“Dictatorship tempered with an amount of human decapitation” was his style as Director-General of the BBC. This Presbyterian didn’t get on with Churchill as he felt he could have done a better job himself. John Reith was emancipated by a booze fuelled sailing trip with the governor of the Bank of England without his wife and subsequently encouraged drinking in the offices of the BBC. When he left the corporation, he vented his outrage whenever they played jazz music.

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Lord Britten, OM, CH (better known as Benjamin Britten; 1913 – 1976)
The same people in the Steeple archive

Lord Britten, OM, CH (better known as Benjamin Britten; 1913 – 1976)

This composer, conductor and pianist’s life revolved around alliteration: Britten’s siblings were Barbara, Beth and Bob and his professional and personal partner was Peter Pears; his Simple Symphony included the Boisterous Bourrée, the Playful Pizzicato, the Sentimental Sarabande and the Frolicsome Finale and his mother was convinced he’d be the “Fourth ‘B’ after Bach, Beethoven […]

Wacky, gay actor and Catweazle star Geoffrey Bayldon (1924 – 2017) – Leeds born actor Geoffrey Bayldon was best known for playing Catweazle in the 1970s series of same name. He turned down playing Dr Who twice
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Geoffrey Bayldon (1924 – 2017)

Wacky Leeds born actor Geoffrey Bayldon was best known for playing Catweazle in the 1970s series of the same name as the Crowman in Worzel Gummidge. Bayldon also played ‘Q’ in Casino Royale in 1967, was gay, turned down the role of Dr Who twice thinking the series “too long” and enjoyed collecting watercolour paintings, […]