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16 October 2014
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Children's Hour
Remembered

Tributes

Broadcasting House in Belfast

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Tributes

Page three...

"This article awakened exciting memories for me also, of going to the BBC in Ormeau Avenue in 1952 and 1954 to read my poems on Children's Hour. I think the programme was called 'Junior Magazine'." Hilary McCahon (nee Atchison)

"I have a prize book awarded to me for recognising bird songs on Childrens Hour on 20th March 1925. The title is BRITISH REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS AND FRESHWATER FISHES by W. PERCIVAL WESTELL, F.L.S. who was "Uncle Tadpole" the forerunner of "Romany".

It is inscribed in ink as an award to myself and signed by W. Percival Westell. I have just been watching a program showing old radios, but none like ours which had visible valves and moving coils. Loud speakers were not around, so we sat around a central block into which we plugged our individual headphones. Happy days." Edwin E. Rayner

"I am delighted and thrilled to be included in the audio clips featured. I had a wonderful time when taking part in these recordings and have the fondest and warmest memories of Cecily and Havelock Nelson. They were terrific people who engendered in us the love of music and the art of perfection. I owe them so much.

I have gone on to become a composer and at present am involved in writing for the clarinettist Leslie Craven and for the Vale of Glamorgan Ensemble who premiered my Clarinet Concerto last August. Much of my work is inspired by those who shaped my childhood and gave us so much of their time and talents.

I am also grateful to Walter Love who actually was kind enough to interview me and gave me a tape of the clips. With best wishes" Roma Cafolla - (March 05)

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"I first met Cicely Mathews at the age of 12. What a fantastic person .. To us young fry she was a combination of mother and favourite aunt, always jolly, warm, considerate, approachable and full of encouragement for what we were doing." -Ian Sanderson

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"I read a poem that I had composed on Children's Hour in February 1952. Under my mother's guidance I bought five books from Mullen's with the book token I was given. I then asked Graeme Roberts, Cicely's husband, to ask Cicley to inscribe the David Copperfield novel. I still have all five books!" - Marie McCullagh

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"I did for some years, glue my ear to the 'wireless' to hear Children's Hour 'Happy Days'. I was one of those stage struck kids, and I played in Cicely's "I Want To Be An Actor" series. I have wonderful memories of those days, and some of the people I met, like Alfred Arnold and Havelock Nelson." - Edward Brown

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"For me Children's Hour encapsulates my warm, happy and secure 1950s childhood, on which I look back with a fond nostalgia. I was an avid listener of Children's Hour, and was delighted to participate in "I Want To Be An Actor". All in all, Children's Hour was a most alive and enjoyable combination of education and entertainment in one programme, with audience participation, and for me was a wonderful 'building brick' for life. Bring it back!" - June Jordan

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"On Children's Hour I was narrator for all the "Brogeen" stories, and read a number of stories about "Gabbety Goose". I remember the studio managers and technicians - Gerry McCrudden, Matt Carruth, Bill McClelland, Andrew Crockart and of course, Kathleen Mehaffey, Cicely's secretary, who was such a big part of the team, for that was what Cicely's strength was, she made us all feel part of something very special - Northern Ireland Children's Hour." - Kathleen Bell

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"Was there ever a person who had the warmth and graciousness of Cicely Matthews? Did she understand the mind of a child or no?

You can say all you like about Harry Potter, but in my book Cicely understood what makes children tick. There was always a hint of conspiracy between her and her performers that somehow crossed the barrier between adults and children.

It was like she was one of us. Yet we looked up to her as the wise one. And boy, could she (and her sidekick Kathleen Mahaffy) make it fun. Wonderful fun in an age of innocence. -Scott Kelso. You can listen here to Scott singing on the show when he was 9.

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