Table 1
Vere Gordon Childe: Radio and Television Broadcasts.
| TITLE | DATE | DURATION | BROADCASTER, COUNTRY & REGION | MEDIUM (RADIO/TELEVISION/PRINT) | OUTPUT – SCRIPT/ARTICLE/CHAPTER | RECORDING | SOURCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ‘A prehistorian’s interpretation of diffusion’ | 10 September 1936: 9.30–11.30 | 30 minutes (within session of 2 hours with 4 speakers) | W1XAL World Wide Broadcasting Foundation, Boston (USA) | Radio | Book chapter (see below) | No | Harvard University Tercentenary Week. Broadcast over W1XAL World Wide Broadcasting Foundation. Broadcast Schedule. In: Scientific Papers contributed to the Harvard Tercentenary Conference of Arts and Sciences, August 31–September 12, 1936, other than those related to the three collaborative symposia published by the University. [A collection of reprints from various periodicals.] British Library General Reference Collection 7005.r.8. |
| ‘A prehistorian’s interpretation of diffusion’– written version of broadcast above | 1937 | N/A | N/A | Book Chapter | N/A | Independence, Convergence and Borrowing in Institutions, Thought and Art: 3–21 (Harvard Tercentenary Publications). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. | |
| Professor ‘G’ Gordon Childe and Watson Davis, Life in the Stone Age. | 23 March 1937: 17.15–17.30 | 15 minutes | WEEI – Boston. Science Service (USA) | Radio | No | No | The Portsmouth NH Herald, Tuesday March 23 1937, p. 7. Radio Programs. |
| ‘Life in a Stone Age Village’. Part of series ‘Digging for History’ | 4 July 1937: 16.00–16.15 | 15 minutes | BBC Regional Programme Scotland | Radio | No | No | BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/4d58c53785d849f999c445dae33d3cf0 |
| ‘Chronicles in Stone’ | 26 November 1937: 18.45 – 19.00 | 15 minutes | BBC Regional Programme London | Radio | No | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/cc60b1e4317a4ee5a1c122bae045f9d4 |
| ‘Chronicles in Stone’ | 8 December 1937 | N/A | BBC Magazine | Magazine Article | N/A | The Listener 18 (465) Wednesday 8 December, 1937, pp. 1245–6 | |
| ‘The Birth of Science’. 1st lecture in George Orwell Series ‘Science and Politics’ | 2 June 1942: 11.15–11.45 | 30 minutes | BBC Indian Service | Radio (recorded) | Book chapter (see below) | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon Davison, P. 1998, pp. 256, 265, 245, 319 BBC Written Archives. Talks Book Requisition. Childe. |
| ‘Science and Magic’ – written version of broadcast above | 1943 | N/A | N/A | Book Chapter | N/A | Forster et al (eds.) 1943, pp, 65–72 | |
| Your Questions Answered | 1 June 1945: 16.30–17.00 | 30 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon |
| Your Questions Answered | 31 August 1945: 18.00–18.30 | 30 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon |
| ‘Plants and Animals’. 1 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 17 October 1945: 10:40 – 11.00 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/2a236e842abb42cea72fc467278fa5e0 |
| ‘The Influence of Metals’. 2 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 24 October 1945: 10.40–11.00 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/68bd7651e7124f2bb0327311bc2c9f6f |
| ‘The Division of Labour’ 3 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 31 October 1945: 10.40–1100 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/47cfb7abdb8643d2b6050e45c153a3cd |
| ‘Calling Australia’ | 06 November 1945: 19.30–19.45 | 15 minutes | BBC Pacific Service | Radio (recorded) | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon Otago Daily Times Issue 25993 6 November 1945, pp. 1. |
| ‘The Effect of Iron Tools’ 4 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 7 November 1945: 10.40–11.00 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.o.uk/481f732cfb30461e874f34d155f67e16 |
| ‘New Ways of Living’ 5 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 14 November 1945: 10.40–11.00 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a33005fe07a544599d8268fabee3269f |
| ‘Machines and Social Orders’ 6 of 6 in series ‘Man Takes Over’ | 21 November 1945: 10.40–11.00 | 20 minutes | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/ea231184bf38432a808bc28486bd11b9 |
| ‘The Romance of Archaeology’ | 8 December 1945 | N/A | BBC London Calling | Magazine Article | N/A | BBC London Calling 323, pp. 13 and 16 Karntner Nachrichten 176, 8 December 1945, p. 4. | |
| ‘Australians in Britain. The Purpose of Archaeology’ | 14 June 1946: 17.15–17.30 | 15 minutes | BBC Pacific Service | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon |
| ‘Your Questions Answered’ | 11 October 1946: | BBC Light Programme/Forces Education | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon | |
| ‘Archaeology and History. By Gordon Childe’ 8 in series ‘The Archaeologist’ | 1 December 1946: 18:45–7.00 | 15 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d557f05be6f46f5b09ffed092f4c975 |
