Marie Slocombe
Encyclopedia
Marie Slocombe founded the BBC Sound Archive
in 1936. Her keen interest in audio recordings and folk music
have made her legacy important in the history of recorded sound.
, where she gained a First in French
. As a secretary in the Foreign Office
she undertook temporary work at the BBC
in 1936, and as part of this work was tasked to sort out and dispose of "a pile of dusty broadcast discs". On discovering that these included speeches and readings by contemporary figures such as George Bernard Shaw
, H.G. Wells, Winston Churchill
and others, instead of disposing of them, she realised their historical significance and resolved to keep them.
In these early days, the BBC had only one sound recording machine, a Blattnerphone tape recorder
, and transcribing recordings to disc
for retention was expensive; this led to "indifference, even opposition" from BBC management. However, she persevered, even keeping a recording of Edward VIII's abdication
speech, even though the BBC had been told not to record it, and by 1939 had amassed about 2,000 discs, including recordings of Hitler
and Goebbels
.
After the war
, she began collecting sound recordings from around the world, including birdsong
, particularly acquiring the recordings of Ludwig Koch
and other material. She was also a member of the English Folk Dance and Song Society
and ensured that folksong was well covered, becoming pivotal in several projects to record and retain British folk music. She began a collaboration with the Leeds University Dialect Survey which provided a large collection of British dialect
s.
for several years.
Her work was commemorated by a BBC Radio 4
documentary, Saving the Sounds of History, broadcast on 1 September 2007. In an essay, she regretted the BBC
's lack of support for folk music, whilst acknowledging the opportunity to collect such examples.
BBC Sound Archive
The BBC Sound Archive is a collection of audio recordings maintained by the BBC and founded in 1936. Its recordings date back to the late 19th century and include many rare items including contemporary speeches by public and political figures, folk music, British dialects and sound...
in 1936. Her keen interest in audio recordings and folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
have made her legacy important in the history of recorded sound.
Early life and career
Born in 1912, Slocombe studied at Lady Margaret Hall, OxfordUniversity of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, where she gained a First in French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
. As a secretary in the Foreign Office
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
she undertook temporary work at 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...
in 1936, and as part of this work was tasked to sort out and dispose of "a pile of dusty broadcast discs". On discovering that these included speeches and readings by contemporary figures such as George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw was an Irish playwright and a co-founder of the London School of Economics. Although his first profitable writing was music and literary criticism, in which capacity he wrote many highly articulate pieces of journalism, his main talent was for drama, and he wrote more than 60...
, H.G. Wells, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
and others, instead of disposing of them, she realised their historical significance and resolved to keep them.
In these early days, the BBC had only one sound recording machine, a Blattnerphone tape recorder
Tape recorder
An audio tape recorder, tape deck, reel-to-reel tape deck, cassette deck or tape machine is an audio storage device that records and plays back sounds, including articulated voices, usually using magnetic tape, either wound on a reel or in a cassette, for storage...
, and transcribing recordings to disc
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
for retention was expensive; this led to "indifference, even opposition" from BBC management. However, she persevered, even keeping a recording of Edward VIII's abdication
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
speech, even though the BBC had been told not to record it, and by 1939 had amassed about 2,000 discs, including recordings of Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
and Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
.
Recognition
In 1941 she was appointed as the first Sound Recordings Librarian and instituted a structured indexing system.After the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she began collecting sound recordings from around the world, including birdsong
Birdsong
Birdsong may refer to:* Bird vocalization, the sounds of birds* Birdsong , a 1993 novel by Sebastian Faulks* Birdsong, Arkansas, USA* Birdsong , a channel on the UK Digital One digital radio multiplex...
, particularly acquiring the recordings of Ludwig Koch
Ludwig Karl Koch
Ludwig Karl Koch MBE was a broadcaster and sound recordist. An expert on recording animal sounds, he played a significant part in increasing the British public's appreciation of wildlife....
and other material. She was also a member of the English Folk Dance and Song Society
English Folk Dance and Song Society
The English Folk Dance and Song Society was formed in 1932 when two organisations merged: the Folk-Song Society and the English Folk Dance Society. The EFDSS, a member-based organisation, was incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee in 1935 and became a Registered Charity The English Folk...
and ensured that folksong was well covered, becoming pivotal in several projects to record and retain British folk music. She began a collaboration with the Leeds University Dialect Survey which provided a large collection of British dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s.
Legacy
After retiring from the BBC in 1972, Slocombe retained her interest in folk music, editing the newsletter of the English Folk Dance and Song SocietyEnglish Folk Dance and Song Society
The English Folk Dance and Song Society was formed in 1932 when two organisations merged: the Folk-Song Society and the English Folk Dance Society. The EFDSS, a member-based organisation, was incorporated as a Company limited by guarantee in 1935 and became a Registered Charity The English Folk...
for several years.
Her work was commemorated by a BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
documentary, Saving the Sounds of History, broadcast on 1 September 2007. In an essay, she regretted 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...
's lack of support for folk music, whilst acknowledging the opportunity to collect such examples.