersea

In this film Walt Disney introduces photographers and tech- nicians who worked on his latest picture ' Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea' and shows some of the difficulties they had to tackle

9.30-4.0 a.m. THE

GENERAL ELECTION Results of the Poll

See columns 1 and 2 and page 3

FRIDAY The Home Service 330 m. (908 kc/s) 93.5 Mc/s VHF

6.25 a.m. Market Report for Farmers

6.30 Big Ben

State of the Parties

followed by

BRIGHT AND EARLY: records

6.55 General Weather Forecast

and forecast for farmers and shipping

7.0 Greenwich Time Signal

NEWS

7.10 Analysis of Results

7.13 app. Programme Parade

7.18 BBC WEST OF ENGLAND LIGHT ORCHESTRA

Conductor, Frank Cantell (BBC recording)

7.50 LIFT UP YOUR HEARTS! ' God speaks to men'

A talk by the Bishop, of Croydon



8.0 0 Greenwich Time Signal

NEWS

8.10 Analysis of Results

8.13 app. Programme Parade

8.18 MARKET INTELLIGENCE Food facts from port and mart

8.23 MORNING MUSIC

BBC Revue Orchestra

Conductor, Harry Rabinowitz

(BBC recording)

9.0 Schools: Interval Music

9.5 SERVICE FOR SCHOOLS

Prayer Holy Spirit. Truth Divine (S.P. 620:

A. and M. 672; C.H. 193; P. and H. 93. all omitting vv. 4, 6: Tune, Innocents)

Interlude: 'The Gift of the Holy Spirit '

Prayers: the Prayer for All Men; the Lord's Prayer

Our Blessed Redeemer (S.P. 182, omitting v. 2: A. and M. 207; C.H. 180. and P. and H. 89, omitting v. 2: Tune, St. Cuthbert)

Blessing

9.25 State of the Parties followed by

ALBERT MARLAND

and his Rococo Orchestra (BBC recording)

9.55 FOR THE SCHOOLS music AND MOVEMENT ii, by Marjorie Eele

(Wednesday's recorded broadcast)

10.15 THE DAILY SERVICE God is love (BBC Hymn Book 7) New Every Morning, page 11 Psalm 66 (Broadcast Psalter) Romans 16, vv. 17-27 The Lord's my Shepherd. I'll not

want (BBC Hymn Book 480)

f

�

10.30 State of the Parties followed by MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK Felix King and his Orchestra

(Felix King and his Orchestra are appearing at the Colony Restaurant, London) 10.59 State of the Parties 11.0 Greenwich Time Signal

FOR THE SCHOOLS TIME AND tune, by Kay Foster

11.20 CURRENT AFFAIRS I -

11.40 TALKS FOR SIXTH FORMS. Scientific Investigation and Explanation. 4-. What do we mean by the ' limitations of science? ' by D. M. MacKay. King's College, University of London. (BBC recording)


HARRY LEADER

and his Band (Harry Leader and his Band are appearing at the Astoria Dance Salon, London)

12.30 State of the Parties

followed by

THE GWENDWR PLAYERS




1.0 NEWS

1.10 TRENDS IN THE RESULTS

See Light Programme

1.30 FOLK MELODIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES

played by the BBC Midland Light Orchestra

Conductor, Gilbert Vinter'


2.0 FOR THE SCHOOLS TRAVEL TALKS. Round the Common- wealth. Cy Grant talks about his childhood in a sugar-growing district of British Guiana. (BBC recording)

2.20 LOOKING AT THINGS. Restaurants and Snack Bars. Script by Barbara Naish

2.40 SENIOR ENGLISH I. Poetry Pro- gramme. 'A Tale of Country Things.' by John Masefield


followed by Band of the

IRISH GUARDS

Conducted by Capt. C. H. Jaeger Director of Music

(BBC recording)

3.10 RACING at Epsom

177th Renewal of

The Oaks Stakes Commentary by Peter O'Sullevan

From the Grand Stand

3.30 Band of the

IRISH GUARDS

(continued)


MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK Jack Coles

and his Orchestre Moderne

3.55 RACING at Epsom

The Coronation Cup A race for three-year-olds and up- wards, run over a distance of one and a half miles

Commentary by Peter O'Sullevan

From the Grand Stand

4.10 MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK (continued)


FOOTLIGHT FAVOURITES

played by the BBC Welsh Orchestra

Conductor, Rae Jenkins

In Other Home Services N.IRELAND (261 m.; 1.151 kc/s)

9.5-9.25 As Scottish.

