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Radio Postcards

12/14/2023

In the genre of radio, amongst the plethora of Postcards, the ones that interest me are those that depict Radio Stations, Radio People or Radio Programs.

I will post a few that interested me so much that they came to join my collection.

You can see that if you combine the information from both the front and the rear, you can often work out the date from the Postmark if it isn't pre printed on the card itself, as well as the pre printed detail of the subject. When there is a handwritten message, that can sometimes hint at the reason why the Postcard was sent to that person. If you are really lucky, you might find a personal autograph rather than a pre printed one.

Radio People

Radio Postcards used to promote the Radio Personalities, with a little Station Identification thrown in.

There are some early Personalities here, some very very popular. The listeners would write in and request the photos and hunt down the autographs later. Then later still, the printed autographs were included.

The same methods flowed into television.

These ones are 'real' postcards. As you will see further down, styles changed.

Edward Howell & Therese Desmond as Fred & Maggie Everybody. Australia's most popular characters from the 1930s into the 1950s.

Now we experience the pre printed Correspondence on the rear of the card.

In this one, the Postcard has almost disappeared from the rear of the card. The next ones are blank.

Circa 1946-1948. Jim Iliffe and Alison Black. Jim was the 2NZ Breakfast Announcer and Alison ran the 2NZ Country Service Club which was the Women's Club. Together, Jim and Alison run the Tiny Tots and Children's Session each afternoon.

You have seen different styles of Radio People Postcards. They started as a uniform size, then varied greatly. The designs changed over the decades with Details moving from rear to front alongside the picture.

The next Postcards I will put up include People, but are more about the radio programs.

If you have favourite Radio related Postcards, let me know.

Ian Grieve OAM

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Radio Station Postcards

12/12/2023

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Radio Stations

The Radio Station Postcards are usually the oldest of the Radio Postcards. Whilst many of these include people or programs, known in those days as sessions, the emphasis is on the station itself.

Ian Grieve OAM

2FC Rear

Russ Garling (seated with Jerry, his Dummy) was a Ventriloguist specialising in Humor, known in those days as a Humorist. He would entertain patients in Military hospitals and convinced 2FC to commence broadcasting a 2FC Hospital Concert Party.

Lawrence Halbert was a Staff Announcer on 2FC This Postcard is 1927, not the 1924 written on the rear.

I have a listing for the artists in the 1st Empire Broadcast, unfortunately nothing yet for the 3rd Broadcast.

There is also a Black and White version of this 4QG Postcard.

As you can see from the reverse, this is 1934 and the Postcard is being used as a QSL Card confirming a listeners claim of hearing the program in NZ and what was broadcast at the time. This allows the station to document their reach.

As you can see from the reverse, this is 1932 and the Postcard is being used as a QSL Card confirming a listeners claim of hearing the program in Queensland and what was broadcast at the time. This allows the station to document their reach.

As you can see from the reverse, this is 1935 and the Postcard is being used as a QSL Card confirming a listeners claim of hearing the program in NZ and what was broadcast at the time. This allows the station to document their reach.

As you can see from the reverse, this is 1928 and the Postcard is being used as a QSL Card confirming a listeners claim of hearing the program in NZ and what was broadcast at the time. This allows the station to document their reach.

Somewhere I read, that there were 300 Kookaburras employed to 'laugh' at the introduction to the days broadcasting in Australia. Later, records took over.

The first complete mobile broadcasting Station, 2XT. 2 for NSW, X for eXperimental and T for Train. Designed and operated by AWA it was a Trade Exhibition that travelled to the 'bush' of NSW 1925-26.

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Order of Australia Medal

12/7/2023

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In the King's Birthday Honours list on the 12th of June 2023, I was listed for an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to Community History. In October I received it at Queensland Government House.

The person responsible for putting my name forward was Allan Black, whose reminiscences of his Media career I have been posting in parts on this web site for a number of years. When he first raised the possibility I knocked it back and told him there were 'meals on wheels' volunteers working 50 years that were more deserving. In fact I knocked it back several times when it was raised. I found out later he had continued discussing it with my wife.

