Wednesday 16 January 1963
A “TV phone” – a telephone fitted with a viewing screen – has been demonstrated to scientists in Milan, Italy.
The BBC’s “Book of Taboos”, a guide for producers and writers, lists lavatories, effeminacy in men and immorality. However, a BBC spokesman said that the BBC always encouraged producers and writers to use their judgement in matters of good taste.
The condition of Hugh Gaitskell, leader of the Labour Party, is now “giving rise to some anxiety.” Despite intensive treatment over the past week, his condition has deteriorated.
Britain was the only industrialised country to show a rise in unemployment in 1962, figures revealed yesterday. Total number of unemployed – 566,158.
Look out for a new star in Z-Cars, BBC 7.55 tonight. He is Colin Welland, 28, who plays Police Constable Graham. At the end of the month, Welland will become the co-driver of Z-Victor Two with PC Lynch (James Ellis).
Television highlights: Wednesday Magazine, including an interview with the new Earl of Buckinghamshire. Robin Hood. Danger Man.
Radio highlights: Parade of the Pops. Disc Club.
Soccer: FA Cup Third Round – Barnsley 0 Everton 3. Attendance 30,024. Receipts £77,951.
Weather: sleet or snow. Brighter later. Outlook – continuing cold with more snow. Maximum temperature 1c, 34f.
Thursday 17 January 1963
Hospital bulletin on Labour leader, Hugh Gaitskell. Mr Gaitskell’s condition has deteriorated further. The outlook is very grave unless there is some response to treatment during the next twenty-four hours.
Keeping the bed warm is becoming a risky business, a report revealed today. The report stated that fires caused by electric blankets soared from seventy in 1953 to a staggering 1,022 in 1961. More recently manufactured electric blankets have a higher rate of fire incidence than those made earlier.
A thief stole dozens of odd shoes from a car in Manchester yesterday. There wasn’t a complete pair amongst them.
Television highlights: Crackerjack, Tales of Mystery, Moment for Melody.
Radio highlights: Twelve O’Clock Spin, Smash Hits.
There are only three female solo singers in the top thirty – Julie Grant, Susan Maughan and Maureen Evans. Tipped for the top in Discland – Brenda Lee, Barbra Streisand, Alma Cogan and Nana Mouskouri.
Football: Arsenal’s third round FA Cup tie against Oxford United has already been postponed five times. Their fixture programme now states that the game will be played in “January 1963”. With more snow forecast, maybe they should have stated “sometime in 1963”.
In Arctic Britain…polar bear Sonja has given birth to a cub at Whipsnade Zoo. The cub’s sex is not yet known.
Weather: mainly dry with periods of sunshine. Very cold. Outlook – very cold, frosty, snow showers. Maximum temperature -1c, 30f.
Friday 18 January 1963
Biggest Blackout Yet Hits Britain. Wide areas of East and South-East England were in darkness for three hours. And an Electricity Board spokesman said it could be just as bad today. The causes: the Big Freeze and the electricity works’ “go-slow” over a pay dispute.
Labour leader Hugh Gaitskell was said to be “dangerously ill” last night. Mr Gaitskell went into hospital two weeks ago with pleurisy and inflammation of the heart tissues.
A private in the Welch Regiment told a court-martial that he usually drank thirty-five glasses of beer when he went out for an “all-night session”. The private, John Hughes, was accused of drunkenness, assault and causing damage to a Berlin bar.
The BBC claim that they have 52% of viewers compared to ITV’s 48%. However, ITV claim to have 57% of viewers compared to the BBC’s 43%. The difference is due to the methods of audience measurement.
Thieves had to abandon a whiskey haul worth thousands of pounds in Stepney, London, because they could not start the getaway lorry.
The BBC censored Charlie Drake’s song My Boomerang Won’t Come Back. They removed the words “oh my gawd” from the Housewives’ Choice radio show introduced by “disc jockey” Kenneth Wolstenholme. However, Charlie Drake will be allowed to sing the uncensored version on TV.
Television highlights: Kanal – Polish film with subtitles. Gardening Club. The Verdict is Yours.
Radio highlights: Listen With Mother. Take Your Partners.
Weather: very cold with snow showers. Outlook – cold with more snow. Maximum temperature -2c, 28f.
Saturday 19 January 1963
Mr Hugh Gaitskell (pictured), the 56-year-old Labour Party leader, died last night. Labour spokesman John Harris said, “A light has gone out of our lives. A spokesman for Sir Winston Churchill said, “Sir Winston is grieved and says Mr Gaitskell’s death is a great loss to the nation.”
One in ten homes in London were blacked out last night by power cuts. The gay lights of the West End cut out at rush-hour time bringing big jams as street lamps and traffic signals failed.
“Stagger Sunday lunchtime or there will be more power cuts”, the Electricity Board warned last night. There may also be some evening cuts today and tomorrow.
More than 200 vehicles were marooned on Stainmore, Westmorland, yesterday, as blizzards virtually isolated Scotland from England. Many of the drivers abandoned their cars and lorries, and spent the night in a moorland cafe. Vehicles were being frozen in their tracks as their fuel systems iced up.
Summer soccer? “Forget it,” was the verdict of League secretary Alan Hardaker yesterday. He added, “Out of all the managers, fans and sports writers screaming for it, not one has been able to come up with a workable idea for how it could be started.” Meanwhile, the wintry weather decimated the fixture list again this weekend.
Top television: Steptoe and Son soared to sixth place while Hancock dropped to number eighteen. Coronation Street remained at number one.
Television highlights: Grandstand, Juke Box Jury, That Was The Week That Was.
Radio highlights: LP Parade, Pops at the Piano.
Weather: still very cold with snow showers. Strong winds, sometimes reaching gale force. Outlook – continuing very cold. Maximum temperature -2c, 28f.
Sunday 20 January 1963
Football Pools Sensation – they may invent the results next week. A panel of experts will predict the results of postponed matches. If more than thirty games are postponed, the experts will announce their results and the pools will not be void.
There were a record number of soccer postponements in Britain yesterday – fifty-four league games, three more than last Saturday’s worst ever.
A Sheffield University professor predicts that in the not-too-dim future there will be robot maids to do the housework.
Latest American gimmick – pets’ doorways made of triangular polythene set in an aluminium or plywood frame. They can be fitted into walls and ordinary doors. Cats and dogs can pass through the panels, which spring back into position to exclude draughts.
Can I borrow £500 from a building society to buy a car and garage? If you are already buying your home your building society might lend you money to build a garage, but certainly not a car.
In the top twenty this week: Like I Do – Maureen Evans, Up on the Roof – Kenny Lynch, Bobby’s Girl – Susan Maughan.
A dikdook is an amazing thing. Read all about dikdooks and other up-to-date spells and love-potions in tomorrow’s Women’s Mirror, 6d.
Television highlights: Twizzle, Rejoice and Sing, The Avengers.
Radio highlights: Easy Beat, Time for Old Time.
Weather: very cold with biting East winds. More snow. Heavy frost.
Available for pre-order, Songbird, my novel set in the winter of 1962-63
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