SCOTTISH (371 m.; 809 kc/s) 9.5-9.25 Service for Schools. 9.55-10.15 Schools. Physical Training.* 11.10-12.0 Schools. The Thirty-Nine

Steps' by John Buchan-3. 12.0-12.30 Farm Forum.*

WELSH (341 m.; 881 kefs) 9.45-9.55 Schools. Materion y Dydd. 10.15-10.30 Welsh Morning Service.

FRIDAY Light Programme 1,500 m. (200 kc/s) 247 m. (1,214 kc/s) 89.1 Mcls VHF

RESULTS in the General Election will be announced during the

morning and afternoon. Summaries of the state of the Parties will

be broadcast at frequent intervals as shown in the programme

columns. From 10.30 a.m. until 5.0 p.m. the Light Programme and

the Home Service will share a programme-except that the Home

Service will transmit the usual broadcasts for schools and

commentaries on racing at Epsom from 3.10 to 3.30 and 3.55 to 4.10

The bulletins of General Election news broadcast by the BBC are the

Copyright Joint Service o/ the Press Association, Ltd., and the Exchange Telegraph Co., Ltd., and are intended for private reception only

ALPHABETICAL LIST OF CONSTITUENCIES ON PAGES 6, 7 AND 9

9.0 a.m. Big Ben

NEWS

9.10 Early Morning

NEWSREEL

9.30 HOUSEWIVES' CHOICE

Humphrey Lestocq introduces your request records

9.55 FIVE TO TEN A story, a hymn, and a prayer


followed by

NEVILLE MEALE

at the BBC theatre organ March: The Dam Busters

Eric Coates Selection: Remember These? Two Irish Contrasts:

Gaelic Holiday John Graigie Paddy goes a-wooing.Terance Casey

Selection: There's No Business Like Show Business Irving Berlin

Butterflies in the Rain Sherman Myers

Selection: Modern Favourites


followed by

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK

Felix King and his Orchestra

(Felix King and his Orchestra are appearing at the Colony Restaurant, London)


followed by

BBC SCOTTISH

VARIETY ORCHESTRA (Leader. Jack Nugent)

Conductor, Michael Collins


followed by

SANDY MACPHERSON at the BBC theatre organ


followed by

HARRY LEADER and his Band

(Harry Leader and his Band are appearing at the Astoria Dance Salon, London)


followed by

THE GWENDWR PLAYERS




NEWS

1.10 TRENDS

IN THE RESULTS In this special survey the up-to- the-minute situation is assessed by Sound Broadcasting's team of statisticians and commentators, with the help of calculations made by the Electronic Computer that has been at work continu- ously since polling closed

1.30 FOLK MELODIES OF THE BRITISH ISLES

played by the BBC Midland Light Orchestra

(Leader. Donald Sturtivant) Conductor, Gilbert Vinter


LOU PREAGER and his Orchestra

(Lou Preaeer and his Orchestra are appearing at the Hammersmith Palais)

2.45 PIANO PLAYTIME Felix King at the piano


followed by

Band of the

IRISH GUARDS

Conducted by Capt. C. H. Jaeger Director of Music

March: El Caballero Olivadoii (Continued in next column)

Overture: Russian and Ludmilla Glinka, arr. Winterbottom

Selection: Oklahoma! Rodgers, arr. Leidzen

Spanish Caprice: Sevillana Elgar, arr. Winterbottotn

Selection: La Traviata Verdi, arr. Godfrey

(Clarinet soloist : Musician Colin Bradbury)

