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Childrens Hour




Children's Hour—at first: "''The'' Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow (1)—was the name of the BBC 's principal recreational service for children (as distinct from "Broadcasts to Schools") during the period when Radio dominated Broadcasting .

''Children's Hour'' was broadcast from 1922 to 1964 , originally from the BBC's London station ( 2LO ), soon joined by other regional stations, then in the BBC Regional Programme , before transferring to its final home, the new BBC Home Service , at the outbreak of World War II . For the last three years of its life, the title ''Children's Hour'' was no longer used. Parts of the programme were also broadcast on the BBC World Service .

In the virtues, and ''Children's Hour'' was often criticised, like "Auntie" BBC itself, for paternalism and middle-class values. It was nonetheless hugely popular, and its presenters were national figures, their voices instantly recognisable. Derek McCulloch was closely involved with the programme from 1926 , and ran the department from 1933 until 1950 when he had to resign for health reasons.

Among popular series on ''Children's Hour'' were:

and serialisations of stories by children's authors such as Malcolm Saville , Rosemary Sutcliff and Arthur Ransome . Well-known musicians such as Peter Maxwell Davies composed music for the programme.

Among actors and presenters who were famous for their work on ''Children's Hour'' work were:



(1)

''Between the dark and the daylight,''

''When the night is beginning to lower,''

''Comes a pause in the day's occupations''

''That is known as the Children's Hour.''