Television

[kellytica]

This coming Monday 15th August marks the 60th anniversary of the first official TV signals being received in the district. The Holme Moss transmitter was switched on & commenced test transmissions on that day in 1951 continuing to show test cards, diagrams & pictures until BBC transmissions commenced on Friday 12th October 1951.
What makes this more significant is the current switch off of analogue signals in the Yorkshire area during this month 60 years after they were first transmitted into the district.
For many of us I reckon we all will have memories of the early single channel service:
The date my parents took delivery of our first 'set' has been permanently etched in my memory - 5th November 1955 - fireworks & bonfires became a very low priority on that evening.
Supplied by Nichols Radio Stores of South Street I remember it was a floor standing model with either a 10 or 12 inch screen; picture display was varying shades of grey. I suspect it was rented as the purchase price was still beyond the means of most households. I don't remember the programmes that evening but I seem to think us kids had our own hour or two late afternoon then the main broadcast started at either 7 or 8PM with about 3 hours of programmes.

[barcroftlad]

Is it only 60 years kellytica? lol! I remember it well and as you say, the ordinary working class families could not afford one initially. In my memoirs I write about the Merrall's family, the millowners in Haworth, who lived in a large house near the mill, down t'Syke, Haworth Road, set in large grounds. It's all houses now. As young teenagers the challenge was to creep through the bushes undetected to try to watch the television, this wonderful new invention, through the windows. We were scared stiff of being caught and accused of attempted burglary. That just added to the thrill and excitement of the deed. Thanks for the memories. Cheers.

[elfremar]

I can vividly remember about 30 people cramming into Mr Mullen's living room to watch the Coronation.He was the only person in the neighbourhood who had a television,and it was minute.It had a magnifier in front of it to make the picture bigger,which was great if you were directly in front of it,but move half an inch and the picture became distorted.
We got our first television in the winter of 1956,minus the magnifier.

[vale]

If anyone would like to read a little more about this Eddie very kindly wrote an article www.valendale.myby.co.uk/tv/tv.html

[parkwoodgirl]

I remember our first telly - Our first house after getting married was on Cromer Avenue and our neighbours the Mitchells were the first to get a TV in 1955. Allison invited all the mums on the avenue to a viewing on Friday night to watch Kenneth Horne. I can't remember the name of the programme. However, I went back home fully intending to have a TV a.s.a.p.... Our first telly was rented from Radio Rentals in Low St., In those days there were no daytime TV programmes and at the end of the evening the National Anthem was played

[Andy Wade]

With reference to Kenneth Horne on the TV, was it one of these programmes perhaps?


Kenneth Horne - Wikipedia