Derek McCulloch
Encyclopedia
Derek Ivor Breashur McCulloch OBE
(18 November 1897 - 1 June 1967) was a BBC Radio
presenter and producer, who is best remembered as "Uncle Mac" in Children's Favourites
and Children's Hour
and for playing 'Larry the Lamb' in Toytown
.
in 1897 of Scottish
parents. The First World War interrupted his education and he enlisted in 1915 in the Public Schools Battalion
of the 16th Middlesex Regiment at the age of 17. He served until 1921, with the infantry, where he was commissioned into the Green Howards, and in the Royal Flying Corps
as an Equipment Officer, including a spell on HMS Valiant
. He was seriously wounded at the Battle of the Somme (1916)
and lay in 'no-man's land' for three days and nights in a shell-hole 20 yards from the German lines. While lying badly injured but still twitching, he was found by the German Red Cross and was deliberately shot through the head to end his suffering. (This is the account told by the man himself to Trevor Hill, a colleague on BBC Children's Hour), however, he survived.
After the army he worked for Central Argentine Railways but his health deteriorated and he returned home to have a bullet removed from a lung; the lung was later removed. He also lost his left leg in a road traffic accident in 1938 when, travelling on a London Greenline bus he stood up ready to alight when a pedestrian crossed in front, causing the driver to brake sharply, catapulting McCullock the length of the vehicle. As a result of his multiple injuries, he was in constant pain and had fifty operations.
in 1926 as an announcer. His health problems and his microphone style meant that he was sidelined to miscellaneous activities such as commentating on sports events, compering variety shows and Children's Hour. He was the commentator on the first radio broadcast of the FA Cup Final
in 1927. After a further breakdown in health he was made second in command on Children's Hour in 1931 and was given full charge of Children's Hour in 1933. This programme included many talks, plays, music and drama serials. He regarded his department as a microcosm of all broadcasting.
In the tradition of Lord Reith
, McCulloch stated his policy as: "Nothing but the best is good enough for children...our wish is to stimulate their imaginations, direct their reading, encourage their various interests, widen their outlook and inculcate the Christian virtues of love of God and their neighbours".
Noted for his sometimes sharp tongue with colleagues he was no subservient vassal to authority.
When a meeting of BBC staff in the last days of Savoy Hill was being briefed on the forthcoming move to the new Broadcasting House
they were told that in the new building staff earning more than a thousand pounds a year would have a separate lavatory.
'But’, intervened Mac, ‘your have forgotten something’.
‘What’s that?’
‘We will still all have to use the same sewers’.
In 1939 the audience for Children's Hour reached 4 million. His sign-off line "Goodnight children, everywhere", became more poignant after the evacuation
of many children from their homes at the start of the Second World War.
and he continued broadcasting, but now did not have to run a department. He presented a much-loved music request programme for children, Children's Favourites on Saturday mornings, from 1954. As television replaced radio as children's main evening entertainment, the audience for Children's Hour fell to 24,000 and the programme was dropped in 1964, despite protests and questions in Parliament, but Children's Favourites continued to be highly popular, and McCulloch presented it until 1965. He had a strong aversion to pop music, though he had to play some, but his taste introduced children to the light classics. Children's Favourites continued after McCulloch's retirement and the programme metamorphosed into the equally successful Junior Choice, hosted mainly by Ed Stewart
, when the BBC Light Programme
was replaced by Radios 1
and 2
in 1967.
He was awarded an OBE
in 1964.
He died at Haywards Heath
on 1 June 1967.
Derek McCulloch's life is commemorated with a cairn and plaque at the Kent
seaside resort of Broadstairs
where he often worked.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(18 November 1897 - 1 June 1967) was a BBC Radio
BBC Radio
BBC Radio is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927. For a history of BBC radio prior to 1927 see British Broadcasting Company...
presenter and producer, who is best remembered as "Uncle Mac" in Children's Favourites
Children's Favourites
Children's Favourites was a BBC Radio programme from 1954 broadcast on the Light Programme on Saturday mornings from 9:00. A precursor had been called Children's Choice after the style of Housewives' Choice....
and Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
and for playing 'Larry the Lamb' in Toytown
Toytown
Toytown was a British radio series for children, based around a set of puppets created by SG Hulme Beaman, broadcast by the BBC for Children's Hour, which ran from 17:00 to 18:00 on the Home Service. There were also some short films made during the 1970s which were broadcast on ITV...
.
Early life
He was born in PlymouthPlymouth
Plymouth is a city and unitary authority area on the coast of Devon, England, about south-west of London. It is built between the mouths of the rivers Plym to the east and Tamar to the west, where they join Plymouth Sound...
in 1897 of Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
parents. The First World War interrupted his education and he enlisted in 1915 in the Public Schools Battalion
Public Schools Battalion
The Public Schools Battalions were British First World War Pals battalions of Kitchener's Army, originally made up exclusively of former public schoolboys...
of the 16th Middlesex Regiment at the age of 17. He served until 1921, with the infantry, where he was commissioned into the Green Howards, and in the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
as an Equipment Officer, including a spell on HMS Valiant
HMS Valiant (1914)
HMS Valiant was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. She was laid down at the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Govan on 31 January 1913 and launched on 4 November 1914...
