Listening to the radio in 1932

For the more prosperous residents in Tickhill this EKCO radio, advertised in the Worksop Guardian, Friday, 12 August 1932, costing 19 guineas, might have appealed. It would have been too costly for most people, even paying by monthly instalments. However, there were cheaper radios available. The radio licence fee cost 10/-per year. By January 1932 4.3 million licences were issued (only 12 years after radio broadcasts began in the UK with Marconi's experimental station).

1932 was a significant year for radio broadcasting. On 14 May the BBC moved to its new headquarters at Broadcasting House, although the first radio broadcast came from there on 15 March. At the end of the year, on 19 December, the forerunner of the BBC World Service began; it was known as the BBC Empire Service. A few days later King George V made his first Christmas Day Broadcast.

The BBC received its first Royal Charter on 20 December 1926, lasting for 10 years. The BBC's National Programme started broadcasting on 9 March 1930. It included some regional variations. The National Programme ended on 9 September 1939 and was replaced by the BBC Home Service.

If anyone wished to tune in to the National Programme on 12 August 1932 this is what was broadcast on that day (including some regional programmes):

10.15 Daily Service
10.30 Time signal and weather forecast for farmers and shipping
12.00 Midland regional programme
13.00 Jack Martin and his Hotel Majestic Orchestra from St Anne's-on-sea
14.00 Midland regional programme
16.00 The Northern Studio Orchestra directed by John Bridge
17.15 The Children's Hour
18.00 First general news bulletin
18.30 The Northern Studio Orchestra
20.00 Promenade Concert from the Queen's Hall, London
21.30 The second general news bulletin
21.45 North of England news
21.50 London regional programme
22.50 Daventry national programme -the BBC Dance Orchestra directed by Henry Hall

Music occupied a considerable part of the day's schedule; several programmes were broadcast from venues outside BBC studios. Pressure from newspaper owners meant that news could not be broadcast until later in the day, after newspapers were printed, distributed and sold. Each day began with a daily service, but not until10.15. Children were catered for, but in spite of the 'Hour' title, less time was available. Few women's voices would have been heard. It is noteworthy that, from the outset of radio broadcasting, provision was made for regional contributions.

You can find out what programmes were broadcast on particular days by going to the following website: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/national/. This website enables issues of the 'Radio Times' to be searched for broadcasts on specific days. Many memories can be triggered - what are your earliest memories of radio broadcasts?