TWW Television Wales and West 1959-2009

TWW (Television Wales and the West) Channel 10.

1 Initial Set backs
2 Account of Opening Night
3 TWW Chairman's review 1960
4 TWW sample Top Ten 1959/ 1960
5 TWW advertising
6 TWW Board 1963
7 Television Weekly
8 Some local TWW programmes
9 Mr and Mrs
10 TWW in Welsh
11 A few TWW programme schedules
12 Final programme

TWW Officers in late 1957
Chairman: Viscount Cilcennin. "There's a certain cosiness about the chairman
coming along to wish everyone all the best," wrote Harold Darton of TWW's first Christmas offerings
Managing Director: Mark Chapman-Walker
General Manager: JR Myers
Station Manager and Chief Engineer: W Kemp
Sales Controller: SJ Leach
London Manager: PI Bartholomew
Head Producer: Meurig Jones
Company Secretary/ Chief Accountant: G Bailes

Said Sir Robert Fraser, DG of ITA, in 1960, "the company has done extraodinarily well and have been very bold in their development." So their subsequent demise on the altar of Lord Hill's New Broom policy and their unrelenting pique was fully justified . Suffice it to say that Harlech TV with the backing of the famous but flawed Richard Burton was always going to seem an attractive option to the beastly Hill. So who can blame TWW, which had been a loyal and enterprising ITV member, for throwing in their tainted towel early and marching back to the valleys before HTV were ready to take over?
Picture: Bryan Michie, first TWW programme controller. He took up his post on August 11th 1957.
Main Menu

Opening Day: Tuesday January 14th 1958

'All was hustle and bustle at TWW's Pontacanna Studios on Tuesday afternoon, as technicians frantically prepared for the Company's first evening on the air.
In the thick of the affray, American Mr Robert Myers, consultant technical manager said, "This is what you call giving birth to a baby. I've seen preparations in a nursing home that weren't a great deal different from this. I hope it goes off well."
Mr Myers is on loan from NBC to TWW. His fears were not justified. Despite their on-off history TWW's first night went off smoothly. On the reception side, people from areas deep in West Wales, well outside the Company's orbit, reported a clear picture.
At 4.45pm Production 1 began, managing Director Mark Chapman-Walker said, "we come as newcomers to this area. As individuals we have deep roots in Wales and the West. I hope that these roots mean that this new plant will flourish. We recognise we are invited guests to your homes and we must become part of your family life. If you do not like our programmes we shall deserve to have them switched off. We hope that you will not want to."
In a short film showing the beginnings of TWW the Earl of Derby, President of the Company, said, "this is a great moment for us all, because after all the difficulties and the frustrations that we have encountered in getting this station on the air, we are at last operating from what is, in fact, the most modern studio in Europe."
The two main TWW programmes were Stars Rise in the West, in which Jack Train introduced eleven personalities from the area who had made their name in show business; and Roy Ward Dickson's quiz programme.
Interesting note from the Studio is that everyone, men and women, wears a very light blue linen uniform while at work. This innovation was the idea of Mr Chapman-Walker.
The Company has had American Advice in the setting up of its organisation. It seems to have extended further than technicalities. For at the head of each page of the first day's traffic sheet was the word 'Program'.'

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A selection of TWW trade advertisements issued in 1960

Last of the 1960 TWW trade ads

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Extracts from a Speech by the
Chairman of TWW, Viscount Cilcennin
given at the Cardiff Business Club in January 1960.

"No other station at the moment... is bilingual; no other station has to deal with two such distinctly different races on either side of the Bristol Channel; no other station has... to devote a certain amount of time (three periods of 40 minutes during the week and one period of 45 minutes on one Sunday a month) for programmes in the Welsh language."
"I think I am right in saying we are the only company with two Boards of Directors. There is the main board which meets in London or Pontcanna, and a special Welsh board , with Sir Grismond Phillipps as the chairman which always meets at Pontcanna.
A very large amount of our first year's profits... has been ploughed back into the Bristol studio. Already its local news service has been established and is working excellently in what will finally be the garages of the main studio."
"In two years TWW has obtained a viewing public of nearly two millions. This is out of a total of about three and a half million people who can receive the programmes... two million out of three and a half million is pretty good going for the first two years."
I think that television, be it BBC or Independent, has done a tremendous amount to keep families together. As we all know, the younger generation were inclined to leave their villages at night for the bright lights of the nearest town... television holds the families together wherever they live and keeps them in their own homes."
Of TWW's retailers' scheme he said, "This was started last March (1959) and has been a pronounced success. This scheme allows the retailer to make announcements on the screen at what, I hope, they consider a very economical rate, so that local viewers can be aware of the goods and service on offer. I believe it is the first time in British ITV that such facilities have been offered to the small man and we propose to continue with this service because television is not only for the 'big battalions' but it is for the small man to use as well."
Of the Arts: "Our Company gave a very great amount of help to the Bath Festival last year in order to encourage Bath to become one of the music centres of Europe. This year we have decided to make a grant to the Royal National Eisteddfod, which is taking place in your city (Cardiff), and I know will add still further to the glories of Welsh music and the Welsh language."
"The culture of Wales is a challenge to TWW, which we gladly take up, knowing that we have a highly receptive and discriminating audience. I trust we shall never fail you."