Pavanne Morton Gould,. arr. Paul Yoder

Irish Jig: Rakes of Mallow Leroy Anderson

March: Captain General Dunn

(BBC recording)


followed by

MUSIC WHILE YOU WORK

Jack Coles and his Orchestre Moderne


followed by

FOOTLIGHT FAVOURITES

played by the

BBC Welsh Orchestra (Leader, Philip Whiteway)

Conductor, Rae Jenkins

The episode of Mrs. Dale's Diary' that would normally have been broadcast at this time can be heard at 11.0 a.m. in the Light Programme on Tuesday, May 31

RADIO TIMES (Incorporating World-Radio)

Every Friday Price Threepence EDITORIAL

ADVERTISING AND PUBLISHING 35, Marylebone High Street,

London, W.l SUBSCRIPTION RATES, including postage

12 months, 6 months, 3 months Inland and Overseas ... 19/6 9/9 4/11

Subscriptions should be sent to the BBC Publishmg Offices, or to any newsagent AH programmes are subject to last-

minute alterations

Copyright of all programmes in this issue is strictly reserved by

the BBC

From the Continent 6.0 p.m. Poèmes de Ronsard, by Florent Schmitt: Isabelle Andreani (soprano) (Paris 1829 m.). 8.2 p.m. La Samaritaine, by Max d'Ollone: Radio Lyric Orchestra and Chorus of RTF, conducted by Tony Aubin, with soloists (French National Programme 348, 249; 235 m ). 9.0 p.m. Turin Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Anatole Fistoulari, with Franco Mannino (piano): Berlioz, Mannino (Piano Concerto), Liszt and Tchaikovsky (Italian National Programme 457, 334, 225 m.). 9.0 p.m. Promenade Orchestra (Hilversum 298 m.). 10.0 p.m. Symphony Concert: Wagner and Schumann (Symphony No. 3) (Berlin 303 m.). 10.0 p.m. Mass in F- minor and Te Deum, by Bruckner (Berne Bruckner Festival recordings) (Paris 1829 m.).

FRIDAY The Home Service 330 m. (908 kc/s) 93.5 Mc/s VHF

5.0 P.m. CHILDREN'S HOUR For Children of Most Ages

' The Good Master *

by Kate Seredy told in six episodes by Eve 5 � ' Kate and the Gypsies '

The early days of autumn brought the

Gypsies to the ranch and Kate found it hard to keep away from them. Some- thing interesting was always going on in their camp. After dark they would sit round the fire singing strange, sad songs. At night the soft, sweet tune of their battered violins would lull Kate to steep; little did she realise that they would bring her the biggest and most

frightening adventure of her life.

(BBC recording)

5.15 For Older Children '

Counterspy ' A new serial play in six parts

written for broadcasting by John Darran

5 � ' Open Sesame ' Commander Gregory Vaughan, R.N.

John Darran

Rocky Mountain...........Michael Aspel Colonel Spear............Arthur Williams Jacob Wiseman.........Bernard O'Brien

Philip Bronston............Leonard Mayo Captain Sammy Bluff.Edward Baldock Professor Cartwright...Philip Phillips Helen Carter...............Gwenyth Petty

Production by Lorraine Davies

AT HOME AND ABROAD AT 9.15

THE VERDICT OF THE POLLS

World as well as British opinion will be reflec- ted in this programme summing up the results of the Election. To the considered comments of con-

tributors in London, and interviews with political

personalities, will be added a survey of inter-

national reactions by a team of well-known broadcasters speaking from their own countries

5.55 The Weather

Shipping and general weather fore- casts, followed by a detailed forecast for South-East England


6.0 NEWS

6.15 SPORT Today's results

and weekend preview

6.30 BILLY TERNENT and his Orchestra

7.0 HENRY HALL'S GUEST NIGHT

Highlights of the Show World

You are invited to listen to stars of the stage, screen, radio, and concert platform, with the augmented BBC Revue Orchestra

Produced by John Simmonds (BBC recording)

7.45 WANTED�

GOOD DRIVERS See below and page 5

(BBC recording)

