Saturday 23 November 1963
The world was horror-struck last night by the news that America’s president John F Kennedy was dead – shot in the head by a hidden assassin. Mr Kennedy was riding in an open-top car in Dallas, Texas. Mr Kennedy lived only 25 minutes after he was hit. He died at about 1pm local time, 7pm British time.
Last night, police were questioning a Texan who had once defected to Russia. They had found his rifle with a telescopic sight. And they said that the assassin had been eating fried chicken at a sixth-floor window while waiting for the president.
In the building where the shots came from police entered a sixth-storey room and found a rifle with a bullet in the breech along with three spent cartridges lying beside it.
In a Dallas cinema, police closed in on 24 year old Lee Oswald. An officer was killed in the struggle to arrest him. And later Oswald was charged with the policeman’s murder. Police said it had not been established that Oswald was Mr Kennedy’s killer.
Oswald has denied any connection with either of the killings. He defected to Russia in 1959 but returned to America last year with his Russian wife and their two babies. Dallas is the centre of right-wing politics. Right-wingers were opposed to the president’s civil rights policy to give equality to coloured people.
Many viewers complained to the BBC last night because the Harry Worth comedy show was broadcast after the announcement of President Kennedy’s assassination. Independent Television broke into the middle of the Take Your Pick quiz show with news of the shooting. At 7.30pm there was a newsflash then two minutes silence. Then Emergency Ward 10 began, but it was faded after five minutes. Bach and Chopin piano music was substituted.
Television Highlights: Dr Who (science fiction series) – An Unearthly Child starring William Hartnell. Juke Box Jury with Sid James and Cilla Black. The Avengers – The Medicine Men with Honor Blackman.
Radio highlights: Hot Twenty. New Juke Box Show.
Weather: rain or drizzle. Rather mild. Outlook – sunny spells. 12c, 54f.
Sunday 24 November 1963
Dallas District Attorney Henry Wade is confident that he can send Lee Harvey Oswald to the electric chair for the murder of President Kennedy. Oswald has been formally charged with the murder. However, he insists that he did not shoot the president.
Storm over £500 “snob fence” plan. A council in Orpington, Kent has been asked to build a a six-foot high wooden fence between private houses and newly constructed council houses. The request comes from the owners of the private houses who, council tenants claim, want to segregate the children. Mrs Doris Measures, a private house resident said, “We had no idea that council houses would be built. We think the council owes us this fence.”
A massive plan to keep Britain on the move until AD2000 and beyond will be unveiled this week. The plan will include restricting private cars in city centres, an urgent improvement on bus services, and the separation of traffic from pedestrians.
Experts have developed an instrument that takes a body temperature reading in three seconds instead of the usual two minutes. And it can be used in tropical and arctic conditions without being affected by prevailing temperatures.
The French have invented a spade that will take the back-ache out of gardening. It is a semi-mechanical spade that digs out the earth and throws it about three feet – simply by pressing your foot on an attached stirrup.
Football Results: First Division – Arsenal 5 Blackpool 3, Birmingham 3 Nottingham Forest 3, Ipswich 2 Spurs 3, Leicester 2 Chelsea 4, Manchester United 0 Liverpool 1, Sheffield Wednesday 5 Wolves 0, WBA 0 Blackburn 3. Top three: Liverpool, Blackburn, Spurs.
Television highlights: Sunday Night at the London Palladium with Morecambe and Wise. Play – The Way With Reggie starring Michael Caine. Kidnapped – episode seven.
Radio highlights: The Countryside in November. Your Hundred Best Tunes.
Weather: stormy with rain.
Monday 25 November 1963
Lee Oswald, the man accused of assassinating President Kennedy, was himself shot dead today. He was shot down while being transferred from one jail to another. And tonight Jack Ruby, a Dallas striptease club owner, was charged with killing Oswald.
Ruby told police that he shot Oswald because of “a deep sense of sympathy” for Mrs Jacqueline Kennedy, and to save her from the ordeal of Oswald’s trial. Captain Will Fritz, Head of Dallas Homicide, said, “The case of President Kennedy’s assassination is now closed.”
