This came home to me over the weekend due to a tradesman and his small son.
We had some work carried out this weekend and the chap (late 20s) came over with his son (8) who was working with his dad to earn some cash for a bike he wants. We got chatting and the topic of my museum came up, he asked if he could have a look.
The look on their faces was, excuse the pun, a picture, especially the dad. You see not only had his lad grown up in the era of flat screen TVs but the dad pretty much likewise, although he had vague recollection of huge silver plastic widescreens sets.
He asked if this what a TV shop looked like in the past, my answer was pretty much yes. He thought most of what they could see were 1950s TV's due to them being in wooden cabinets and was quite taken aback when I explained the oldest set on display was 1967 and the youngest 1986, with the bulk being 1970s. I did show them a TV22 (not in the museum) which was an eye-opener for them and briefly mentioned TV's from the mid to late 1930s, which they were not aware of. Such a shame, nowadays, education focuses more on other cultures to the detriment of our own rich history and technological achievements, but that's for a discussion elsewhere, not here.
A fair few of the TVs in the museum were running, some showing TCF and some C.O.W. He had vague memories of seeing TCF but the C.O.W. meant nothing, which I found very interesting. It looks like Carol & Bubbles are still burned into the UK folks minds. With regard to the C.O.W. when I explained it came up between shows on the BBC and by demonstration jokingly pretended to be a BBC continuity announcer, he beamed and said "OMG, I do remember it now!"
Another interesting comment and one I get quite frequently was, "the picture is so good, I had no idea, I thought old TVs would be awful". I just had to also point out that not only did these TVs give a very good account of themselves, but here they were 50+ years later. That they could be repaired and maintained, unlike much of the crap that passes itself for a TV these days. When I further explained, some of the TV were "Hybrid", meaning they had valves, that was a step too far... valves! I then went and grabbed a valve, a transistor and an ic from stores, followed by a very brief a simple explanation, again, total incredulous fascination that something like a "light bulb" was part of the evolutionary process leading to what they have today.
Out came the smartphone, he took some photos as he explained his dad would be amazed as he had often remarked on older televisions, his dad being in his 50s.
Although I sometimes lose faith in why I bother, why the website etc, this was a timely reminder. That goes for all of us who tread this path of vintage Radio & Television. Whether your collection is small, large, tidy or a mess. Even if you don't collect items but have knowledge or a keen interest, all these types of participation are important. Without any of it, all will be lost or worse still misrepresented by the ill-informed, as has happened to so many other fields. So whatever we/you/I do, all should remember it is important for the collective memory.
Collective memory; The memory of a group of people, passed from one generation to the next.
CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
It's a pity there aren't really any museums dedicated old technology, I'm sure there would be a market for it, especially if it included old computer technology and if some of the exhibits were working as well. I believe there was something at Bradford but this has gone. If there are any good museums or exhibits that anyone is aware of maybe a list could be compiled ?
It's a pity there aren't really any museums dedicated old technology, I'm sure there would be a market for it, especially if it included old computer technology and if some of the exhibits were working as well. I believe there was something at Bradford but this has gone. If there are any good museums or exhibits that anyone is aware of maybe a list could be compiled ?
Well, the late Lucien Nunes tried to do just that with his MEET project but it struggled to find interest to back it, never mind the premature death of its owner. The collection of items is being dispersed as we speak.
Radiomuseum keeps a list of technical museums but obviously with a European twist. There is the Museum of Communication in Burntisland ( https://museumofcommunication.org.uk/) in Scotland.
Last time I visited Bolton museum and MOSI they both had a few examples of vintage radios, record players and televisions. The MOSI collection included many other items including the microwave link and dish from one section of the TV link to Pontop Pike.
Its a couple of years since my last visit so I can’t be sure what’s on display now.
Frank
@crustytv It sounds as if they enjoyed their tour Chris!
I have had similar reactions to my modest collection. The Jukebox and the Keracolor seem to attract the most interest. One younger visitor saw the Keracolour took a step back and asked his Dad "what's that"? His Dad replied "A TV, I think"... 😎
A couple of Police officers were the latest they came asking if anyone had any CCTV recordings as they were looking for a van that had been reported prowling. I invited them in to look at what we had, The CCTV recorder and screen are in a cupboard under the stairs so they initially were just in the hall, One of them commented on "the old radio" I have in the hall, so I showed them the lounge and dining room. They were there an hour! This caused some concern with the neighbours!
It sounds as if they enjoyed their tour Chris!
I believe they did 👍 I'm always wary of inflicting my interest upon others who do not share the hobby, as I know how it has the potential to bore the pants off folk. I tend to let folk do the driving, in as much as I offer snippets of info, if you fish well enough they come back asking for a little more and then more. Like the hybrid titbit, "what's a valve, well now you've asked, how about I show you where it started to where it ends?"
