Although it seems that the radio has been with us forever, it got it's start in the UK in 1922 when the British Broadcasting Company began. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKQwnB6Or9w
On a foggy November night in 1922, the words ‘This is 2LO calling’ announced the arrival of the BBC. 2LO transmitted the BBC’s first radio programme, marking the beginnings of official, state broadcasting, and a new era for listeners at home.
But when did Enid Blyton appear on the radio for the very first time, does anybody know?
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
In Enid Blyton: A Literary Life, Andrew Maunder mentions some poems and stories being broadcast from 1924:
Pollock [i.e. Hugh Pollock] also seems to have acted as his wife's agent occasionally. Newnes published The Radio Times (the BBC had launched in 1922) and it was perhaps through these connections that he was able to negotiate for radio stations to take her work: Blyton's poem 'The Garden Party' was broadcast from the BBC's Plymouth transmitter on 24 May 1924, her story 'The Wizard's Magic Necklace' from Dundee on 26 May 1925 and 'The Rainbow Fairies' from Belfast on 23 May 1928.
"Heyho for a starry night and a heathery bed!" - Jack, The Secret Island.
"There is no bond like the bond of having read and liked the same books."
- E. Nesbit, The Wonderful Garden.
I did not realise Enid's work had appeared on the radio so soon after it began.
I managed to dig out my copy of 1923's 'The Garden Party' to read what would have been broadcast.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
On that site if you do a search for Enid Blyton in the years up to 1929 (using the 'Date and time' filter) there are 5 results of programmes where she was actually mentioned in the programme schedule.
Combining Anita's ones with those on the BBC website specifying her up to 1929 ....
24-May 1924 : Plymouth - 'The Garden Party' poem
16-May 1925 : London - 'Bufo's One-Legged Stool' story
19-May 1925 : London - 'Pinkety and Old Mother Ribbony Rose' story
26-May 1925 : Dundee - 'The Wizard's Magic Necklace' story
10-Jun 1927 : Cardiff - 'The Magic Broom' story (with songs and music?)
23-May 1928 : Belfast - 'The Rainbow Fairies' story
19-Sep 1929 : London & Daventry - 'The Lost Golden Ball' story
Thank you very much Splodj.
Considering radio appeared in 1922, it is most interesting to see that it didn't take Enid Blyton too long to get involved with this new medium.
" A kind heart always brings its own reward," said Mrs. Lee.
- The Christmas Tree Aeroplane - Society Member
It is a pity that the Blyton/BBC relationship became strained because she might have written some things specially for that medium, as Agatha Christie did. Although perhaps she was only interested in writing primarily for books and magazines.
I think I may have mentioned elsewhere, that a previous owner of my house was a teacher at Ipswich High School where Enid Blyton did her teacher training (not sadly at the same time). When we moved in here, we found tucked away an old case containing some paperwork, including instructions for building a wireless. I haven't looked at it for years, but I've a feeling that the accompanying letter was dated 1926. I wonder if the lady ever sat in this house listening to Enid Blyton on the wireless that she'd built?