8.30 Dick Bentley, Jimmy Edwards

in

TAKE IT FROM HERE with Wallas Eaton

Alma Cogan, June Whitfield The Keynotes

Augmented BBC Revue Orchestra Conductor, Harry Rabinowitz

Announcer. David Dunhill

Script by Frank Muir and Denis Norden Produced by Charles Maxwell

(Yesterday's recorded broadcast in the Light Programme) (Jimmy Edwards is appearing in ' The Talk of the Town ' at the Adelphi Theatre, London)

9.0 Big Ben Minute

NEWS

9.15 VERDICT OF THE POLLS

Special Post-Election edition of

At Home and Abroad See top of page

10.0 IN ALL DIRECTIONS Some further diversions

with Peter Ustinov Peter Jones

and the Aeolian Players Produced by Pat Dixon

(The recorded broadcast of Feb. 4)

10.30 CHAMBER MUSIC The Neaman Trio:

Yfrah Neaman (violin) Eleanor Warren (cello) Lamar Crowson (piano)

Trio in E flat, No. 17 Haydn Trio in C minor. Op. 101 Brahms


News Summary followed by

late weather forecast for land areas

11.8 app. Close Down

WANTED-

Good Drivers

Drivers under training at the

Metropolitan Police Driving School at Hendon are taught

that, whatever other people

may do, they must consider

themselves responsible if they are involved in a road

accident. 'Accidents are pro- hibited' is the School's slogan

IN THIS PROGRAMME

Chief Superintendent N. Radford, Officer-in-Charga of- the School,

explains the principles and methods used in

training police drivers; one of these methods

is illustrated by

Sergeant H. Shillabeer.

Believing that the most important contribution

that can be made in solving the problem of accidents is to improve the quality of driving, H. M. Howgrave-Graham, Secielary, Scotland Yard, 1927-46, suggests some ways in which the experience of the Driving School might be drawn upon in the instruction of civilian drivers. He discusses

his suggestions with

K. L. Kelly, Secretary. Automobile Association, and A. W. Phillips, General Manager, Royal Automobile Club (Associate Section)

AT 7.45

In Other Home Services

MIDLAND (276 m.; 1,088 kc/s) 6.15-6.30 News. sport. 6.30 app.-6.45 app. Election Round-up. 6.45 app.7-0 London Show Tunes

(records). . 10.30-11.0 London International Trio:

Trio in D minor, Op. 32 (Arensky).

NORTH (434 m.; 692 kc/s) 6.15-6.30 News. sport. 6.30-6.50 Yewco Works Band. 6.50-7.0 Golf: Swallow and Penfold

£ 4,000 Professional Tournament. 7.45-8.15 Gardeners' Question Time.* 8.15-8.30 Hans at the Piano.*

N. IRELAND (261 m.; 1,151 kc/s) 5.0-5.55 Children. Stories. Belfast

Museum's coin collection: discussion.* Janet Quigg and her guitar.

6.15-6.30 News, sport. 6.30-6.45 Ulster Mirror.* 6.45-6.55 The Week at Stormont. 6.55-7.0 Sporting Preview. 7.0-7.30 Countryside to Concert Hall:

the arrangement and presentation of folk song. Soloists; Harlandic Male Voice Choir; BBC N. Ireland Light Orchestra.

7.30-7.45 Literary Portraits by St. John Ervine: I-Bernard Shaw.*

7.45-8.25 As North. 8.25-8.30 General Election: Northern

Ireland results.

SCOTTISH (371 m.; 809 ke/s) 6.15-6.35 News, sport. 6.35-7.0 Parkhead Forge Band. 10.30-10.45 ' The Silver Bridle ': story

by John T. Low. 10.45-10.50 News, announcements. 10.50-11.0 News in Gaelic.

WELSH (341 m.; 881 kc/s) 6.15-6.30 News. sport. 6.30-6.45 News in Welsh.

WEST (285 m.; 1.052 kc/s and 206 m.; 1,457 kc/s)

6.15-6.30 News, sport.

FRIDAY FINAL REVIEW The Television Service completes its

General Election broadcasts with a

review of the result at 7.45 p.m.

