Tag Archives: William Gale

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949]

UPDATED NOVEMBER 2024

I started writing about the BBC annuals in a previous post and felt it was getting too big, so have decided to focus on each book separately which gives me a chance to look in more detail and correct/amend things.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Cover by William Gale
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Back cover by William Gale

Glenn Reuben told me that “The front cover was drawn by William Gale, born 1894 (not sure about his death), not to be confused with an artist of the same name from 1823 to 1909.” I had a look in various art dictionaries and drew a blank too. Can anyone say more?

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949 ] – Endpapers by Helen Jacobs

Helen Jacobs was a very prolific children’s illustrator who lived from 1888-1970. Chris Beetles has a longer biography plus original artworks for sale.

It’s unfortunate that there is no publication or copyright date on this annual. It’s published by Sampson, Low, Marston & Co. Ltd and apparently edited by Uncle Mac himself – Derek McCulloch. I say apparently only because I would think he was far too busy to edit this himself, but I might be wrong! BUT I do have a bit more confirmation of the date of this annual. Checking the Bookseller for any instances of Uncle Mac’s works I found the following in July 1948 – working in advance of Christmas 1948.

Now, of course we don’t know WHICH Book they are talking about but fortunately they boasted later of having supported the trade by doing some advertising in Picture Post and the Illustrated magazines. My good friend and librarian Theresa C. found the advert in Picture Post:

Picture Post 11 December 1948, page 5

Now look at the other Uncle Mac book – Uncle Mac’s Own Story Book published at the same time – the design is unique with that long ribbon. This is a title not re-used at any later date. Now look at the annual in question: Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book. Can you see the bubble / balloons? There is only one such looking book, in my opinion. So we can be sure – based on the British way of labelling annuals using the following year – this should be called Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949]. The date is not used in the title – thus square brackets, but now I am certain of the dates -© 1948 – title 1949. None of the other Uncle Mac titles for Children’s Hour are that easy(!) but follow along later posts and see if I can pin them down more.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Title page – Art by Emil Weiss

The page facing Uncle Mac himself has an artist’s signature and Glenn Reuben suggested this might be Czech illustrator Emil Weiss (1896-1965). Looking at examples of his art online, I agree. Emil Weiss has a Wikipedia entry which makes interesting reading.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – Contents Page – art by Helen Jacobs

As usual with these outline of Annual contents. I’m adding this as text so it’s findable by search engines and future historians and whilst doing that trying to identify artists – my primary interest! But as the Contents page here has gorgeous artwork decorating the border drawn by Helen Jacobs, I’m adding that too. The endpapers (see above) are by her as well with her wonderful identifying signature in a ribbon.

CONTENTS

  • Bill Aylesbury at the Circus Parties by Geoffrey Dearmer; [illustrated by ?]
  • Parties that go by Derek McCulloch; [illustrated by ?]
  • Competitions by Derek McCulloch; [illustrated by ?]
  • A Piano for Jean-Jacques by Antonia Ridge; [illustrated by Barbara C. Freeman]
  • The Mystery of Migration by Lt. Cmdr Peter Scott MBE, DSC; [illustrated by Alex Jardin – and Peter Scott]
  • Anna’s Christmas by Harry Farjeon; [illustrated by Helen Jacobs]
  • With George in the Balkans by Bernard Newman; [illustrated by ?]
  • Ponds are Wonderful by Jack Lester FZS; [illustrated by ?]
  • Four Poems by Olive Dehn; [illustrated by Cicely Steed]
  • Monday the Rabbit by W. A. Rathkey; [illustrated by Cyril Cowell]
  • Sketching is Good Fun by W. R. Dalzell; [illustrated by ?]
  • H.M. Tower of London by Col. E. H. Carkeet-James O.B.E., M.C.; [illustrated by ?]
  • Lear Cottage by Olive Dehn; [illustrated by ?]
  • Two Creatures of the Night by Brian Vesey-FitzGerald FLS; [illustrated by ?]
  • Rinloon the Hare by H. Mortimer Batten; [illustrated by Alex Jardine]
  • The Yellow Balloon. by Ken Francis; [illustrated by William Gale]
  • “Jezebel” by Meryon Vance; [illustrated by Helen Jacobs]
  • Paddy and His Cat by Alan K. Taylor; [illustrated by ?]
  • Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel by George Baker; [illustrated by ‘Bruce’]

ART GALLERY and comments

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.90 illustration by Alex Jardine

I’d never heard of Alex Jardine – or more accurately I remember nothing about this name – and his work, which can be found easily online. He was born Alexander William Jardine (1913-1987) in Essex, where he attended Brentwood School. Jardine studied at St. Martin’s School of Art and in Brussels. He was responsible for a river fish series of stamps for the General Post Office (1983), also completing commissions for Imperial Chemical Industries, Bakelite Ltd, Swedish Travel Bureau and publishers such as Collins, Eyre & Spottiswoode and Hutchinson. He was a member of the Society of Wildlife Artists and Society for Wildlife Art of the Nations and showed widely internationally. Lived in Chislet, Kent.