Funny thing a few months ago is the electrician we had around to extend and rewire some parts of the house. His jaw hit the deck, proclaiming, "good lord! I never thought I'd see any of these again!" turns out he was an ex TV engineer. Needless to say, he didn't get as much work done that day as he had intended due to the extended chat followed.
CrustyTV Television Shop: Take a virtual tour
Crusty's TV/VCR Collection: View my collection
A couple of Police officers were the latest they came asking if anyone had any CCTV recordings as they were looking for a van that had been reported prowling. I invited them in to look at what we had, The CCTV recorder and screen are in a cupboard under the stairs so they initially were just in the hall, One of them commented on "the old radio" I have in the hall, so I showed them the lounge and dining room. They were there an hour! This caused some concern with the neighbours!
A very long time ago (when Anne was still alive, in fact) we had a plumber and his apprentice round to sort out our gas fire, which had been condemned by someone else. In the course of conversation his apprentice pointed at the A22 on a shelf and said "Is that a radio?" to which his boss said "no, that's a wireless. You can almost hear Churchill coming out of it, can't you?"
I did remark to Anne that I'd hoped she'd pointed to the DKE sitting on another shelf and said "...and can you hear Hitler coming out of that one?" 🤣
I did remark to Anne that I'd hoped she'd pointed to the DKE sitting on another shelf and said "...and can you hear Hitler coming out of that one?" 🤣
William Joyce out of both?
Nick
It's a great pity that the BBC creates the myth that television in the past was poor quality and others perpetuate this: The Rise & Fall Of 405-Line Television | An AMTV Documentary - YouTube
Peter.
Where has the BBC created a myth about 405 being bad, Peter?
When I was a child, we had a holiday in "the motherland" (Wales) , and my father liked steam shows and similar things, we visited (and please excuse my phonetic attempt at spelling here) the mysellin wollen mill, an old water powered mill, undergoing some restoration. Then, the then owner, who was probably in his 50's then (I was less than 10!) , opened this door and there were hundreds of 405 TV's in this barn... that sealed my fate there and then. I'd love to know who he was ...
Where has the BBC created a myth about 405 being bad, Peter?
It was perpetuated in this: The Rise & Fall Of 405-Line Television | An AMTV Documentary - YouTube
starting at 1:26. The clip was taken from a BBC television history film. Note the BBC logo in the top left.
It came from this at 2:20
Peter
Where has the BBC created a myth about 405 being bad, Peter?
It was perpetuated in this: The Rise & Fall Of 405-Line Television | An AMTV Documentary - YouTube
starting at 1:26. The clip was taken from a BBC television history film. Note the BBC logo in the top left.
It came from this at 2:20
Peter
Sorry Peter, I'm not seeing what you're seeing. Given the programme segment is from the particularly annoying modern technology-worshipping programme Click! it may come across like that.
I am yet to watch the linked YouTube 'documentary' (but I notice he has a Reassuringly Large Microphone); but when I have I'll report back.
People will now have even more of a chance to see what 405 was like as to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Doctor Who, the BBC has put over 800 (yes, really) episodes online on iPlayer today and of course, let's not forget the BBC adaptation of Maigret currently enjoying another repeat on TPTV. Recorded on film for international sales, it uses studio cameras which would appear to be IO types, judging by the tell-tale black halo around speculars - a recent episode (The Countess) showed this to good effect around candles.
We mustn't forget that television never came to the market fully-matured: little does.
Related, I've spent over twenty years busting the myths about the German "People's Set" - only now are people beginning to see that a lot of rubbish was written about it and some still stubbornly believe it. I have even been accused of being a Nazi sympathiser for it.
Well, I've watched the documentary now and all I'll say is that's 11 minutes of my life I'll not get back.
I noticed you got a credit though, Peter?
Well, I've watched the documentary now and all I'll say is that's 11 minutes of my life I'll not get back.
I noticed you got a credit though, Peter?
I did see some brief screen shots from my videos but I missed the credit. 😥
Peter
Well, I've watched the documentary now and all I'll say is that's 11 minutes of my life I'll not get back.
I noticed you got a credit though, Peter?
I did see some brief screen shots from my videos but I missed the credit. 😥
Peter
Well, here it is.
I believe there was something at Bradford but this has gone.
What was that one, do you mean the section of the photography ("National Media") museum where they had a running mechanical TV?
@doz Would this be the place?
https://coflein.gov.uk/en/site/40854
Looks right. I wonder who he was?
@helloekco I think it was the media museum, I planned to visit it, it was around 2006 I think but I never got there. I did visit Bradford once for a course at the Microvitec monitor factory in the late eighties.
