#OTD - 29 January 1939 - "Television Surveys No 2: The #InternationalTelephoneExchange". OB from #FaradayBuildings, London. The 25 min programme featured interviews by #LeslieMitchell, with Mr Thwaites (Chief Superintendent), Miss Pagel & Miss Spinks (Supervisors).

Centenary day on the blog, with a Magic Rays extract, recounting JLB's 26 Jan '26 public presentation of 'true television', plus links to Don McLean's article at The Conversation, and contemporary reports at Andre Lang's History of Television website. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/centenary-day/

#OTD - 26 Jan #JohnLogieBaird successfully demonstrated his mechanical #television system able to show a human face, at 22 Frith Street, Soho. Today 100 years later an event will be held at the same location to commemorate the anniversary with JLB's grandson. [AI image from an original photograph]

Available for a month is "The Birth of Television," a 1976 documentary marking the 40th Anniversary of BBC Television. Leslie Mitchell explores television's origins, from the early 20th century to the first outside broadcast: the 1937 coronation of George VI. #AlexandraPalace

Available for the next month is "The Man Who Saw The Future". A profile of John Logie Baird, the man who invented television, concentrating on how his dedication & drive made his achievements possible, presented by Malcolm Baird. #JohnLogieBaird #TelevisionHistory #AlexandraPalace

More Magic Rays of Light, this time in the form of an article for BFI Online, which is a kind of introduction to the riches and variety of pre-war television. www.bfi.org.uk/features/tel...

The masterful work on pre-war television was published on 8th January. Written by my friend John Wyver, it is set to become the authority on early television. The book is thoroughly researched, well-written, and delighted that APTS contributed some images.

#OTD - The Open University television broadcasts begin at 1100 on BBC 2. After an introduction, the first programme is about mathematics. Planning commenced in 1965, under the Minister of Education Jennie Lee. The university was granted a royal charter by the Privy Council on 23 April 1969.

All best wishes for a healthy and happy 2026 from the Alexandra Palace Television Society

With best wishes for a Merry Christmas 2025 and for the year ahead. Thank you for your continued support of our social media channels during the past year. We hope 2026 will see the APTS website back online again, with access to our unique Desmond Campbell collection of photographs and cine films.

#OTD - 17 Dec 1949 - BBC Television expanded to The Midlands, with the Sutton Coldfield transmitter being the first to broadcast outside of London and the world's most powerful at the time. Sylvia Peter's in-vision continuity was superb for 1949!

A fantastic new experience at Alexandra Palace starting in February 2026!

A recent digital addition to the APTS Archive is a fascinating diary from the Lines Termination Room at Alexandra Palace - Oct 1937 to Oct 1938. Contains 40 pages of notes on equipment usage, operation times, & faults, also early mention of BBC engineer Mr. Harry Rantzen, father of @ERantzen.

A must-have for anyone interested in photographs of Derby through the years. Sales of these books provides the Winter Heritage Trust with funds to continue the digitisation of their extensive archive holdings.

#OTD - 2nd December 1953 The BBC Television Service introduced the Bat Wings ident, designed by Abraham Games, after two years of development. Games was paid 200 guineas for the design, 70 guineas for an on-screen clock, and a 15 guineas retainer.

A must-watch documentary for anyone interested in the history of children's television programmes, with 'Whirligig' being one of the first. Written and narrated by my friend Paul Hayes.

#OTD - 23 November 1938 - "How Divers are Trained" #OutsideBroadcast from the #SiebeGorman diving tank, Westminster Bridge Road, London. #JohnSnagge in a diving suit received instruction on descending into the diving tank. Commentary by #PhilipDorte Presentation by #HaroldCox

#OTD - 15th November 1969 #ColourTelevision on 625 line UHF is extended to both BBC1 and ITV.