He appears to have little listed in magazines, although that may be an indexing issue, and many dustjackets for novels, particularly, early on in his career, crime fiction. One wonders whether Ethelind Fearon requested him to do the art for her books as he seems to have illustrated at least seven of her titles


A BIBLIOGRAPHY OF ALEX JARDINE’S PUBLISHED ARTWORK

  • The Adventures of a Gadabout, George W. Houghton, London: Selwyn & Blount, 1936
  • The Case of the Bonfire Body, Christopher Bush, London: Cassell, 1936
  • Mystery at the Rectory, A. Fielding, London:Collins Crime Club, 1936
  • Black Cats are Lucky, A. Fielding, London:Collins Crime Club, 1937
  • The First Adventure Featuring Woozy, a Thing Found by Jane and Pip lying by the Roadside., F. A. M. Webster, London: Juvenile Productions 1937
  • Jewels in the Dust, Joan Conquest, London: Jarrolds, 1937
  • Cafe Royal Cocktail Book W. J. Tarling, London: Pall Mall Ltd.,1937
  • The Quest for Lost Legend, F. A. M. Webster, London: Juvenile Productions, 1937
  • These Names Make Clues, E.C.R. Lorac, London:Collins Crime Club, 1937
  • Island of Spies, J. M. Walsh, London: Collins Crime Club, 1937
  • The Six Queer Things, C. St. John Sprigg, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1937
  • Octagon House, Phoebe Atwood Taylor, London: Collins Crime Club, 1938
  • The Red Mirror Mystery, Gret Lane, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Nine Doctors and a Madman, Elizabeth Curtiss, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Lessinger Laughs Last, Richard Essex, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Mrs Warrenders Profession, G.D.H. & M. Cole, London: Collins Crime Club, 1938
  • Murder in the Dispensary Jolyon Carr, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Keep on Dancing, F.E. Baily, London: Odhams, 1938
  • The Marrowby Myth, Wyndham Martyn, London: Herbert Jenkins., 1938
  • Scotland Yard Alibi, Don Betteridge, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Figure Away (An Asey Mayo Mystery) Phoebe Atwood Taylor, London: Collins, The Crime Club., 1938
  • Freak Museum, R. R. Ryan, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1938
  • Raven among the Rooks S. P. B Mais, (Stuart Petre Brodie), London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1939.
  • Freedom for Two, Jolyon Carr, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
  • Secret Errand, Norman Deane, London: Hurst & Blackett, 1939
  • Slow Poison, John Rowland, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
  • Death Visits the Summer-House, Gret Lane, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1939
  • The Man who Murdered Goliath, Geoffrey Homes, London: Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1940
  • Stop that Man, Robert ladline, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940
  • Broadcast, Michael Hayes, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940.
  • Murder At Night, James Corbett, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1940
  • Dark Nights. Thomas Burke, London: Herbert Jenkins 1944
  • Shake Hands For Ever, Edward Woodward, London: John Long, 1946
  • Ladysfingers, A. A. Thomson, Falkland L. Cary, London: Herbert Jenkins., 1947
  • Murder Too Late, Gordon Ashe, London: John Long, 1947
  • The Unfolding Years, Arthur Gask, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1947
  • House of Mist, Maria-Luisa Bombal, London: Cassell, 1948
  • Dark Mystery, Gordon Ashe, London: John Long, 1948
  • “The Story of the Circus”, W. Buchanan-Taylor in Christmas Pie [December 1948]
  • “Drink and the Devil” L. R. Burrage in Summer Pie [June 1948]
  • The Fairy Tradition In Britain, Lewis Spence Rider and Company, 1948
  • The Making of a Garden Ethelind Fearon, London: Macdonald, 1948.
  • At Dawn I Die, James Corbett, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1949
  • Mascarade: Four Short Stories, Gabriel Chevallier, London: Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd., 1950
  • Itchen Memories G. E. M Skues, (George Edward Mackenzie), London: Herbert Jenkins, 1951.
  • The Survivor. Jules Supervielle (Translated from the French by John Russell). London: Martin Secker and Warburg Limited, 1951
  • Murder Out of School, Miles Burton, London: Collins Crime Club, 1951
  • The Wild Swans and other tales based on the ancient Irish. Ethel Mannin, London: Jarrolds, 1952.
  • The Reluctant Gardener Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1952.
  • The Reluctant Cook Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1953.
  • Luron for Angling, Published by I.C.I. Ltd. Welwyn Garden City, Herts. 48 pages with 5 full-page illustrations by Alex Jardine, vignettes & drawings of knots 1953.
  • Murder with Roses, Adeline McElfresh, London: Foulsham, 1953
  • The Reluctant Hostess, Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1954.
  • The Face Of Innocence, William Sansom, Reprint Society, 1954
  • Jules Verne, Marguerite Allotte De La Fuye, Staples,1954
  • For poachers only, and, the Giles stories. Jack Chance, London: Adam & Charles Black, 1955.
  • How we got our flowers. Formerly entitled: The Coming of the Flowers. A. W. Anderson, London: Ernest Benn., 1956
  • How to keep Pace with your Daughter Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1958.
  • A geography of Canada, Elmer Sager, Toronto: [s.n.], 1960.
  • Flower Growing for Ungardeners Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1963.
  • A Privy in the Cactus Ethelind Fearon, London: Herbert Jenkins, 1965.
  • Shooting Woodpigeons, Published by Birmingham: Imperial Metal Industries (Kynoch) Ltd. 1966.
  • A Bird in my hands G. M Glaskin, (Gerald Marcus), London: Herbert Jenkins, 1967.
  • Forestry and Pheasants (Eley Game Advisory Station Booklet 15. Shooting booklet.), Fordingbridge: Eley Game Advisory Station. 1967
  • Travels in the Balkans, John Higgins, The Travel Book Club., 1973
  • Country calendar. Godfrey Baseley, London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1975.
  • A country compendium, Godfrey Baseley, London: Sidgwick and Jackson, 1977.
  • Fishing with Terry and son: from the Daily Express, Conrad Frost. Illustrated by Ronald Embleton and Alex Jardine, London: Express Newspapers, c1987.
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.28 illustration by Alex Jardine
Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.29 illustration by Peter Scott

