Mary Adams (broadcaster)
Encyclopedia
Mary Grace Agnes Adams [née Campin] (10 March 1898–15 May 1984), television producer and programme director, was a producer and administrator in the BBC
. She was instrumental in setting up the BBC's television service both before and after World War II
.
. She then went on to study tissue culture
in Cambridge
at the Strangeways Laboratory under Professor Strangeways. In 1930, after having her series "Six talks on Heredity" broadcast on BBC Radio
, she left research and joined the BBC's Further Education Department in 1930.
, the first television programme dedicated to fashion history, with James Laver
and Pearl Binder
). She was a working mother with a child, notable at a time when married women were expected to stay at home and not go out to work.
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the BBC television service was shut down. She spent the war in BBC Radio and the UK Ministry of Information. When the television service resumed in 1946 she helped build it up again – producing programmes on all subjects apart from drama
and light entertainment
. She was appointed Head of Television Talks in 1954. She retired in 1958.
She encouraged David Attenborough
to join BBC Television in 1952, appointed staff and commissioned ground-breaking programmes – such as Zoo Quest
; The Quiz Programme; Animal, Vegetable, Mineral; Your Life in Their Hands
and A Matter of Life and Death (early medical programmes), as well as programmes for children – Muffin the Mule
(with Anne Hogarth, who pulled the strings), Andy Pandy
, and Bill and Ben The Flowerpot Men
(with Freda Lingstrom
and Maria Bird).
(1900-1951), Conservative MP
for Leeds West (1930-1945) who, along with Duff Cooper
, were the two Conservative MPs to oppose the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. He was adopted for the safe
Conservative seat of Darwen
early in 1951, but died later that year.
BBC
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...
. She was instrumental in setting up the BBC's television service both before and after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Biography
Mary Adams was born on 10 March 1898 at Well House Farm, Hermitage, Berkshire. She gained a first class honours degree in Botany at Cardiff UniversityCardiff University
Cardiff University is a leading research university located in the Cathays Park area of Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom. It received its Royal charter in 1883 and is a member of the Russell Group of Universities. The university is consistently recognised as providing high quality research-based...
. She then went on to study tissue culture
Tissue culture
Tissue culture is the growth of tissues or cells separate from the organism. This is typically facilitated via use of a liquid, semi-solid, or solid growth medium, such as broth or agar...
in Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
at the Strangeways Laboratory under Professor Strangeways. In 1930, after having her series "Six talks on Heredity" broadcast on 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...
, she left research and joined the BBC's Further Education Department in 1930.
Television career
In 1936 she joined the fledgling television service at Alexandra Palace, London, becoming the first woman appointed as a television producer. From January 1937 she was active in setting up the service and producing television programmes (e.g. Clothes-LineClothes-Line
Clothes-Line was an early BBC television programme broadcast live in six parts between 30 September and 3 December 1937. It is notable for being the first television programme dedicated to the history of fashion...
, the first television programme dedicated to fashion history, with James Laver
James Laver
James Laver CBE FRSA was an author, art historian, and museum curator who acted as Keeper of Prints, Drawings and Paintings for the Victoria and Albert Museum between 1938 and 1959...
and Pearl Binder
Pearl Binder
Lady Elwyn-Jones née Pearl "Polly" Binder . Author, playwright, stained-glass artist, lithographer, sculptor and a champion of the Pearly Kings and Queens, she was a legendary character who had a lifelong fascination with the East End of London where she settled in the 1920s...
). She was a working mother with a child, notable at a time when married women were expected to stay at home and not go out to work.
When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the BBC television service was shut down. She spent the war in BBC Radio and the UK Ministry of Information. When the television service resumed in 1946 she helped build it up again – producing programmes on all subjects apart from drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
and light entertainment
Light entertainment
Light entertainment is a term used to describe a broad range of usually televisual performances. These include comedies, variety shows, quiz/game shows, sketch shows and people/surprise shows.-Light entertainment in Britain:...
. She was appointed Head of Television Talks in 1954. She retired in 1958.
She encouraged David Attenborough
David Attenborough
Sir David Frederick Attenborough OM, CH, CVO, CBE, FRS, FZS, FSA is a British broadcaster and naturalist. His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years...
to join BBC Television in 1952, appointed staff and commissioned ground-breaking programmes – such as Zoo Quest
Zoo Quest
Zoo Quest was a series of multi-part nature documentaries broadcast on BBC television between 1954 and 1963. It was the first major programme to feature David Attenborough....
; The Quiz Programme; Animal, Vegetable, Mineral; Your Life in Their Hands
Your Life in Their Hands
Your Life in Their Hands is a long-running BBC TV documentary series on the subject of surgery, examining surgical practice from the point of view of both surgeons and patients. Its first run lasted from 1958 to 1964 and was presented by Dr. Charles Fletcher...
and A Matter of Life and Death (early medical programmes), as well as programmes for children – Muffin the Mule
Muffin the Mule
Muffin the Mule is a puppet character in British television programmes for children. The original programmes featuring the character were presented by Annette Mills, sister of John Mills, & aunt to Hayley Mills, and broadcast live by the BBC from their studios at Alexandra Palace from 1946 to 1952...
(with Anne Hogarth, who pulled the strings), 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...
, and Bill and Ben The Flowerpot 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...
(with Freda Lingstrom
Freda Lingstrom
Freda Violet Lingstrom OBE was a BBC Television producer and executive who was responsible for pioneering children's programmes in the early 1950s....
and Maria Bird).
Marriage
Mary Adams (née Campin) married in 1925 Samuel Vyvyan AdamsVyvyan Adams
Vyvyan Adams , full name Samuel Vyvyan Trerice Adams, was a British Conservative Party politician. He was the Member of Parliament for Leeds West from 1931 to 1945, when he was defeated by the swing to Labour. He stood unsuccessfully in the Fulham East constituency in 1947 and 1950...
(1900-1951), Conservative MP
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
for Leeds West (1930-1945) who, along with Duff Cooper
Duff Cooper
Alfred Duff Cooper, 1st Viscount Norwich GCMG, DSO, PC , known as Duff Cooper, was a British Conservative Party politician, diplomat and author. He wrote six books, including an autobiography, Old Men Forget, and a biography of Talleyrand...
, were the two Conservative MPs to oppose the Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. He was adopted for the safe
Safe seat
A safe seat is a seat in a legislative body which is regarded as fully secured, either by a certain political party, the incumbent representative personally or a combination of both...
Conservative seat of Darwen
Darwen (UK Parliament constituency)
Darwen was a county constituency in Lancashire, centred on the town of Darwen. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1983 general election....
early in 1951, but died later that year.
Sources
- Adams, Sally (daughter)
- Dictionary of National Biography (D.N.B.), 2004
- Personal information