Oliver John Whitley
Encyclopedia
Oliver John Whitley son of J. H. Whitley
, was a broadcasting administrator who worked for most of his life for the BBC
.
, Yorkshire
, the third child and second son of John and Margherita Whitley.
Like his father, Oliver was a boarder in Wiseman's House, Clifton College
where he was resident between 1925 and 1930. He went on to read History and Law at New College, Oxford
and qualified as a Barrister
.. He married Elspeth Catherine Forrester-Paton in May 1939 and they had four sons and one daughter .
moved to the Monitoring Service at Wood Norton
monitoring Nazi broadcasts. He resigned in 1941 following a dispute over the proposal to move the unit to Caversham Park
.
He enlisted with the RVNR, serving in Europe including the Dieppe raid
and the Normandy landings and the Far East in the Malaya landings and liberation of Singapore
.
On demobilisation in 1946, he rejoined and remained with the BBC until his retirement. He had a long and influential career, much of which was with the External Services
. He died on 22 March 2005 in Benderloch
, Argyll
, at the age of 93.
John Henry Whitley
John Henry Whitley , often known as J. H. Whitley, was a respected and successful British politician whose life and career spanned a period of significant social change, from roots in the heart of the Industrial Revolution through to the inter-war period.- Family and early career :John Henry...
, was a broadcasting administrator who worked for most of his life for the BBC
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...
.
Early life and education
Born 12 February 1912 in HalifaxHalifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, the third child and second son of John and Margherita Whitley.
Like his father, Oliver was a boarder in Wiseman's House, Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
where he was resident between 1925 and 1930. He went on to read History and Law at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
and qualified as a Barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
.. He married Elspeth Catherine Forrester-Paton in May 1939 and they had four sons and one daughter .
Career
Oliver joined the BBC in 1935 and, at the outbreak of World War IIWorld 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...
moved to the Monitoring Service at Wood Norton
Wood Norton, Worcestershire
Wood Norton Hall is a Grade II listed Victorian stately home near Evesham, Worcestershire, England. It was the last home in England of Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans, who claimed the throne of France...
monitoring Nazi broadcasts. He resigned in 1941 following a dispute over the proposal to move the unit to Caversham Park
Caversham Park
Caversham Park is a Victorian stately home with parkland in the suburb of Caversham, on the outskirts of Reading, England. Historically it was in Oxfordshire, but since 1911 it has been in Berkshire.-Early History:...
.
He enlisted with the RVNR, serving in Europe including the Dieppe raid
Dieppe Raid
The Dieppe Raid, also known as the Battle of Dieppe, Operation Rutter or later on Operation Jubilee, during the Second World War, was an Allied attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The assault began at 5:00 AM and by 10:50 AM the Allied...
and the Normandy landings and the Far East in the Malaya landings and liberation of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
.
On demobilisation in 1946, he rejoined and remained with the BBC until his retirement. He had a long and influential career, much of which was with the External Services
Later life
He retired in 1972, with his wife, to ObanOban
Oban Oban Oban ( is a resort town within the Argyll and Bute council area of Scotland. It has a total resident population of 8,120. Despite its small size, it is the largest town between Helensburgh and Fort William and during the tourist season the town can be crowded by up to 25,000 people. Oban...
. He died on 22 March 2005 in Benderloch
Benderloch
Benderloch is a village in Argyll and Bute, Scotland.Benderloch lies on the A828 road in the coastal area of Appin, Argyll, Scotland. Its railway station closed in 1966.Benderloch forms part of the Lynn of Lorn National Scenic Area, one of 40 in Scotland....
, Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, at the age of 93.