Interestingly, this is the only date I could find in this annual – 1948. So we can definitely take that too as corroborative evidence it was published after 1948!!

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.39 illustration by Helen Jacobs

A lovely piece here by Helen Jacobs for the story “Anna’s Christmas”

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.74 illustration by Unknown

Here again I feel I should know who this artist is. The image accompanies “Lear Cottage” and a lovely focus on the picture – crucial to the story. But who drew it? Is it Eileen Soper??

The next one is a puzzle too, and I’ve decided to add all the art for this story, Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel.

Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949] – p.120 illustration by “Bruce”

This last images show our old Children’s Hour favourite Odds-Bobs-and-Mackerel. The artwork is very detailed and signed “Bruce” and I have not been able to track down who this artist is, or whether this is a first name or surname! Notice how forthright their signature is, even appearing at the top space of an illustration – no hiding here! But who is this? Please do let me know if you find out.

BBC Uncle Mac and Children’s Hour in books

INTRODUCTION

I’ve completely re-written this page [December 2024] as I had some assistance identifying covers and annual dates – see below for further information. In re-writing this page I took the opportunity to list contents pages separately from this page, and in more detail for each annual. It’s ongoing work but keep an eye out for further articles.

Firstly, let’s get out of the way the fact that there was a Children’s Hour in America (“The Children’s Hour With Uncle Arthur” #1-5, published between 1947-1955,) and in Australia – both saw Annuals published; the latter saw four annuals that I can find for the Australian Broadcasting Commission’s programme – 1956-1959 (#1-4).

This article is about the BBC production which started on radio and transitioned to TV. I have trawled the Internet and used details – only after checking and double checking facts about contents and dates – but please forgive me if I have erred and do get in contact so I can make corrections – as I’m sure there will be mistakes! I have included these details because, just like with Blackie and Son story books from this era it can be hard to date them and they have a wealth of lovely illustrations – many of whose artists are not remembered these days so I’m doing my bit to help keep their work and memory alive!

