Children's Hour facts for kids

The Children's Hour was a very popular radio show for kids in the UK. It was broadcast by the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation). This show was a big part of childhood for many people when radio was the main way to hear stories and music. It wasn't for school lessons, but just for fun!

The Children's Hour started way back in 1922. It was first heard from the BBC's station in Birmingham. Over time, it moved to the BBC Home Service. This happened when World War II began. Parts of the show were even played on the BBC World Service for listeners around the globe.

The show ran for many years, until 1964. For its last three years, it was called For the Young. The name Children's Hour comes from a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. It talks about a special time of day for children.

What Was on Children's Hour?

The Children's Hour featured many exciting and popular series. These shows kept young listeners entertained for decades.

Some of the famous stories and series included:

Other popular segments were Said the Cat to the Dog and Top of the Form. The show also turned books by famous children's authors into radio stories. Authors like Malcolm Saville and Arthur Ransome had their tales shared. Well-known musicians, such as Peter Maxwell Davies, even wrote music for the programme.

Who Were the Voices of Children's Hour?

Many talented actors and presenters worked on Children's Hour. They became famous for their voices and characters on the show.

Some of the well-known people included:

• Arthur Burrows (known as 'Uncle Arthur')
• Violet Carson
• David Davis
• Norman Ellison (also called Nomad the Naturalist)
• Rev George Bramwell Evens (known as Romany)
• Carleton Hobbs
• Rupert Gould (called 'The Stargazer')
• Derek McCulloch (known as 'Uncle Mac')
• Kathleen Garsgadden ('Auntie Kathleen')
• Jon Pertwee
• Wilfred Pickles
• David Seth-Smith (known as The Zoo Man)
• Norman Shelley

L. Stanton Jefferies also composed music for some of the early shows.