Mexborough and Swinton Times December 1936

Momentous Trip
Denaby Girl in Television Programme
Day of King’s Abdication

Joyce Banks, the daughter of Mr and Mrs W Banks of Welfare House, Denaby, went to London to broadcast, and had some interesting experiences.

It so happened that she was booked for the evening that the world received the news of the abdication of King Edward VIII, she found herself in that part of the programme which was cancelled. A new date for a broadcast is expected next month. But she had a surprise which more than compensated.

She had a unique experience of being seen and heard on the air, at the same time as Mr Baldwin was making his momentous announcement to the House of Commons, for she had been selected to take part in the television Program from the Alexander Palace on that Thursday afternoon, and at 3.45 she was singing “Ah, sweet mystery of life.”

Here is the story Miss Banks told to a representative of the “Times.”

“My first impression of Broadcasting House is a lasting one. In the large vestibule was an elaborate lighting scheme and the building is floodlit at night, giving it a dominating effect. It was here that I reported and did some rehearsing in various studios. The first was in studio B.A. We soon settled down and “did our stuff.”

Mr Carroll Levis, one of whose ‘discoveries’ I am, did his utmost to make us forget the broadcast, and succeeded very well. I did not think that any of the artists were nervous. I forgot the broadcast and devoting my time to collecting autographs, looking at the marvellous dresses in the Bond Street, and other shops and popping into milk bars which abound in London.

Wednesday morning there was a rehearsal in St George’s Hall, next door to Queens Hall, and the same lively spirit prevailed. After this we had lunch and then we were taken in taxis to the Maida Vale studio. We were to rehearse in studio five, a large padded room which sounded very dead. Through a glass panel we could see Mr Levis and others at the control board and occasionally boomed through a loud speaker, “A little nearer to the Mike, please,” or “would you mind moving a little to the left.” We rehearsed over and over again until we were tired.

Somebody noticed that Henry Hall had come into the control room, and another girl and I stole out of the studio and collected his autograph. We found that his band was rehearsing in studio for. We went in and collected autograph from the band.

The Big Surprise

Next day we had the pleasure of meeting Charles Shadwell and the Variety Orchestra in St George’s Hall, and I had my first experience of being accompanied by really good orchestra. After this rehersal came the big surprise.

Mr Levis called to two of us and said, “You are televising this afternoon. Be here early.”

In the afternoon I found myself in a car climbing the slope to Alexandra Palace. Soon we came to the Television Studios with their high, long corridors.

After a short rehearsal I changed and went to the “make up” room. Here my face was made up in an orange shade and my lips made a dark brown. My eyelids were heavily smeared with grey greasepaint and black lines were drawn round my eyes. Then I began another round with my autograph album, and added the television hostesses and the director to my collection.

At 3.40 I entered a large studio where the band was tuning up. There was a slight delay, so I looked around the studio with the cameraman and operators were wearing white overalls. At the back of the Studio, very high up near the ceiling was a glass pane where three men were at the control board.

Underneath was a large band and two grand pianos and a large microphone, different from those that Broadcasting House. Many lights were on. There was a kind of camera on wheels, was a man squatting on a little platform with his head buried in a queer kind of box. In front of this was the place where the performer stood against a white backcloth.

The programme was announced. I walked in front of the camera. The red light showed “vision. Sound on,” and the microphone swung above my head. The television orchestra struck the opening chords of “Sweet Mystery of Life” and the camera on wheels moved towards me.

The lights did not hurt my eyes but they were terribly hot. Everybody was busy fixing something and I felt quite bewildered. Then the cameraman pulled his head out of the box gave me an encouraging smile. That put new life into me. I returned the smile and began to sing. I imagine that all kinds of things would happen but I got through all right. I put all I could into the song, and when I had finished would have had like to see gone on again.

Just after I ended my song the programme was cut off on account of the Kings abdication, and we returned to Broadcasting House. On reaching the BBC headquarters we were told that owing to the abdication the programme there was cancelled.

As spirits fell until we were informed that we should be called again, probably on January 5th.”