Admirers of the work of BBC producer Michael Mason are appealing for a copy of the 1980 documentary BBC radio series The British Seafarer, which spawned the book pictured above. (It’s available from ABE Books.)
Michael Mason passed away last year, and I gather little of his work has been kept in the archives. Read about this remarkable producer here.
If a recording exists, pleas drop me a line at gmatkin@gmail.com, and I’ll pass the information along to the enquirer, Intheboatshed.net contributor Chris Brady.
Thanks Gavin. Actually there are 26 episodes!!! They are listed on the BBC Genome site at: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/search/0/20?adv=0&q=%22the+british+seafarer%22
Hi
I just found this site I have a number of the programmes recorded on cassette, which I made from Radio 4. Some are ok but others may have some interference. I think I still have 6 cassettes with 12 programmes. I can let you have them or make copies on Cd’s
Allan
Here is a list of titles – just for reference:
The British Seafarer
1 Introduction – The Deep Sea
2 Canvas, Hemp and Wood
3 The High Seas
4 The Merchants
5 Charts, Sea-Clocks and Stars,
6 The Complete Seaman
7 Stresses, Strains and Storms
8 The Long Blockade
9 Owners
10 Size, Steel and Steam
11 Missing, Lost and Saved
12 The Tramp and the Liner
13 Fisherman
14 Paradise Street and Ratcliffe Highway
15 Engine-room and Stokehold
16 Master Mariner
17 The Small Port
18 Seamanship
19 The Mate, the Bosun and the Cook
20 The Dreadnought Navy
21 The Big Port
22 Unions
23 Jutland
24 The Battle of the Atlantic, 1939-45 (45min)
25 Supercarrier
26 Offshore and Undersea
All episodes are 45 minutes EXCEPT episode 24 which is 60 minutes.
Research has elicited that the Beeb doesn’t have copies in its Archives. Neither does the British Library Sound Archive.
Thank you Alan. After extensive appeals you seem to be the only one with any recordings right now. Luckily quite a few too!! And thank you for getting in touch.