Home Site Map Source Page

The Television

A television came into the household in 1950, a 12" Phillips ‘Console’ model purchased from a shop in Aldershot. Later it was called Currys but whether it was at the time is uncertain. Including the aerial it cost 110 guineas and was the first 12" set to grace Twelve Acre Crescent; the Staceys had bought a 9" set several months before. There was only one programme available in 1950 and it transmitted from Alexandra Palace on a part-time basis. Children’s Hour, then a close down for tea and more programmes and ‘interludes’ for the evening.

Reception of television on ‘Band I’ was prone to impulsive interference from passing cars (of which there were fortunately few) and household electrical equipment. Some neighbours across the road were accused of causing constant problems with an electric trains set, without justification I suspect. Why would their’s cause interference when John Mack’s model trains next door didn’t?

In common with every other TV set in the land it was watched by a houseful of neighbours on 2nd June 1953 for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II plus a large number of young noses pressed to the window outside hoping to catch a glimpse of the proceedings. It being an ‘old’ set it could not receive the new ‘commercial’ station when it began broadcasting from Croydon on Band III on 22nd September 1955 and so we were spared Coronation Street and Pepsodent adverts.

In November 1958 the old Phillips set was installed at the new address in Johnson Way where it was never very reliable, the aerial was usually blamed and several DIY designs for use in the roof space were made and tried. Some were made of wood and chicken wire and in retrospect stood no chance of fixing the reception problems - and they didn’t.

After a year of problems with the old set it was replaced with a new one, an RGD - Radio Gramophone Developments, which could receive both Band I and Band III transmissions. Just a handful of years later BBC2 started on UHF frequencies, so once again the Knights were soon behind the TV times.

March 1958.

March 1959.

Rosemary, Leslie and Vera with Judy, still a puppy.

March 1958 - Rosemary puts her feet up.

November 1959 - the old television installed at Johnson Way. The child was being looked after for a neighbour, his name long forgotten.

November 1959 - the new TV later the same day. As can been seen below it was soon given its own shelf.

Children’s Hour - March 1960.
Billy Bunter, played by Gerald Campion.

Top