Kathleen Garsgadden
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Mary Evelyn Garsgadden (1897–1991) was a Scottish radio broadcaster and presenter who became famous as presenter of the Scottish Children's Hour
programme on the BBC Home Service
which later became Radio Four. She was known as 'Auntie Kathleen' and her popularity turned her into a celebrity. Crowds gathered at the studio to obtain her autograph and she received a large volume of correspondence from listeners.
, Glasgow
, the daughter of George Garscadden, accountant and businessman, and his wife, Maggie Jane Vint. She was educated at Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School, Glasgow
, before moving to London to train as a professional singer under Sir Henry Wood. She abandoned her goal of becoming an opera singer and returned to Glasgow where her career began at the very beginnings of radio broadcasting. She never married and died in Glasgow, on 20 February 1991.
programme was broadcast only from Glasgow but from 1928 onwards it was broadcast throughout Scotland. In 1940, she was appointed as Children's Hour
organizer for Scotland and she held that post until her retirement. Among the well-known entertainers who received their first opportunities from Garsgadden were Gordon Jackson
, Fulton Mackay
, John Grieve
, Molly Weir
, Tom Conti
, Moira Anderson
, Sydney Devine
, Stanley Baxter
, Jimmy Logan
, Rikki Fulton
, and Janet Brown. There is photograph of her with Tom H. Gillespie
(known as the Zoo Man), James Douglas Home (The Bird Man) and Gilbert D. Fisher
(the Hut Man). These three experts presented natural history programmes on Scottish Children's Hour
, hosted by Garsgadden. She retired in June 1960 after 37 years' service with the BBC
. After Kathleen Garsgadden retired, she continued to give piano and singing lessons at least into the late nineteen eighties. On 4th March 1973, a BBC
This is Your Life programme was broadcast in her honour. It was presented by Magnus Magnusson
, and her friends contributing to the programme included Molly Weir
, Gordon Jackson
, Moira Anderson
, Rikki Fulton
, Peggy O'Keefe
, and Moultrie Kelsall
.
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
programme on the BBC Home Service
BBC Home Service
The BBC Home Service was a British national radio station which broadcast from 1939 until 1967.-Development:Between the 1920s and the outbreak of The Second World War, the BBC had developed two nationwide radio services, the BBC National Programme and the BBC Regional Programme...
which later became Radio Four. She was known as 'Auntie Kathleen' and her popularity turned her into a celebrity. Crowds gathered at the studio to obtain her autograph and she received a large volume of correspondence from listeners.
Life
Kathleen Garsgadden was born on 18 February 1897 at 13 Nithsdale Gardens, CrossmyloofCrossmyloof
Crossmyloof is an area on the south side of Glasgow in Scotland.-Etymology:The name is derived from Gaelic Crois MoLiubha, St Malieu's Cross....
, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, the daughter of George Garscadden, accountant and businessman, and his wife, Maggie Jane Vint. She was educated at Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School, Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, before moving to London to train as a professional singer under Sir Henry Wood. She abandoned her goal of becoming an opera singer and returned to Glasgow where her career began at the very beginnings of radio broadcasting. She never married and died in Glasgow, on 20 February 1991.
Career
Garsgadden acted as a singer, pianist and announcer on her father's amateur radio station. This radio station became the basis of the BBC's first Scottish radio station when it was taken over in 1923. She was then invited by the first station director to join the BBC as a programme assistant. Originally her Children's HourChildren's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
programme was broadcast only from Glasgow but from 1928 onwards it was broadcast throughout Scotland. In 1940, she was appointed as Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
organizer for Scotland and she held that post until her retirement. Among the well-known entertainers who received their first opportunities from Garsgadden were Gordon Jackson
Gordon Jackson (actor)
Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
, Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay
Fulton Mackay OBE was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s sitcom Porridge.-Early life:...
, John Grieve
John Grieve (actor)
John Grieve was a Scottish actor, best known as the engineer Macphail in the 1970s BBC adaptation of Neil Munro's Para Handy stories, The Vital Spark....
, Molly Weir
Molly Weir
Mary Weir, better known as Molly Weir, was a Scottish stage actress, most notable for her role as the long-running character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series Rentaghost. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir.Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the...
