In the first week of December 1923, the one-year-old British Broadcasting Company gave us two notable firsts, from different cultures: Its first Gaelic broadcast, and its first Muslim broadcast.
Neither are widely reported, but they offer a glimpse into an early BBC that might be more diverse and eager to share different voices than it's often thought. We've done some digging, and although there are no clips, we've found a few details - including some of the text. Plus when do you think the BBC first broadcast the Muslim call to prayer? Earlier than you might think...
Here in our moment-by-moment timeline, we share what we know about these landmark moments, with guest Remona Aly joining us to cast her eye over the recently rediscovered text of that earliest known broadcast about the Islamic faith. It was by high-profile Muslim convert Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Farooq, aka Lord Headley, aka Rowland George Allanson Allanson-Winn (yes, posh white British nobleman seems to have been the acceptable voice of minority religion at this point).
First we meet Rev John Bain, from the High United Free Church in Aberdeen, a native Gaelic speaker from Big Sand, Gairloch, Wester Ross. He gave a 15 minute sermon in Gaelic on Sunday 2 December 1923. (It may even have been the BBC's first church service, contrary to the historical record that St Martin-in-the-Fields began such services under Rev Dick Sheppard in early 1924.) Meanwhile Wireless Weekly magazine discuss English-speaking announcers struggling to introduce songs like Mo Ribhinn Chaoimhneil.
Two days later on Tuesday 4 December 1923, according to the Radio Times listing: "The Rt Hon Lord Headley, the famous Moslem Peer, will Talk on his recent experiences at Mecca." We've found a write-up in the RT of his 'Pilgrimage to Mecca' - enlightening about the man himself and his travels, as guest of King Hussein of Hejaz. See the show notes below to read the full text, and hear some of it on the podcast. And hear of other early Muslim BBC broadcasts, including the 'Call from the Minaret' in July 1925 and a reading from the Qur'an ten years later.
Journalist and broadcaster Remona Aly guides us through his experiences and gives her thoughts on reconnecting with a century-old tale of the Hajj pilgrimage. And we have a bit of a chuckle at how he kept fumbling his Magic Lantern show at his live events - yes, the Powerpoint fail of 1923.
Oh indeed, the early BBC wasn't all Christian sermons - whether in English or in Gaelic...
Plus we pay tribute to broadcast historian Tony Currie and TV presenter Dame Esther Rantzen, daughter of Harry... Who? Hear more here.
Plus a newly uploaded gramophone record parodying the early BBC, Paul's PhD is underway at Loughborough University, and we've been nominated for Best History Podcast at the Independent Podcast Awards. Aw, thanks!
SHOWNOTES:
Next time, Episode 129: Orson Welles' War of the Worlds broadcast + an early BBC ghost story
More on this broadcasting history project at paulkerensa.com/oldradio