After I won a community award, put forward by my eldest daughter in secret, I admit I did love the recognition and the next time Allan raised the subject I didn't reject the idea. I supplied him with names of people who knew the various parts of what I do. I never thought I had a chance and I really had no idea what an honour it was.

Whilst Allan Black knew what I have been doing with this website in regard to documenting Australian Radio History, as well as the book on Radio Listener Clubs that I have been working on, he didn't know my other Old Time Radio involvements.

I have been interested in Old Time Radio, particularly the Series and Serials for almost 30 years. Joining forces with Moris Sztajer who lived in Melbourne and was a database and website designer, we started documenting the shows and the people involved in Australian Radio, particularly the 1920s to 1960s. I discovered that many radio shows thought to no longer exist, were actually sold to America, most not identified as Australian. When Jim Beshires started the Old Time Radio Researchers group in the U.S., I was there to identify and advise on Australian shows.

I enjoyed the research and I enjoyed, still do, assisting authors to include Australian series or people in their books about that period. These days I still do those things for the Old Time Radio Researchers Group, but now it is when previously unknown shows are found, not so much daily involvement. Lack of time is an issue. Moris loved the data side and built the database we used to document over 6,000 Radio Series/Serials. He did a massive amount of research at the Victoria State Library over the years and was responsible for the bulk of the data in our database. Sadly he passed from cancer.

So the Old Time Radio Researchers Group in the U.S. was added to Allan Black's List. Also from this area was Keith Scott, voice Impressionist extraordinaire . Most people know Keith for his impressions, voice work in cartoons, movies and his books. But Keith also researches and documents American Old Time Radio and Cartoons. He can identify the actors not documented in shows, from their voices. He also works with the same people I assist at the Researchers Group.

Next was Bruce Ferrier of Grace Gibson Productions. Over a number of years Bruce and I have met several times and he understands what I am doing. Reg James who spent his whole working life at Grace Gibsons became a mentor to me and his exceptional memory helped us greatly. Bruce Ferrier who spends so much time on the audio recovery and availability of Australian Radio Shows was another name I gave Allan.

Last but not least was Garry Bowles ex radio jock who has known me locally for quite a few years and been a great help to me over the years. Garry is also a member of the same radio groups that I participate in. Particularly the Radio History Group where I post historical images each day for discussion.

The process of an OAM is a long one, I never believed I would be successful anyway. It must have taken a couple of years. Early this year I was contacted and told I had been put forward and was being considered and asked that if it was offered, would I accept? Later I was advised I was successful and it would be announced on the King's Birthday 12th June.

Most times the whole process is secret, the potential awardee has no idea it is happening. In my case, due to even my wife not knowing all the aspects of what I do, Allan Black was stuck and had to ask me to point him in the direction of people to talk to. I have attended several functions and talked to OAM recipients and most had no idea it was happening, though others like me knew some of it.

I have to say, that it has been amazing. I am totally in awe of the OAM recipients I have met. I am very proud to have been included.

I am not the most knowledgeable, I bow before the radio knowledge of my friend Craig Nugent. My niche has been to research, and spread the knowledge, far and wide. I collect recordings, badges, memorabilia and documentation, all relating to radio. Having a large collection protects individual items that would otherwise have been lost. But I also try and help other people looking for knowledge, looking for a voice, or wanting to know more about an ancestor associated with Australian Radio. The more I know, the more I know I don't know.

There are so many people to thank. Not just those that sponsored me for the award, but those who contribute to my knowledge and support me daily with answers to my questions. The people who trust me with their knowledge and even items they have kept all these years. My family is also a big support to me. No trip in Australia is immune to me checking out 2nd hand shops, museums and markets. I am well aware that the monetary costs and that the time I spend, also comes at their expense. They are all owed a share of this OAM and several were able to attend the ceremony at Queensland Government House.

Thank you everyone.

Ian Grieve OAM

Ross, Dawn, Ian, Annette & Karen

Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeanette Young AC PSM Governor

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Author

Ian Grieve has been Collecting, Researching and Documenting Australian Old Time Radio since about 1998. He enjoys the thrill of finding and identifying shows thought to have been lost and then researching their history as well as the people involved in their production.

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