, Tom Conti
Tom Conti
Thomas "Tom" Conti is a Scottish actor, theatre director and novelist.-Early life:Born Thomas Conti in Paisley, Renfrewshire, he was brought up Roman Catholic, but he considers himself anti-religious...
, Moira Anderson
Moira Anderson
Moira Anderson, OBE is a Scottish singer.- Life and career :Following an education at Lenzie Academy, Anderson quickly established herself at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow before getting her big break in the media after a successful audition at the BBC.She landed her...
, Sydney Devine
Sydney Devine
Sydney Devine is Scotland's very own rhinestone cowboy, a singer whose career began with a television appearance in 1953 at the age of thirteen, developed during eight years touring with the White Heather Group...
, Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter
Stanley Baxter is a Scottish comic actor and impressionist, best known for his British television shows. He worked in radio, theatre, television and film.-Early life:...
, Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan
Jimmy Logan OBE, FRSAMD , born as James Allan Short, Dennistoun, Glasgow, was a Scottish performer, producer, impresario and director.-Family:...
, Rikki Fulton
Rikki Fulton
Robert Kerr Fulton, OBE , more commonly known as Rikki Fulton, was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, Scotch and Wry. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, Francie and Josie, alongside...
, and Janet Brown. There is photograph of her with Tom H. Gillespie
Thomas Haining Gillespie
Thomas Haining Gillespie, FRSE, MBOU, FZS, was the founder of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and was known as 'Father of Edinburgh Zoo'. He was also 'the Zoo Man' on the BBC Scottish radio programme, Children's Hour, giving talks and answering questions on zoological matters.- Life :Tom...
(known as the Zoo Man), James Douglas Home (The Bird Man) and Gilbert D. Fisher
Gilbert Dempster Fisher
Gilbert Dempster Fisher was a Scottish broadcaster, writer and naturalist who achieved prominence on BBC Scottish Radio as a naturalist under the persona of ‘the Hut Man’.- Life :...
(the Hut Man). These three experts presented natural history programmes on Scottish Children's Hour
Children's Hour
Children's Hour—at first: "The Children's Hour", from a verse by Longfellow—was the name of the BBC's principal recreational service for children during the period when radio dominated broadcasting....
, hosted by Garsgadden. She retired in June 1960 after 37 years' service with the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
. After Kathleen Garsgadden retired, she continued to give piano and singing lessons at least into the late nineteen eighties. On 4th March 1973, a BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
This is Your Life programme was broadcast in her honour. It was presented by Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson
Magnus Magnusson KBE was a television presenter, journalist, translator and writer. He was born in Iceland but lived in Scotland for almost all of his life, although he never took British citizenship...
, and her friends contributing to the programme included Molly Weir
Molly Weir
Mary Weir, better known as Molly Weir, was a Scottish stage actress, most notable for her role as the long-running character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series Rentaghost. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom Weir.Born in Glasgow and brought up in the Springburn area of the...
, Gordon Jackson
Gordon Jackson (actor)
Gordon Cameron Jackson, OBE was a Scottish Emmy Award-winning actor best remembered for his roles as the butler Angus Hudson in Upstairs, Downstairs and George Cowley, the head of CI5, in The Professionals....
, Moira Anderson
Moira Anderson
Moira Anderson, OBE is a Scottish singer.- Life and career :Following an education at Lenzie Academy, Anderson quickly established herself at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow before getting her big break in the media after a successful audition at the BBC.She landed her...
, Rikki Fulton
Rikki Fulton
Robert Kerr Fulton, OBE , more commonly known as Rikki Fulton, was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, Scotch and Wry. He was also known for his appearances as one half of the double act, Francie and Josie, alongside...
, Peggy O'Keefe
Peggy O'Keefe
- Life :Peggy O'Keefe was born on a farm near the city of Warrnambool, three hours from Melbourne, Australia. After a good education, both musical and academic, at a convent boarding school, she attended the Melbourne University Music Conservatorium, where she studied violin, piano, singing and harp...
, and Moultrie Kelsall
Moultrie Kelsall
Moultrie Rowe Kelsall was a Scottish film and television character actor, who began his career in the industry as a radio station director and television producer...
.