Radio Rupert?

[Stunmon]

Anyone ever heard of this? I remember my father once saying he'd been one. Whatever it was it must have dated back to the 30s or 40s?

[hilldweller]

I tried to reply to this yesterday but it seems to have vanished.

During the 1930's I understand there was a short lived radio transmitting station on Corporation Street.

My mother who was born in 1920 used to tell the tale that as a young lass she recited some poetry in a very small studio there.

I think there may be a photo on the Picture Sheffield website showing large glowing valves and exposed high voltage wiring.

I understand the callsign was 2LO and it later was moved to Manchester.

hilldweller

[MartinR]

Not 2LO, that was the BBC in London (2 LOndon).  See 2LO on Wikipedia

[hilldweller]

I've found the picture that I remembered, it's in a book published by the Sheffield Star called  "Sheffield Since 1900".

It's  on page 41 and says the station was call-signed 6FL. It was a relay station of the BBC and operated from 1923 until 1931.

I've Googled 6FL and there is a BBCwebsite dedicated to old radio programmes. It appears that there were relay stations all around Britain which transmitted their own programmes as well as input from other cities. A lot of the programmes seem to come from London (2LO) which explains why my mother thought that was the name.

The Radio Times listed on the website details "Children's Corner" and "Local Children's Corner" which was probably the item my mother appeared on.

The picture of the transmitter looks lethal to a modern day engineer !

[Stunmon]

How do you think Radio Rupert came into it? Many thanks anyway!!!!

[hilldweller]

Just a thought but Rupert the Bear of Daily Express fame was first published in about 1920.

Many news organisations adopted cartoon characters around this time. The Sheffield Star had their Gloops bear (or was it a bear) which continued for many years. My wife was a runner up in the Gloops Queen competition at one point. Perhaps the children who listened to The Local Childrens Corner were enrolled into a "Rupert Club" or more likely that Stunmon's father was enrolled into a Daily Express club and not connected to a radio station at all. Rupert would have been all the rage at that time.

Anyway I'm off to Nutwood for a chat with Rupert and his pals.  😄

hilldweller

[Lysanderix]

 I was a member of the Gloops club and he was a cat in my eyes!

[hilldweller]

I'm sure you're correct. It was the fact that he was always drawn standing on hind legs that had me fooled.

That's a characteristic I associate with bears. I was certainly of an age to remember the Gloops Club but if it wasn't concerned with technical things I wasn't interested even as a young lad.

hilldweller.

[Stunmon]

Thankyou all so much for your contributions!!!!

[Athy]

This makes me wonder if I still have my Gloops Club badge. From memory, it was yellow.