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TWW 1963
Chairman: Rt Hon Earl of Derby MC
Directors: Herbert Agar (USA), Sir William Carr, Sir Ifan Ab Owen Edwards, Alderman Huw T Edwards, Sidney Gilliat, Jack Hylton esq, Percy Jones JP, Liet-Col HM Llewellyn CBE JP, Sir Alexander H Maxwell KCMG, Eoin Mekie CBE, Sir Grismond Phillipps CVO, M Chapman-Walker CBE MVO, Tom R Jones FRSA, Alfred Francis OBE (Vice Chairman).
Chief Executives:
Programme Controller: Bryan Michie
Technical Controller: Walter Kemp
Sales Controller: Stanley Leach
Publicity Controller: Frank Brown
Regional Controller: Peter Bartholomew DSO
Operations Manager: T Carpenter
Executive Producer: Wyn Roberts

London Office: TWW House Sloane Street London SW1 (BELgravia 7000)
Cardiff Sales Office: Holst House Museum Place Cardiff (phone 31152-4)
Bristol Sales Office: Royal London Buildings Baldwin Street Bristol 1 (phone 2-1515)
Birmingham Sales Office: Cornwall Buildings Newhall Street Birmingham (CENtral 4311)
Manchester Sales Office: Royal Exchange Manchester 2 (BLAckfriars 3765).
Studios: Pontacanna Cardiff (phone 26633) and TWW Centre Bath Road Bristol (phone 70271).
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TWW's Discs A Gogo

Land of Song with Ivor Emmanuel (1927-2007). For details of some of the programmes.

Ivor was soon given his own series Ivor Comes to Town. Making use of TWW's new Ł100,000 Outside Broadcast Unit , this 30 minute show featured Ivor talking to locals, but with a "strong musical flavour." "The series has been a qualified success," wrote critic Alec McKinty, "though it still appears to me that Emmanuel is getting himself too clearly identified with just one vehicle of entertainment, TWW."
Ivor also appeared in a Christmas special Happy Christmas shown on Christmas Day 1959 from 5.30 to 6pm on TWW and Granada, while A-R in London screened the programme earlier at 4.15pm.
New Airs and Faces on Thursdays starting in January 1958, was a talent show, resident compere Wyn Calvin introducing acts never seen on tv and songs and tunes never before published. Producer was Jeff Inman.
TWW had the distinction of being first to screen an opera on ITV. As part of their coverage of the 1959 Bath Festival, Bizet's "Dr Miracle" was screened. Another first was claimed in their Autumn 1959 series of programmes titled Camau Cyntaf, designed to teach Welsh.
Another experiment was aimed at churches and chapels which have no regular ministers. The screening of two sermons at different times on a Sunday morning "so that people in the different places of worship will be able to place a televsion set in front of the congregation and hold their services round the fixed transmission time of the sermon." With twelve inch screens and no video recorders, one wonders if any chapels actually adopted this scheme.
TWW's local news magazine was Here and There a traditional round up of local stories. One edition I would like to have watched was on December 10th 1959 as "Cardiff comedian" Stan Stennett and Harry Secombe came to talk about, quote, ' The Welsh Air Force', unquote, which was a project founded by Stan and since joined by no less than Stanley Baker. Here Today was its long running successor. It started three days a week and included an inter schools quiz on Mondays, a nature corner on Wednesdays and dancing lessons on Fridays. Host was celebrated pianist who became famous nationally on BBC's Face the Music, Joseph Cooper. By 1965 it was now a successful daily magazine, still hosted most days by Cooper. Guest on Easter Monday that year was Janie Marden, whilst Dilys Watling was the guest singer on April 22nd.
One local programme that introduced some well known names was In Your View. Frankie Howerd was one guest, Ted Willis another, Dilys Powell a third, whilst local talent Donald Houston appeared on February 24th 1959.

One local produced drama was the 1958 Two by Two from the Bristol Old Vic. After a long wait there was a second production produced by Frank Dunlop from the Bristol Vic, an hour long version of Taming of the Shrew. It was an abbreviated version of the stage production with Peter Wyngarde starring as Petruchio, with Joan Heal as Katherine. A drama documentary on the life of local hero Isambard Brunel was taped during September 1959 , written by Kem Bennett and directed by John Wynn-Jones. Not surprisingly Wyngarde was given the lead.

