Freda Lingstrom
Encyclopedia
Freda Violet Lingstrom OBE (23 July 1893 – 15 April 1989) was a BBC Television
producer and executive who was responsible for pioneering children's programmes in the early 1950s.
She was born in Chelsea, London
, the daughter of George Lingstrom, a copperplate engraver, and Alice Clarey Anniss. Her paternal grandparents were Swedish. She attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts and became an artist, and had a one-woman show in 1936. She also wrote two novels, and a book, This is Norway, about the culture and history of that country.
Her skills as an artist, illustrator and author gave her work on the editorial staff of a children's magazine. However in 1940 she joined the BBC and in 1947 she was promoted to Assistant Head of BBC Schools Broadcasting. At BBC Radio she created the lunchtime programme Listen with Mother in 1950. Soon afterwards she moved to television, and created Andy Pandy
(with Maria Bird) and she was appointed Head of BBC Children's Television in 1951, and the following year introduced Watch with Mother
for pre-school children and eventually created a different programme for each weekday with The Flower Pot Men
, Picture Book, The Woodentops
, and Rag, Tag and Bobtail
.
She was responsible for commissioning a wide range of programmes including much high quality drama as well as entertainment programmes such as Crackerjack and those featuring Harry Corbett
's Sooty
. She gave Johnny Morris
his first TV appearances as The Hot Chestnut Man (1953–1961). Her policy was in the tradition of Lord Reith
and so programmes were aimed at education as much as entertainment and so she strongly resisted cartoons and imported programmes. Although the programmes received wide approval from adults, when ITV
was launched, it soon became clear that many children wanted something different. In retrospect the programmes are seen as cosy and biased to the 'middle class', but they laid the foundation for what was to come. Her achievement was to inspire her producers such as Cliff Michelmore
to provide memorable and high-quality programmes on a small budget. The difficulty of the role can be seen in the problems experienced from 1956 by her successor, Owen Reed.
She lived in Chartwell Cottage, Mapleton Lane, Chartwell
, near Westerham
in Kent
, with a close friend, Maria Bird, who was co-creator of her TV characters. Both had lost fiancés in World War I
, and the two women's relationship was platonic. After the BBC she continued to write children's books and became an art critic. She died aged 95 in 1989, though her estate still controls the rights to Andy Pandy and The Flowerpot Men.
BBC Television
BBC Television is a service of the British Broadcasting Corporation. The corporation, which has operated in the United Kingdom under the terms of a Royal Charter since 1927, has produced television programmes from its own studios since 1932, although the start of its regular service of television...
producer and executive who was responsible for pioneering children's programmes in the early 1950s.
She was born in Chelsea, London
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, the daughter of George Lingstrom, a copperplate engraver, and Alice Clarey Anniss. Her paternal grandparents were Swedish. She attended the Central School of Arts and Crafts and became an artist, and had a one-woman show in 1936. She also wrote two novels, and a book, This is Norway, about the culture and history of that country.
Her skills as an artist, illustrator and author gave her work on the editorial staff of a children's magazine. However in 1940 she joined the BBC and in 1947 she was promoted to Assistant Head of BBC Schools Broadcasting. At BBC Radio she created the lunchtime programme Listen with Mother in 1950. Soon afterwards she moved to television, and created Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy
Andy Pandy is a British children's television series that premiered on BBC TV in June or July 1950. The original series of programmes was shown until 1970, when a new series was made. A third series was made in 2002...
(with Maria Bird) and she was appointed Head of BBC Children's Television in 1951, and the following year introduced Watch with Mother
Watch with Mother
Watch With Mother was a cycle of children's programmes broadcast from 1952 by BBC Television which was created by Freda Lingstrom.It was the first BBC television programme specifically aimed at pre-school children, like its radio equivalent Listen with Mother that also started in 1950...
for pre-school children and eventually created a different programme for each weekday with The Flower Pot Men
Flower Pot Men
The Flower Pot Men were a British pop group created in 1967 as a result of the single "Let's Go to San Francisco", recorded by session musicians, becoming a major UK Top 20 and Continental Europe hit) in the autumn of 1967...
, Picture Book, The Woodentops
The Woodentops (TV series)
The Woodentops was a children's television series first shown on BBC Television in 1955. It was created by Freda Lingstrom and Maria Bird and featured on the Friday edition of Watch with Mother...
, and Rag, Tag and Bobtail
Rag, Tag and Bobtail
Rag, Tag and Bobtail was a BBC children's television programme that ran from 1953 to 1965 as the Thursday programme in the weekly cycle of Watch with Mother.* Produced by: Freda Lingstrom and David Boisseau* Stories: Louise Cochrane...
.
She was responsible for commissioning a wide range of programmes including much high quality drama as well as entertainment programmes such as Crackerjack and those featuring Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett
Harry Corbett OBE was a British puppeteer, known as the creator in 1948 of the long running 'Sooty' glove puppet character.He was born in Bradford to coal miner James W...
's Sooty
Sooty
Sooty is a British glove puppet bear and TV character popular in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and other countries. The children's television show which bears his name has continued in various forms since the 1950s and, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the...
. She gave Johnny Morris
Johnny Morris
Ernest John "Johnny" Morris OBE ) was a Welsh television presenter. He is best known for narrating the imported, Canadian-produced Tales of the Riverbank series of stories about Hammy the Hamster, Roderick the Rat, GP the Guinea Pig, and their assorted animal friends along a riverbank and...
his first TV appearances as The Hot Chestnut Man (1953–1961). Her policy was 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...
and so programmes were aimed at education as much as entertainment and so she strongly resisted cartoons and imported programmes. Although the programmes received wide approval from adults, when ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
was launched, it soon became clear that many children wanted something different. In retrospect the programmes are seen as cosy and biased to the 'middle class', but they laid the foundation for what was to come. Her achievement was to inspire her producers such as Cliff Michelmore
Cliff Michelmore
Arthur Clifford "Cliff" Michelmore CBE is a British television presenter and producer. He is best known for the BBC television programme Tonight, which he presented from 1957 to 1965....
to provide memorable and high-quality programmes on a small budget. The difficulty of the role can be seen in the problems experienced from 1956 by her successor, Owen Reed.
She lived in Chartwell Cottage, Mapleton Lane, Chartwell
Chartwell
Chartwell was the principal adult home of Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill and his wife Clementine bought the property, located two miles south of Westerham, Kent, England, in 1922...
, near Westerham
Westerham
Westerham is a town and civil parish in the Sevenoaks District of Kent, in South East England with 5,000 people. The parish is south of the North Downs, ten miles west of Sevenoaks. It covers 5800 acres . It is recorded as early as the 9th century, and was mentioned in the Domesday Book in a...
in 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...
, with a close friend, Maria Bird, who was co-creator of her TV characters. Both had lost fiancés in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and the two women's relationship was platonic. After the BBC she continued to write children's books and became an art critic. She died aged 95 in 1989, though her estate still controls the rights to Andy Pandy and The Flowerpot Men.