The Children’s Hour Annual 1928/1929, art by Stanislaus Soutten Longley, published by Partridge

The first annual I have found with the name of the BBC radio programme was published in 1928  – The Children’s Hour Annual: A Book of Stories and Poems for Boys and Girls (above) contained work by E. F. Benson, Desmond MacCarthy, C. Fox Smith, L. Du Garde Peach, Madeleine Nightingale J. C. Stobart, Christine Chaundler, Hugh Chesterman, Eric Parker, C. E. Hodges, C. A. Dawson Scott, Ralph De Rohan, Antonia White, Philip Carmichael and others, published by Partridge, London. This earliest Children’s Hour Annual had 127 pages and the artists include C. T. Nightingale, A. H. Watson,  Ernest Aris, H. J. Ford, Marian Allen, Hugh Chesterman, Joyce Dennys, John Dixon, Eleanor Lambert, A. E. Horn and simply “Johns”.  Glenn Reuben confirms the cover is by Stanislaus Soutten Longley (1894-1966) and the British Library copy has an accession date of “February 1929” so I have gone for 1928/1929 as the date.

The Children’s Story Book, 1933, published by Thomas Nelson [Thanks to “TipTruck” of “Collecting Books and magazines”]

Glenn also mentioned to me a reference to a 1933 “The Children’s Story Book (Children’s Hour Series)” on the Enid Blyton website, published by Thomas Nelson and I managed to find the above..

The Children’s Hour (1944)
Lilian Rowles’ “The Children’s Hour”, 1944

Then we have the 1944 Lilian Rowles (1893-1953) book (Rowles is famous for her softly lit portraits of sleeping babies) and the book is indeed about the radio programme.

The Children’s Hour Picture and Story Book [1951?]
Published by Juvenile Productions Ltd.

“The Children’s Hour; Picture and Story Book” book published in London by Juvenile Productions has 61 pages and significantly its first story is “The little whiner” by Enid Blyton, as later we have evidence that Blyton was not welcome on “Children’s Hour”. The other stories include:

  • Little Whiner
  • High House
  • The farmer’s Little Pigs
  • The Little Spotty Pup
  • The Best Easter Egg
  • Dumpty had a big fall!
  • The Absent-minded Aunt

There are also verses, Puzzles, “How-to-makes”, Fun and games, and Picture Strips (Peter the Panda, The Bunny and the Bung, Tommy and the Apples, Bertie Bear’s Balloon) – all of which are 4 panels on one page. I can’t find any identifying signatures for any of the art, but the bulk is by one artist.

There are many older books with “Children’s Hour” in the title, (ironic as apparently the programme never reached a full 60 minutes!) after all it comes from Longfellow. Here the poem as published in from The Children’s Golden Treasure Book 1939 by Odhams

I can’t find any evidence of another ‘annual’ before ‘Uncle Mac’s’ time. He joined the BBC in 1926 and Children’s Hour  in 1930. So let’s get started, trying to map out when these titles were published and check their titles- and I should say this is not a list of all Uncle Mac’s / Derek McCulloch’s output, only the ones related to the Children’s Hour and BBC Annuals.

1935
1936
Children's Hour Annual 1937

DEREK MCCULLOCH – “UNCLE MAC”

The 13 October 1940  broadcast by Derek McCulloch (which is no longer archived) stated “the 14-year-old Princess Elizabeth sends her best wishes to the children who have been evacuated from Britain to America, Canada and elsewhere. Princess Margaret joins her to wish all children goodnight. This is the earliest recording of the future Queen in the BBC archives.” Duration 4 minutes 18 seconds. This was one of ‘Uncle Mac’s’ proudest moments apparently.

“Children’s Hour ran on BBC Radio from 1922 to 1964, […] Derek McCulloch took charge of Children’s Hour in 1933, and as ‘Uncle Mac’ presided over the show on air, giving it its famous sign off ‘Goodnight children, everywhere’ – from a defunct BBC page

Derek McCulloch / “Uncle Mac”