Few, if any, further Election results are expected before

10.30 a.m., but the latest Party totals will be shown at

frequent intervals from 6.0 a.m. Results will be shown from

the studio or in direct outside broadcasts throughout the

morning and afternoon. If it becomes clear between 5.0

�^/^Pl^^^

and 6.0 p.m. which Party has won, Children's Television 0 will be interrupted to give the result.

will be Interrupted to give the result. the BBC are // Trm^m W0w £ *j/ £ 4r *'**'' 4rrw- 0 T/,e bulletins of General Election news broadcast by the BBC are

the Copyright Joint Service of the Press Association, Ltd., and the

Exchange Telegraph Co., Ltd., and are intended for private reception only

6.0 a.m.-5.0 p.m. THE

GENERAL ELECTION

6.0 Latest Party Totals

6.30 First Morning Review

Situation report from London and

from various parts of the country

7.0 Latest Party totals

7.30 Second Morning Review

Situation report from London and from various parts of the country


8.15 With the 'Roving Eye'

in Londoki

8.30 Third Morning Review

Situation report from London and

from various parts of the country


9.30 Examining the Position

Experts analyse the night's results

Visits to constituencies

Interviews

Any new results as they come in

10.30 app. First Morning Results

With Declarations of Poll Interviews Analysis and background In- formation from London and from various parts of the country

12 noon The Second Peak Results Latest Party totals Background information Illustrated progress reports

3.30 Final Results

As soon as it becomes clear which Party has won, the position will be reviewed by experts, with analysis and interviews from various parts of the country

// it becomes clear between 5.0 and 6.0 p.m. which Party has won, Children's Television will be interrupted to give the result

5.0 CHILDREN'S TELEVISION

A programme of films for older children

' The Cisco Kid ' with Duncan Renaldo

and Leo Carrillo

' The Range Rider ' with Jack Mahoney

and Dick Jones

' Tug in Attendance' A film about the tugs that escort the big ships in and out of Eng- land's ports

6.0-6.15 app. THE GENERAL ELECTION

Late Results

and General Review

� " �

7.25 WEATHER CHART

7.30 NEWS and NEWSREEL

7.45 THE

GENERAL ELECTION Review of the Result

8.30 * THE

GROVE FAMILY'

by Michael and Roland Pertwee

' Accidents Will Happen ' Mr. Grove...................Edward Evans Mrs. Grove..................Ruth Dunning Pat Sheila Sweet Daphne.....................Margaret Downs Lennie...................Christopher Beeny Gran............................Nancy Roberts Miss Jones..................Nan Braunton

Directed by Jean Hamilton Produced by John Warrington

8.45 VE PLUS TEN A BBC Television film which looks back over the ten years that followed the end of the war in Europe

Commentary spoken by David Lloyd James and Edward Ward

Written by Patrick O'Donovan Film Editor, Dennis Edwards Produced by Richard Cawston

(Previously televised on May 5)

9.45 Richard Tauber in ' LAND WITHOUT MUSIC'

A musical film with a Ruritanian setting

11.5 app. NEWS (sound only)

Next Week in Television

FREE CHURCH SERVICE from Blackpool

(Sunday)

'THE SUN AND I': a play by A.R. Whalmore

(Sunday)

WHIT-MONDAY SPORT: Racing and

Athletics (Monday)

FACE THE MUSIC (Monday)

Sir Malcolm Sargent introduces a

GILBERT AND SULLIVAN CONCERT

(Monday)

TOP TOWN: Conselt v. Stockport

(Tuesday)

CLAUDIO ARRAU with BBC Symphony Orchestra (Wednesday)

YOU KNOW WHAT PEOPLE ARE':

a new series of programmes with J. B.

Priestley (Wednesday)

INTERNATIONAL WATER POLO: Plaislow United v. Tourcoing (Thursday)

THE CENTRE SHOW (Friday)

THE ROYAL TOURNAMENT (Friday and Saturday)

BEDLAM WITH BRADEN (Friday)

WILLESDEN REGATTA AND FIRE. WORKS (Saturday)

Documents

GENERAL ELECTION - BBCdownloads.bbc.co.uk/historyofthebbc/1955-pages.pdf · these broadcasts are given on page 3. 'Radio Times' Election Chart In this issue is a three-page chart