Summer 1959 saw the taping from The Bristol Old Vic of Rules of the Game with Stephen Murray as Leone, Adrienne Corri and Richard Gale. Produced by Douglas Seale and directed by John Wynn-Jones. Also in the interesting cast were Rosalind Atkinson, Donald Pickering, Michael Danvers-Walker, John Barcroft, Peter Jeffrey, Gerald James and John Woodvine.
Another 30 minute drama-type programme was introduced by Godfrey Winn. Dance Date provoked a lot of critical jeers but eventually gained in popularity. The series began on Saturday November 28th 1959. One shown on January 2nd 1960 starred Jennifer Browne, John Gabriel, Karal Gardner and Daniel Moynihan, under regular director Don Leaver. On 30th January 1960 the story was called Finishing School and starred Ann King and veteran Mary Merrall. A fortnight later the story featured Peter Sallis with Carol Ann Ford and Carole Maybank. The final programme was shown on March 12th that year. The theme tune of the series was written by Dave Lee with lyrics by Herbert Kretzner.

Local talent spotting programme was called Now's Your Chance, hosted by TWW's Programme Manager Bryan Michie. From Summer 1959 it was revamped as Encore.
For the first year, unlike most other regions, TWW avoided a lunchtime show, but on Friday March 20th 1959 they followed the trend with an hour-long "Friday Special" hosted by Rex Garner and Maureen Pryor, who was later replaced by announcer Rita Street. 19 year old singer Maureen Evans was such a success that TWW put her under contract. Also a regular on the programme was Ted Trimmer, brother of actress Deborah Kerr, who presented film reports on diverse subjects such as ghost hunting in Monmouth and an inventor in Weston-super-Mare.

Challenge (1959/60) was a late night show that ran for 34 editions, many of the programmes chaired by Dennis Vance. Each week a well known personality was quizzed about his job or interest by a panel of students. The format continued as the Welsh langauge programme Ar Brawf (qv). On December 7th Alan Pryce-Jones was in the chair, with Daily Mirror columnist Mary Brown answering questions from students on Does Advice from Outsiders Really Help? The December 14th 1959 programme was hosted by Donald Houston with the subject Is Public Ownership Outdated, explored by Hon Patrick Maitland MP. The Feb 1st 1960 discussion was Wales and the Next Ten years with Lord Brecon. The final programme of the series (Feb 22nd 1960) had a reversal of roles as student Paul Wilkinson defended modern youth against an adult panel, Frank Cousins, Lord Harding, Moira Shearer, Lord Boothby, Lady Pakenham and Lord Brecon.

One of TWW's most successful quizzes, which eventually received the accolade of networking, albeit when made by A-R, was Abracadabra hosted by Roy Ward Dickson. It ran to several hundred shows. Other quizzes he introduced were Pix and Think of a Number. In Abracadabra questions were asked having answers beginning with a letter of the alphabet, randomly selected. A correct response gave you that letter, the idea being to make a five letter word out of your winning letters. A reviewer of the 18 Aug 1960 show complained Dickson "insists on keeping up an intermittent badinage with his wife who is on hand to check the spellings." Sounds quite normal for these days! (See also Mr and Mrs)
A TWW made feature on boxing was the series Kings of the Ring, with footage of some of the great bouts of the century.

A series I would have liked to see was the 45 minute Dig Dankworth, four programmes shown in the summer of 1959 as part of TWW Jazz Club. TWW are said to have "paid their biggest fee to date" to secure Dankworth's signature. Such was the success of the programmes that Dankworth was reengaged from the end of July for some more programmes. Bryan Michie announced "Dig Dankworth shows have been an outstanding success winning praise from jazz and non-jazz critics alike."
A rival to Edgar Lustgarten was Rev Gordon Lang who introduced a series called Mind Behind Murder starting in April 1960. He discussed "some of the famous criminal trials he has attended over the past 35 years." This was of course nothing like Lustgarten's Scotland Yard!
The fifth in the series dealt with the Thompson-Bywaters case, and included an account of a condemned woman's last moments on the scaffold. A councillor complained this programme was "particularly repulsive... it was startlingly unpleasant to hear from Lang that the informer was the executioner." But the ITA rejected the complaint. TWW added, "the programmes in the series are now broadcast late on Saturday evenings, usually about 11 to 11.20pm. The series is regarded by ITA as being responsibly conceived and prepared and is presented seriously and without sensation."
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TWW in Welsh

The enterprising TWW board even offered their own employees the opportunity to learn Welsh, a prize being offered to the person who made most progress in a year. In 1960, so great was the response, the prize had to be shared amongst four workers, announcer Christine Godwin, sound technician Garth Price, from the mailing department Tony Jones and maintenance engineer Mike Powell.
And the first advertisement in Welsh by a Welsh firm was transmitted by TWW in October 1959- it was a 15 second ad for an ironmongers and furnishers in Barry.

Some TWW Welsh Language Programmes
For Land of Song, see main TWW programmes section

ENTERTAINMENT
DRAMA
MAGAZINES
SERIOUS
QUIZZES in WELSH

Picture- Myfanwy Howell, best known for presenting Amser Te.

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This listing covers as many TWW programmes in Welsh as I can find out about, from 1958 up to the time Teledu Cymru (WWN) began their ill-fated Welsh franchise in September 1962.

Can I apologise that my Welsh is certainly not up to writing this section in Welsh. Any offers?