In The Beginning
Gordon Gentle remembers that there WAS life before Hospital Radio Bedford.
I was a member of Bedford Round Table from 1959 to 1971. During that period, we were constantly looking for ways to serve the community, and to raise funds to enable us to provide help to underprivileged people in Bedford.
The activities in which we participated included supplying parcels of goodies and toys for children in hospital over the Christmas period to entertaining children from St. Etheldreda's home in our own homes. At one time, we cooperated with a medical team from Cambridge University to identify people who were diabetic but didn't know it. This involved the distributing and collecting plastic containers in which people were invited to provide specimens. These specimens were then collected by the medical teams before being taken to the laboratory for analysis. My own house was one of the collecting points, and it was quite an experience to see a large mound of containers, containing liquid that could easily be mistaken for whiskey! About thirty people were found to be diabetic without being aware of the fact (including my own secretary) and so the activity was very worthwhile.
Having had some experience of seeing people ill in hospital, and of identifying the willingness of the general public to help people less fortunate than themselves, our community services committee came up with the idea that one way of linking these two factors would be to develop some communication between them. Thus was born the project, to be known as TURN TABLE. In the early sixties, record request programmes on the radio were on the decline, but were still well loved. I am reminded of Housewives Choice, Family Favourites, and, much earlier, Jack Jackson's Record Round Up, to say nothing of Worker's Playtime. To go back even further, the first disc jockey I can remember was Christopher Stone before World War 2. The idea was that a list would be compiled of Round Table members, their friends and relations, and other members of the general public, who would be prepared to lend specified records to us for a day or two at a time, to be used to play in response to requests. This part of the operation was very time consuming, and the list of records identified as being available was constantly growing.
Monday was the evening devoted to visiting the hospital wards to collect requests from patients. In addition, requests were obtained from members of patients' families where possible. The programme was relayed on Friday evening, so that a few days were available for collecting records from their owners. The records were returned as quickly as possible after transmission. The hospital boiler room was our "Studio" and so it was often very hot. Equipment was begged or borrowed, and those members who had even basic skills that were useful worked with hospital engineers to provide a system that was reasonably reliable most of the time. The whole project was operated on a rota system, so that we were all involved, and a lot of fun was had. At the same time, we hoped that we were providing some enjoyment to others.
The Big Band era was coming to an end, but this type of nusic was still very popular. Glenn Miller was in great demand, as was Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, the original Squadranaires, and others. The legendary crooners were also well requested, particularly Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, and others. Joan Reagan, Alma Cogan, Barbara Murray, the Ink Spots, the Mills Brothers, to name but a few, were still well liked particularly by the older listeners. At the same time, the modern pop era was beginning. The records used were vinyl, or even the older, breakable variety, and were quite fragile. I can remember on one occasion, having a record ready to return to the owner and I left it on the back shelf of my car. When I returned to my car at lunch time, the record was doubled in two, having melted in heat of the sun. Luckily, I was eventually able to find a replacement!
The operation worked well for a few years, until alterations carried out at the hospital deprived us of the facilities we previously enjoyed. Eventually, however, in 1975 Hospital Radio Bedford was established, and has gone from strength to strength ever since. I am proud to have been able to wish the organisation very many happy returns on its 30th birthday in 2005.
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