. He was seriously wounded at the Battle of the Somme (1916)
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
and lay in 'no-man's land' for three days and nights in a shell-hole 20 yards from the German lines. While lying badly injured but still twitching, he was found by the German Red Cross and was deliberately shot through the head to end his suffering. (This is the account told by the man himself to Trevor Hill, a colleague on BBC Children's Hour), however, he survived.
After the army he worked for Central Argentine Railways but his health deteriorated and he returned home to have a bullet removed from a lung; the lung was later removed. He also lost his left leg in a road traffic accident in 1938 when, travelling on a London Greenline bus he stood up ready to alight when a pedestrian crossed in front, causing the driver to brake sharply, catapulting McCullock the length of the vehicle. As a result of his multiple injuries, he was in constant pain and had fifty operations.
BBC
He joined the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in 1926 as an announcer. His health problems and his microphone style meant that he was sidelined to miscellaneous activities such as commentating on sports events, compering variety shows and Children's Hour. He was the commentator on the first radio broadcast of the FA Cup Final
FA Cup Final
The FA Cup Final, commonly referred to in England as just the Cup Final, is the last match in the Football Association Challenge Cup. With an official attendance of 89,826 at the 2007 FA Cup Final, it is the fourth best attended domestic club championship event in the world and the second most...
in 1927. After a further breakdown in health he was made second in command on Children's Hour in 1931 and was given full charge of Children's Hour in 1933. This programme included many talks, plays, music and drama serials. He regarded his department as a microcosm of all broadcasting.
In the tradition of Lord Reith
John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
John Charles Walsham Reith, 1st Baron Reith, KT, GCVO, GBE, CB, TD, PC was a Scottish broadcasting executive who established the tradition of independent public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom...
, McCulloch stated his policy as: "Nothing but the best is good enough for children...our wish is to stimulate their imaginations, direct their reading, encourage their various interests, widen their outlook and inculcate the Christian virtues of love of God and their neighbours".
Noted for his sometimes sharp tongue with colleagues he was no subservient vassal to authority.
When a meeting of BBC staff in the last days of Savoy Hill was being briefed on the forthcoming move to the new Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House
Broadcasting House is the headquarters and registered office of the BBC in Portland Place and Langham Place, London.The building includes the BBC Radio Theatre from where music and speech programmes are recorded in front of a studio audience...
they were told that in the new building staff earning more than a thousand pounds a year would have a separate lavatory.
'But’, intervened Mac, ‘your have forgotten something’.
‘What’s that?’
‘We will still all have to use the same sewers’.
In 1939 the audience for Children's Hour reached 4 million. His sign-off line "Goodnight children, everywhere", became more poignant after the evacuation
Evacuations of civilians in Britain during World War II
Evacuation of civilians in Britain during the Second World War was designed to save the population of urban or military areas in the United Kingdom from aerial bombing of cities and military targets such as docks. Civilians, particularly children, were moved to areas thought to be less at risk....
of many children from their homes at the start of the Second World War.
Children's Favourites
He resigned from the BBC in 1950 because of his health problems. However he became the Children's Editor for the News ChronicleNews Chronicle
The News Chronicle was a British daily newspaper. It ceased publication on 17 October 1960, being absorbed into the Daily Mail. Its offices were in Bouverie Street, off Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8DP, England.-Daily Chronicle:...
and he continued broadcasting, but now did not have to run a department. He presented a much-loved music request programme for children, Children's Favourites on Saturday mornings, from 1954. As television replaced radio as children's main evening entertainment, the audience for Children's Hour fell to 24,000 and the programme was dropped in 1964, despite protests and questions in Parliament, but Children's Favourites continued to be highly popular, and McCulloch presented it until 1965. He had a strong aversion to pop music, though he had to play some, but his taste introduced children to the light classics. Children's Favourites continued after McCulloch's retirement and the programme metamorphosed into the equally successful Junior Choice, hosted mainly by Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart is a radio broadcaster from England. His real name is Edward Mainwaring but he is known by the nickname Ed Stewpot Stewart.-Early life and career:...
, when the BBC Light Programme
BBC Light Programme
The Light Programme was a BBC radio station which broadcast mainstream light entertainment and music from 1945 until 1967, when it was rebranded as BBC Radio 2...
was replaced by Radios 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
and 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
in 1967.
Personal life
He married Eileen Hilda Barry in 1931 and they had two daughters, Judith and Crystal.He was awarded an OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1964.
He died at Haywards Heath
Haywards Heath
-Climate:Haywards Heath experiences an oceanic climate similar to almost all of the United Kingdom.-Rail:Haywards Heath railway station is a major station on the Brighton Main Line...
on 1 June 1967.
Derek McCulloch's life is commemorated with a cairn and plaque at the Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
seaside resort of Broadstairs
Broadstairs
Broadstairs is a coastal town on the Isle of Thanet in the Thanet district of east Kent, England, about south-east of London. It is part of the civil parish of Broadstairs and St Peter's, which includes St. Peter's and had a population in 2001 of about 24,000. Situated between Margate and...
where he often worked.