Council house tenants have complained that a six-foot high “snob wall”, which has been insisted upon by private house owners, would cut them off from the community. Private owner Mrs Doris Measures said, “We are not snobs, but we don’t want people from council houses peering into our bedrooms.” This evening, a council meeting in Orpington, Kent will decide if the wall should be erected.
In twenty years time there be a third tap at the sink, for boiling water; a recorder for “storing” tv programmes to view later; garage doors that open at a code signal from a car; beds with a stream of warm air instead of blankets. Kitchens will dwindle to cupboard-size and microwave ovens will replace cookers. People will eat frozen dinners stored in deep freezers. Plastic plates will replace china plates. Dustmen will no longer call to collect our rubbish – instead they will empty our sludge pits. Washing machines will disappear, replaced by sound waves, which will remove dirt from clothes. Fabrics will be creaseless, so no more ironing.
Five thousand frantic teenagers were turned away from a box office in Liverpool yesterday. Hundreds of girls sobbed when 5,100 tickets for two Beatles concerts were sold out in 4 hours 15 minutes. At one time 13,000 teenagers joined the over-night queue. Many of the youngsters were treated for exposure, exhaustion and a lack of food.
Television highlights: President Kennedy’s Funeral Service – via satellite. Panorama – President Kennedy’s death. Whose Neighbour? – alcoholics.
Radio highlights: Thought to be Writ by Shakespeare. Letter From America.
Weather: sunny spells and showers. Outlook – similar. 11c, 52f.
Tuesday 26 November 1963
The Salvation Army is to use guitars as well as tambourines and brass instruments. In their new “get with it” campaign, they will also visit coffee bars, dance halls and bingo palaces.
Two gangs of teenage girls, the Aristocrats and the Thunderbirds, stopped the traffic in a village street in Sunderland, Co. Durham. Using chains and knuckledusters, the teenagers – fifteen brunettes, two platinum blondes and two red-heads – fought and screamed. A woman armed herself with a hammer and tried to stop the fight. At court, the girls were bound over to keep the peace for twelve months.
With the engine on his truck smoking, driver Roy Frederickson abandoned his vehicle and ran to the police station in Essington, Staffs. He informed the police that his burning truck was loaded with gelignite and detonators. Firemen arrived and put out the fire, which had started because of an electrical fault. Later, the gelignite was transferred to another lorry.
The Housing Committee at Orpington, Kent has rejected a demand from private house-owners to build a six-foot high “snob wall” between the private houses and council tenants.
Bread prices will increase from 30 December. Ice cream and lolly prices will also increase, from 9 December. Bread prices will rise because Spillers Ltd are raising the prices on their sacks of flour.
Mrs Mole of Hammersmith was given a conditional discharge after being found guilty of placing “Ajax” in her husband’s coffee. The deputy chairman of the London Sessions said, “It was a very naughty thing to do. I’m going to look on this case as a sudden temptation to annoy your husband. It is a complaint from which quite a lot of married women suffer.”
Television highlights: University Challenge – finals, Leicester University v Balliol College, Oxford. The Plane Makers – factory series. Compact – magazine series – the taxman cometh.
Radio highlights: Our Changing Language. 208 Platter Party.
Weather: showers and sunny intervals. Outlook – showery. 9c, 48f.
Wednesday 27 November 1963
All-time production records are being set by Britain’s car makers. And export sales are rocketing. During October cars were being made at a rate of 32,500 a week – the greatest ever output. The Buchanan Report is due out soon, which aims to resolve how all these new cars can travel on Britain’s roads without causing traffic jams.
The village of Burley in the New Forest is fighting to keep its traffic jams. The locals believe that the cars parked in the streets slow down traffic and make the village safer. A spokesman said, “We haven’t had any accidents here for years.” Hampshire police want to build a car park to get the cars off the roads.
Christine Keeler has been committed to the Old Bailey on a charge of conspiring to obstruct the course of justice.
Bandits in Cambridge stole £20,000 from Barclays Bank – and two bottles of sherry.
The visit of the Beatles to Wolverhampton cost the town £320 in police wages and overtime, and £5 for the ambulance service.