| ‘The Study of Mankind’ | 5 December 1946: 15.30–15.45 | 15 minutes | BBC Eastern Service (Purple Network) | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon |
| ‘Archaeology and History’ | 19 December 1946 | N/A | BBC Magazine | Magazine Article | N/A | The Listener 36 (939), Thursday 19 December 1946, pp. 882–883 | |
| ‘Social Evolution’ | 23 April 1952: 21. 00–21.20 | 20 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio (recorded) | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/deb4d2b7ac4344be84331ae42943e536 |
| ‘Social Evolution’ (repeat of the above) | 12 August 1952: 18.00–18.20 | 20 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio | Script | No | BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6951ee5d68e749d18743ebfdfb0e548d |
| ‘Economic Prehistory’ | 20 May 1952: 20.30 – 20.50 | 20 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio (recorded) | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/883844f16c2f4ee88268e58a753a72b2 |
| ‘Economic Prehistory’ (repeat of the above) | 22 May 1952: 11.30–11.50 | 20 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio | Script | No | BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/c064e48cb49e4a6b98e25b439670e2cc |
| Anonymous review of ‘Prehistoric Europe: The Economic Basis’ by J. D. G. Clark | 17 July 1952 | N/A | BBC Magazine | Magazine Article | N/A | The Listener 48 (1220), Thursday 17 July 1952, p.115. BBC Written Archives: Internal BBC Memo, Gilbert Phelps, 25 April 1952 | |
| In panel television series ‘Animal, Vegetable, Mineral’ | 23 October 1952: 21.45–22.15 | 30 minutes | BBC Television | Television | Filming directions, no script | No | BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/6d3e187ac65643adbd515280c08fc45c BBC History (photo) https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p018by0n/p01866g0 |
| Childe describing his impressions of a recent visit trip to Central Asia | 30 September 1953 | ? | Russian Radio Service for Britain (Soviet Union) | Radio | No | No | BBC Monitoring Report 4401 TNA. KV2/2149, 93a: Childe |
| ‘Neolithic Britain’ | 15 June 1954: 20.10–20.30 | 20 minutes | BBC Third Programme | Radio | Script | No | BBC Written Archives Index: Childe, V. Gordon BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a74379fc25c24af8b79fc9024849a4a7 |
| ‘Neolithic Cultures of the British Isles’ | 24 June 1954 | N/A | BBC Magazine | Magazine Article | N/A | The Listener 51 (1321), Thursday 24 June 1954, p. 1089 | |
| ‘The Challengers: National Museum Prague (Narodni Museum V Praze)’. In panel television series ‘Animal, Vegetable, Mineral’ | 3 May 1956: 21.30–22.00 | 30 minutes | BBC Television | Television | Filming directions, transcript of programme & recording | Yes | BBC Written Archives Index: ‘Animal, Vegetable, Mineral’ BBC Genome https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/18b38c9d027b425092255ac76a441b86 BBC Iplayer https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/p017gfng |
| ‘Prehistory in India’ | May 6 1957: 21.15–21.30 | 15 minutes | Calcutta (A). All India Radio (India) | Radio (recorded) | No | No | The Times of India May 6, 1957, pg. 9 |
| ‘Bronze Age Economics Created European Society’ | 13 October 1957: 19.15 | ? | Australian Broadcasting Commission (ABC) (Australia) | Radio (recorded) | Edited Transcript | No | Australian Archaeology 30, 1990, pp. 26–28. |
Figure 1
Page 5 (with corrections by Childe) of Childe’s script for the radio broadcast ‘Archaeology and History’, episode 8 of the Third Programme series ‘The Archaeologist’, broadcast on 1 December 1946. Credit: © BBC Written Archives. Reproduced from Scripts microfiche.
Figure 2
Broadcasting House, 5 Queen Street Edinburgh, where Childe recorded the majority of his broadcasts between 1937 and 1946. Losdedos, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/de/deed.en>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Figure 3
Childe at the International Symposium of the Academy of Natural Sciences on Early Man, Philadelphia, in March 1937. “Courtesy of Smithsonian Institution Archives”.
Figure 4
Childe as broadcaster, participating in the first television episode of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? in 1952. Credit: © BBC Archive.
Figure 5
Outrage over Foster Forbes’ broadcast. Letter written by Gordon Childe to John Reith, Director General of the BBC, on 8 October 1937. BBCWAC/R41/209/1/PCS. Talks File 1. Credit: © BBC Written Archives.
Figure 6
Avebury stone circle today, as reconstructed: the site of archaeological tensions in 1937. MikPeach, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons.
Figure 7
Page 8 of the script for the Forces Education series radio broadcast, Your Questions Answered, broadcast on 1 June 1945, with Childe’s scripted contribution. © BBC Written Archives. Reproduced from Scripts microfiche.
Figure 8
Filming Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? Credit: © BBC Archive.