McCulloch’s full name was Derek Ivor Breashur [performing name “Uncle Mac”] (1897–1967). McCulloch lost his left eye at the Battle of the Somme and a leg as the result of an unfortunate coach accident near his home. He joined the BBC in 1926 (and wrote Nonsericks for Methuen, as “Uncle Mac” in 1928) and was second-in-command (1931) and took over Children’s Hour 1933. It was in 1950 that he gave up the Children’s Hour role to dedicate more time to writing and to become Children’s Editor for News Chronicle – a fact widely advertised at the time – and later he broadcast again on Children’s Favourites until 1964. Martin Parsons (on a now defunct website) spoke at the Winchester Archaeological Rescue Group after researching Children’s Hour. His special interest is the way in which war has affected the lives of children, with special reference to the evacuation process in World War II.  He found, from his research, that the “curmudgeonly old geezer” was very autocratic in his role, but felt this might be due to the constant pain he was in from his wounds. The significance to children scattered far and wide during the war, of his sign-off (“Goodnight children…everywhere”) with that most important pause cannot be exaggerated. You’ll find a fascinating piece called “A Day in the life of the chief Radio “Uncle”- Radio Pictorial April 26, 1935″ here  (Archived page). It would be remiss of me to not mention that ‘Uncle Mac’s’ name has now been besmirched.  The least sensationalist article I’ve found on the matter is by Andrew O’Hagan in the London Review of Books  and makes very depressing reading. You’ve been warned!

Back to the Annuals.

  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Story Book [1948, 1947] with pirate cover, Art by Bruno Kay (1910-?), Published by Samspon Low at 7s 6d
  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1949, 1948] with balloons cover, Art by William Gale, Published by Sampson Low
  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950, 1949] with orange cover, Published by Sampson Low [printed by Purnell]
  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Book [1950, 1949] with yellow cover, Published by [No publisher within] at 7s 6d [printed by Purnell] – simplified shaded colours from the ‘orange’ cover above
  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Story Book [1952, 1951] with red stage cover – Art by Douglas Lionel Mays (1900-1991), Published by Collins at 7s 6d
  • Uncle Mac’s Children’s Hour Story Book [1953, 1952] with roller-coaster cover. Art by Reginald Cyril Webb / Reginald Heade (1901-1957), Published by Collins at 7s 6d
1948
1949
  • Uncle Mac’s Fairy Tale Book [1948, 1947] Art by ‘Kay’ – i.e. Bruno Kay (1910-?), Published by Sampson Low at 7/6d
  • Uncle Mac’s Own Story Book [1949, 1948] Art by Mary Kendal Lee, Published by Sampson Low at 7/6d

1952
1953
1954
1955
1956
1957
1958
1959
1960
  • BBC Children’s Hour Annual [1952] Edited by Peggy Bacon (; assisted by May E. Jenkin (London)) with an elephant leading a crowd on an ice slide, drawn by Sam Fair (1909-1985) Published by Burke, [© 1951]
  • BBC Children’s Hour Annual [1953] Edited by May E. Jenkin (Elizabeth) (Head of the Children’s Hour assisted by Freda Lingstrom Head of Television Children’s Programmes) with a central point with radiating circles and various figures. Art by Gilbert Dunlop (1909-1984) Published by Burke, [© 1952]
  • BBC Children’s Hour Annual [1954] Edited by Elizabeth (May E. Jenkin) with 5 character cameos on a red grid background with art by various artists.
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1955] Edited by Freda Lingstrom, (Head of BBC Children’s Television) with children in the snow running home at 5pm. Art by Joanna Curzon
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1956] Edited by Freda Lingstrom with children in the snow pushing a log on a sled. Art by Joanna Curzon
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1957] Edited by Freda Lingstrom with a snow outside broadcast near Nelson’s Column(?)children in the snow playing with a sled. Art by Joanna Curzon
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1958] Edited by Freda Lingstrom with a circle of characters around a Christmas tree (with black background). Art by Trefor Jones
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1959] Edited by Ursula Eason (Assistant Head of Children’s Television) with a red background and various characters seating on a Chinese dragon. Art by Dick Hart (1920-1990)
  • BBC Children’s Annual [1960] Edited by Ursula Eason with a photographic cover of a TV studio

FOOTNOTES

  1. I must say an especial thanks to Glenn Reuben who was also researching “the dust jackets of all the publications that come under the “Children’s Hour” umbrella, either including the BBC or their host “Uncle Mac” (Derek McCulloch) in the title” and he had help from Alison Bailey, Lead Curator, Printed Heritage Collections 1901-2000 at the British Library who made notes about accession date stamps which covers most of the above
  2. Jeff Walden, ‘McCulloch, Derek Ivor Breashur [Uncle Mac] (1897–1967)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/53647, accessed 23 Feb 2014].