#OTD - 11 November 1938 - #TheWhiteChateau was televised. Starring: #AntoinetteCellier, #MaryHinton, #ErikChitty, #AndrewOsborn, #JoanKempWelch. A location in Belgium that was known as the "White Chateau" by British soldiers and was the site of intense fighting.

#OTD - Experimental Band V, 405-line broadcasts from Crystal Palace begin. This film 'The Phoenix Tower' tells the story of the Crystal Palace and the building of the transmitting tower. buff.ly/wDNjaR0

#OTD - 11th November 1937 The first outside broadcast of the Service of Remembrance from the Cenotaph in Whitehall. Views of members of the Cabinet, #KingGeorge VI, #DukeofGloucester & #DukeofKent, the King laying a wreath on the #Cenotaph. The television coverage lasted from 10:30 until 11:10am.

OTD in early British television After yesterday’s post about Television Comes to London, let’s stay in the first week of the official high definition television from Alexandra Palace, and turn our attention to the afternoon of Friday 6 November 1936. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

Today's post reverts to the 'On this day in early British television' format, and considers the film documentary 'Television Comes to London', shown on the afternoon of Thursday 5 November 1936. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

#OTD - 2 Nov 1936 The BBC high definition television service from #AlexandraPalace officially began at 3pm. Baird (240-line) & Marconi-EMI (405-line) systems were employed (until Feb 1937), when it became a completely electronic system. The service closed down on 1st September 1939.

See our Archivist next Sunday (2nd Nov at 5pm) on the wonderful #talkingpicstv channel, when he joins #noelcronin & #mikereaduk on #thefootagedetectives talking all things television history, with reels of 1930's television & items from the #APTSArchive. Freeview82 Freesat306 Sky328 & Virgin445.

#OTD 16 October 1958 - First edition of #BluePeter was televised. The first two presenters were #ChristopherTrace, an actor, and #LeilaWilliams, winner of #MissGreatBritain in 1957. #BiddyBaxter became editor of the programme and until her final show in June 1988, after nearly 26 years.

#OTD 15 Oct 1951: The UK held its first party election broadcasts. Viscount Samuel spoke for the #LiberalParty, #AnthonyEden for the #ConservativeParty on 16 Oct, and #SirHartleyShawcross for the #LabourParty on 17 Oct. The #GeneralElection on 25 Oct saw #WinstonChurchill return to office.

#OTD - 11 October 1958 Grandstand is first broadcast from Lime Grove Studios with #PeterDimmock as the presenter. He presented the first two editions & three weeks later, he was replaced by sports commentator #DavidColeman. The last edition was tx'd 28 January 2007.

#OTD 10 October 1955 Start of colour television test transmissions (405 VHF NTSC) from #AlexandraPalace. #SylviaPeters took part in many of these experimental broadcasts. The first live studio scenes were tx'd from Studio A at Alexandra Palace on 3rd April 1956, as seen here.

#OTD 1 October 1958 - Ampex video recorder VR1000 used by BBC for first time. The first broadcast was a trailer for the opera "A Tale of Two Cities", it was not long before it was being used for complete programmes.

#OTD 30 September 1938 Neville Chamberlain returned to Heston airport following his meeting with Hitler in Munich. His speech was broadcast live on radio and seen on television. Seen in the photograph is a Super Emitron camera. World War 2 commenced 11 months later.

#OTD 28 September 1923 Radio Times was first publishd. At a cost of 2d, it listed programmess for six BBC stations (2LO, 5IT, 2ZY, 5NO, 5WA, and 5SC). Newspapers boycotted these listings, fearing a drop in sales. Radio Times also became the world's first TV listings magazine.

#OTD 26 Sep 1954 Television Goes to Sea On 26 Sep 1954, the BBC in arrangement with British Railways, made history by broadcasting from the SS Lord Warden ferry, marking the first TV programme transmitted from a moving ship at sea.

#OTD - 22 Sep 1955 The first ITA contractor to begin broadcasting was the London weekday contractor Associated-Rediffusion, on 22 September 1955 beginning at 7.15pm.

