BBC Archive
@BBCArchive
Official account of the @BBC Archive. Unless otherwise stated, images and videos are ©BBC.
ID:51023770
https://www.bbc.co.uk/archive 26-06-2009 11:40:26
18,6K Tweets
304,0K Followers
6,8K Following
#OnThisDay 1978: 'A dismal washout.' Britain's first official May Day Bank Holiday took place.
#OnThisDay 1973: David Niven held forth on Nationwide.
He spoke with his typical charm about the importance of being lucky, drugs, and his short stint as an organ blower-upper.
#OnThisDay 1964: Brace yourself for the scandalous Orcadian courtship ritual of 'nighting'.
Cathal O'Shannon was determined to discover the exact nature of this practice, with a variety of suggestions on offer.
#OnThisDay 1984: Noel Edmonds learnt about the delights of the curious skill and pastime of gurning.
#OnThisDay 1985: Sarah Greene and Michael Wood presented a programme on the Domesday Project, which attempted to create a people's database of information held on laserdisc.
#OnThisDay 1984: To be, or (was it) not to be? This Wooden O told the tale of Sam Wanamaker and his long-standing dream of restoring Shakespeare's Globe to London's South Bank.
#OnThisDay 1972: Feel the burn with the ‘beauts’ on Boomph with Becker.
Few fitness programme were as idiosyncratic as Boomph with Becker (and Edwin, her musical maestro). OAPs flicking fingers? The candle dance? Cuddling contributors? It’s all here.
#OnThisDay 1983: Using the latest in human - plant compatibility tech, Guy Michelmore found his perfect match; Cynthia the Rhododendron.
#OnThisDay 1964: The first episode of BBC children’s favourite, Play School, aired.
It constantly evolved until the last episode transmitted in 1988. Along the way over 50 presenters took the helm. What was your era?
#OnThisDay 1964: A major power cut across parts of London meant that the launch of new channel BBC Two didn't go quite as planned. Gerald Priestland bravely took to the air, reading a news bulletin from the BBC Two studio - the only programme broadcast on the channel that day.
#OnThisDay 1972: Michael Rodd learnt about a writing pad that could detect forgery by feeling the way a signature is committed to paper.
#OnThisDay 1974: Teenagers never change - even in 1974 you couldn't get them away from their phones.
#OnThisDay 1918: Celebrated performer, author, poet, musician, painter, actor, environmental campaigner, conservationist, cartoonist and Goon, Spike Milligan was born.
In this clip, Milligan chats about his faith, his failures and how he would like to be remembered.
#OnThisDay 1993: Gamers of a certain vintage will remember Codemasters' cheat cartridge, the Game Genie. It was legal, but was it moral?
#OnThisDay 1975: With the aid of a crossbow, an apple, a cup of tea and a sugar lump, the BBC investigates high speed photography.