Seymour de Lotbiniere
Encyclopedia
Seymour Joly de Lotbiniere CVO
(21 October 1905-6 November 1984) known as ‘Lobby’ was a Director of the British Broadcasting Corporation
and pioneer of outside broadcasts. He is recognised as developing the technique of sports commentary on radio and subsequently television, and he masterminded the televising of the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Christopher Martin-Jenkins
wrote of him that he was a towering figure both physically and mentally, the "physically" referring to his height of six feet eight inches.
De Lotbiniere was the second son of Brigadier-General Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1868–1960) D.S.O., and his wife Mildred Louisa, daughter of Charles Seymour Grenfell J.P., of Carshalton
. His grandfather, Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
, was Premier
of the Canadian province of Quebec
, a federal Cabinet minister, and Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
He was educated at St Cyprian's School
, Eton
and Trinity College, Cambridge
. He practised as a member of the Chancery Bar before joining the BBC in 1932.
He was the BBC's director of outside broadcasting from 1935 to 1940. After receiving its Royal Charter
in 1926, the BBC had been innovative technically in broadcasting sporting events, but its commentators were largely untrained and often unskilled in the art of broadcasting. Lobby introduced modern methods of commentary, dispensing with the dependence on maps and grids published in the Radio Times
to assist the listener. He also realised that ball-by-ball cricket
commentary could make compelling radio and in the mid-1930s got Howard Marshall
to begin commentating on cricket, rather than only giving reports. In addition to sporting events, de Lotbiniere was also in charge of the embryonic televising of the 1937 Coronation
of King George VI. After an interruption during World War II
, de Lotbiniere resumed his post as director of outside broadcasting in 1945 remaining until the mid-1950s. During this time he oversaw firstly the televising of the 1948 Summer Olympics
, and secondly and most importantly the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This was the BBC’s most ambitious undertaking with over seven hours continuous coverage for an audience of over 20 million people and was one of the most formative events in the history of British Television.
In 1968, shortly before his retirement, de Lotbiniere bought back Brandon Hall, Suffolk
which had originally been purchased by his father after service with the Canadian Army in World War I
and sold after his death in 1960. As a child he had been attracted by Brandon's history. He and his brother had taken torches and ropes to Grimes Graves
to explore the pits long before they were opened for public inspection. He became the owner of a private gunflint museum and took a specialist interest in gun flints.
De Lotbiniere’s only child, a son Henry was born in 1945. He was a barrister, who suffered severe facial disfigurement caused by cancer. He defied the disease by carrying on working, and openly showing his pleasure in being alive. He became widely familiar when his portrait was painted by the young Glaswegian artist Mark Gilbert.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(21 October 1905-6 November 1984) known as ‘Lobby’ was a Director of the British Broadcasting Corporation
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...
and pioneer of outside broadcasts. He is recognised as developing the technique of sports commentary on radio and subsequently television, and he masterminded the televising of the 1953 Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Christopher Martin-Jenkins
Christopher Martin-Jenkins
Christopher Dennis Alexander Martin-Jenkins MBE, also known as CMJ , is a cricket journalist and Past President of the MCC. He is also a commentator for Test Match Special on BBC Radio....
wrote of him that he was a towering figure both physically and mentally, the "physically" referring to his height of six feet eight inches.
De Lotbiniere was the second son of Brigadier-General Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière (1868–1960) D.S.O., and his wife Mildred Louisa, daughter of Charles Seymour Grenfell J.P., of Carshalton
Carshalton
Carshalton is a suburban area of the London Borough of Sutton, England. It is located 10 miles south-southwest of Charing Cross, situated in the valley of the River Wandle, one of the sources of which is Carshalton Ponds in the centre of the village. The combined population of the five wards...
. His grandfather, Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière
Sir Henri-Gustave Joly de Lotbinière, served as the fourth Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, a federal Cabinet minister, and the seventh Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia.- Early years :...
, was Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
of the Canadian province of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, a federal Cabinet minister, and Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia.
He was educated at St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School
St Cyprian's School was an English preparatory school for boys, which operated in the early 20th century in Eastbourne, East Sussex. Like other preparatory schools, its purpose was to train pupils to do well enough in the examinations to gain admission to leading public schools, and to provide an...
, Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
. He practised as a member of the Chancery Bar before joining the BBC in 1932.
He was the BBC's director of outside broadcasting from 1935 to 1940. After receiving its Royal Charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
in 1926, the BBC had been innovative technically in broadcasting sporting events, but its commentators were largely untrained and often unskilled in the art of broadcasting. Lobby introduced modern methods of commentary, dispensing with the dependence on maps and grids published in the Radio Times
Radio Times
Radio Times is a UK weekly television and radio programme listings magazine, owned by the BBC. It has been published since 1923 by BBC Magazines, which also provides an on-line listings service under the same title...
to assist the listener. He also realised that ball-by-ball cricket
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
commentary could make compelling radio and in the mid-1930s got Howard Marshall
Howard Marshall (broadcaster)
Howard Percival Marshall achieved distinction in several fields, but is best remembered as a pioneering commentator for live broadcasts of state occasions and sporting events — in particular cricket Test matches — for BBC radio during the 1930s.He went to Oriel College, Oxford, winning a rugby...
to begin commentating on cricket, rather than only giving reports. In addition to sporting events, de Lotbiniere was also in charge of the embryonic televising of the 1937 Coronation
Coronation of the British monarch
The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...
of King George VI. After an interruption during 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...
, de Lotbiniere resumed his post as director of outside broadcasting in 1945 remaining until the mid-1950s. During this time he oversaw firstly the televising of the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
, and secondly and most importantly the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. This was the BBC’s most ambitious undertaking with over seven hours continuous coverage for an audience of over 20 million people and was one of the most formative events in the history of British Television.
In 1968, shortly before his retirement, de Lotbiniere bought back Brandon Hall, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
which had originally been purchased by his father after service with the Canadian Army 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 sold after his death in 1960. As a child he had been attracted by Brandon's history. He and his brother had taken torches and ropes to Grimes Graves
Grimes Graves
Grime's Graves is a large Neolithic flint mining complex near Brandon in England close to the border between Norfolk and Suffolk. It was worked between around circa 3000 BC and circa 1900 BC, although production may have continued well into the Bronze and Iron Ages owing to the low cost of flint...
to explore the pits long before they were opened for public inspection. He became the owner of a private gunflint museum and took a specialist interest in gun flints.
De Lotbiniere’s only child, a son Henry was born in 1945. He was a barrister, who suffered severe facial disfigurement caused by cancer. He defied the disease by carrying on working, and openly showing his pleasure in being alive. He became widely familiar when his portrait was painted by the young Glaswegian artist Mark Gilbert.
Publications
- Gunflint recognition International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 13 (3), 206–209.
- Introduction to S.B.J. Sketchley The Manufacture of Gunflints