OTD in early British television On Friday 16 September 1938 a television OB unit was among newsreel cameras at Heston Aerodrome to provide live coverage of Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s return from meeting Adolf Hitler at Berchtesgaden. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

Using archive images, we'll showcase the evolving architecture of Derby and its surroundings. Heritage Open Days - Fri & Sat (19 & 20 Sep 2025). Booking essential. FULLY BOOKED - THUR 18th #HOD2025 #HeritageOpenDay #HeritageOpenDays #DerbyHODs #Winters1852 #WWWinterHeritageTrust #WWWinterLtd

Using archive images, we'll showcase the evolving architecture of Derby and its surroundings. Heritage Open Days - Fri & Sat (19 & 20 Sep 2025). Booking essential. FULLY BOOKED - THUR 18th #HOD2025 #HeritageOpenDay #HeritageOpenDays #DerbyHODs #Winters1852 #WWWinterHeritageTrust #WWWinterLtd

#OTD - 11 September 1935 Last 30-line Baird experimental television broadcast transmitted by the BBC. Desmond Campbell can be seen operating the scanner situated in the control room, looking into the studio.

A fantastic opportunity to help shape and build a sustainable future for the UK's oldest still operational photographic studio. W. W. Winter can trace is roots back to 1848, and is still operating today! winterheritagetrust.org/applications...

A fantastic opportunity to help shape and build a sustainable future for the UK's oldest still operational photographic studio. W. W. Winter can trace is roots back to 1848, and is still operating today! winterheritagetrust.org/applications...

#OTD 5 Sep 1949. The moon was televised for the first time from a balcony at Alexandra Palace. A complicated arrangements of telescope & mirrors was required which directed the image into the television camera. Produced by #AndrewMillerJones #BBCTelevision #BBCTelevisionService

OTD in early British television On the morning of Friday 1 September 1939, AP broadcast an edition of Come and Be Televised from Radiolympia. Among Elizabeth Cowell’s guests were Mr J. McIntyre giving ‘impressions of English life as a West Indian’... www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

#OTD - 1st Sep 1939 BBC Television Service closed for duration of World War II, for reasons of national defence. Only 20,000 households had TVs, & since TV programmes were costly to produce, resources were redirected to more critical wartime needs. Fifty engineers were reassigned to radar projects

Absolutely delighted that Dan Briggs, son of the BBC's first official historian Asa Briggs, has written to The Observer supporting the need for on-request vetting to re-instated at the BBC Written Archives Centre (p.29; not I think online). Letter's wording is in the .alt element. #waccampaign

#OTD - 31st Aug 1936 First appearance of Elizabeth Cowell, the BBC Television announcer on screen. Also this day saw British Movietone & Paramount newsreels filming at Alexandra Palace. The British Movietone Newsreel was issued on 3rd September 1936.

OTD in early British television Having noted the first activity in at Alexandra Palace in 1936 yesterday, today we make a jump on a year on to an article that marked what was claimed as television’s ‘first birthday’. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

#OTD 25 Aug 1937 Electronically generated television test signal "Art Bars" were transmitted for the first time. Prior to this a test signal was generated using an image on a board in front of an Emitron camera.

OTD in early British television Late August means it’s time for the annual trade show Radiolympia. Manufacturers and consumers gathered for a week in west London to look at the latest radio and television receivers and to be entertained by the BBC. www.illuminationsmedia.co.uk/otd-in-early...

#OTD - 22nd Aug 1961 - The first BBC demonstration of colour television to the public at Earls Court Radio Show. Footage by Dicky Howett captures the 1961 Radio Show, showcasing the BBC NTSC colour demonstration on 405-line and 625-line monitors.

Great photograph of Desmond Campbell operating the scanner looking through a plate glass window into the television studio. The studio was in darkness & the reflected lights from the scanning beam was picked up by photo electric cells, which took the place of lights.