On this day in history : 24th December 1922 – The BBC broadcasts ‘The Truth About Father Christmas’ – the first play to be written for British radio….
The play was for the BBC’s ‘Children’s Hour’ and was broadcast from Newcastle with radio ‘auntie’ Phyllis M Twigg….
Children’s Hour was aimed at children between the ages of 5-15 years and was extremely popular…. It was on the radio between 5pm and 6pm every evening and ran from 1922 to 1964…. Some of the favourites listened to over the years included:- ‘Just So Stories’, ‘Worzel Gummidge’, ‘Toytown’, ‘Nature Parliament’, ‘Winnie the Pooh’, ‘Journey into Space’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’ and ‘Jennings at School’….
However, by 1963 listener numbers had fallen dramatically to just 25,000 – as children preferred to watch television…. Those who were listening were in fact middle aged and elderly ladies nostalgic for their childhood days…. In 1964 it was decided Children’s Hour should come to an end….
Cottage Capers 