From Marconi to Melba: The Centenary of the First British Radio Broadcasts

From Marconi to Melba.

The Centenary of British Radio Broadcasting.

Tim Wander.

Signed by the author.

2020 marked the centenary of British radio broadcasting, which formed an integral part of the Chelmsford and Essex 2020 ‘Year of science and creativity’ celebrations – although of course most of these were sadly cancelled.

From Marconi to Melba. The Centenary of British Radio Broadcasting.

It is 270 A4 pages, full colour/sepia, (with over 70 newly colourized images!) It was published on Marconi’s Birthday, April 25th 2020 at the height of lockdown - as a limited edition of just 250 copies.

The first British experimental radio broadcasts were started in January 1920 from the Marconi New Street works. These led directly to Britain's first regular radio station, call sign 2MT, which took to the airwaves on February 14th 1922, led by the irrepressible Peter Eckersley. One of the stations many innovations was a dedicated children's section featuring poems, rhymes and funny stories -the first time radio recognised that children were also an audience.