“The question of turnstiles at ladies lavatories is usually treated as a joke. But it is no laughing matter. I got trapped in one recently and had to feed it four pennies before it would release me.” – Mrs M.D.H., Purfleet, Essex.
Agony Aunt: “Robin” writes, “I’m madly in love with the girl next door, but she’s mad about Cliff Richard. Should I join a beat group to attract her?” Jane Adams’ advice, “Just stick around. Every year 10,000 girls fall in love with Cliff, and every year 10,000 girls fall out of love with Cliff.”
Television highlights: Our Strangled Cities – discussion about the Buchanan Report on road traffic. The Loved Ones – a look at the British love for animals. Our Man at St Marks – comedy series.
Radio highlights: Mrs Mills. Politics of Violence.
Weather: Light rain, drizzle, mild. Outlook – brighter and colder. 13c, 55f.
Thursday 28 November 1963
A vast new plan to resolve Britain’s traffic tangles was unveiled yesterday. Central to the plan is knocking down and reshaping whole shopping areas in London and other cities. Shops will be lifted above street level and pedestrians will use first floor pavements while traffic flows along new roads underneath. Private cars will also be controlled or limited in city centres.
President Lyndon B Johnson has pledged to proceed with John Kennedy’s Civil Rights Bill and end racial hatred in America.
Two men who murdered farmer William Rowe will be hanged on 17 December, the Home Office said. The appeals of Dennis Whitty and Russell Pascoe were dismissed by the Court of Criminal Appeal. Whitty will be executed at Winchester Prison, Pascoe at Bristol.
Curate, Rev John Marshall, received two black eyes at a church rock and roll dance when a fight broke out. After receiving three stitches, he carried on his church work as usual.
A nurse has been put on special duty to care for three year old Yvonne Nolan. Yvonne swallowed a small, gold ladies watch, and it is ticking inside her. The nurse has been told to listen for the ticks as the watch travels and leaves Yvonne’s body the normal way.
“Amorous wives” row latest: Councillor Terry Lyons of Camberley is taking legal action against former councillor Mrs Margaret Clark because of “defamatory” statements made in her resignation letter.
European Cup Winners Cup: Second Round, First Leg – Tottenham v Manchester United. Postponed because of fog. Inter-Cities’ Fairs Cup – Sheffield Wednesday 1 Cologne 2 (aggregate 3 – 5).
Television highlights: Criss Cross Quiz. Space Patrol – Time Stands Still. Double Your Money – all-Scottish edition.
Radio highlights: Does The Team Think? Who Knows?
Weather: fog then bright spells. Rather cold. Outlook – rather cold. 7c, 45f.
Friday 29 November 1963
Accidents are the plague of the modern era. To reduce them, experts recommend that people should wear crash helmets on motor cycles and scooters, protective clothing in industry, and lifejackets on boats, canoes and yachts. Accidents cost £500,000,000 a year and result in 20,000 deaths and over 6,000,000 injuries.
About £7,761,000 damage was done by fires in October. This means that fire damage to date this year amounts to £56,454,000, more than the total for 1962.
Christmas poultry will be plentiful this year, and cheaper too. A spokesman for the National Federation of Poultry Merchants said that there should be sufficient quantities of turkeys, oven-ready and fresh, to meet all requirements.
In her extra spending, the housewife bought more frozen foods, milk, butter, cheese, eggs and potatoes this year. However, she bought less bread, rice and flour. Overall, there was a greater prosperity in the South than in the North. But families in the lower income groups are now spending nearly as much on food as well-to-do families.
Sheffield United will stage boxing contests half an hour before the start of their home games.
The Beatles’ drummer, Ringo Starr, was rushed to hospital last night. He was suffering from earache. However, he returned to the ABC cinema in Lincoln where the group were performing and sang a solo number – which received the biggest scream from the fans.
Television highlights: Journal – European magazine programme. Ready, Steady, Go! with Manfred Mann and the Hollies. Background to Ballet.
Radio highlights: A Cornishman in Bath. The Countryside in November.
Weather: dry and sunny. Outlook – showery and colder. 8c, 46f.
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Hannah Howe 