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Readers Contributions

Being a collector comes with responsibilities.  Particularly when the items you collect have historical value or personal value attached to somebody else.  When an item is the only surviving copy of audio or image of another person or their words, what do you do?

In my case, I make a copy available.  I don't so much see myself as owner of these items, more a custodian.  This website and the many hours of research I do in my 'spare' time, is my way of building a bridge between those items and the people who should see or experience them.  Fortunately this is an attitude shared by other collectors.

You don't get to see the number of requests I get each week.  Some weeks I am on top of them and others I get behind.  But always I try and provide the requested information.  If someone I don't know, is writing a book or a show and wants me to supply them 'everything I have' on a particular person or show to make their research easier for them.  I might not be as forthcoming as I am with a descendant of an actor or someone involved in radio.

The most common requests apart from fellow researchers around the world, are from descendants of radio performers or production members.  These I enjoy.  Often they have never heard the voice of the performer, but grew up hearing that the person was 'on radio'.  When this happens the call goes out to fellow collectors to see if someone has a recording of that person.  More often than not, we do and we supply them with recordings that their families can enjoy.  I also supply lists of shows and parts played by their forebears.

Often, I ask in return, that when they get the time, if they could write something about their forebears that I could include on this site.  Nothing fancy, just in their own words, what they have found out or stories passed down through the family about the person.  Not every performer was famous, not every performer is remembered today.  So it would be nice to share that person here on this site.

That is what this section is about. 

I am very pleased to kick it off with an article by Marianne Spencer-Young who contacted me when she was researching her Mum and Aunts.

This is followed by a series of Articles by Allan Black who tells us about his early days in radio and his memories of the people, shows and equipment.  I hope more survivors of radio can take the time to jot down their memories and send them in.  Allan is happy to also answer questions, so use the 'Contact Us' form in the 'Home' menu and between Allan Black and the rest of our team, we will do our best to answer your questions.

Ian Grieve