LOSE YOURSELF IN 1963

EDINBURGH AND LINWOOD TOGETHER

Work on the Rootes Group’s latest factory commenced in 1961, at a cost of £23,000,000. Two years later, production of the Hillman Imp was running at 100 units per day, although the company envisaged that it would eventually produce 3000 cars per week. On Thursday 2 May, HRH the

Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the plant, and the company provided him with a new Hillman Imp for his journey to the airport. Witnesses recall him saying: ‘It is with great pleasure that I open this thing – whatever it is,’ before driving off.

ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT KENNEDY

‘Hello London. This is Leonard Parkin calling Radio Newsreel from Washington. President Kennedy and Governor John

Connolly of Texas were shot today in an ambush.’ That was the report heard by listeners to the BBC Home Service on 22 November. Later that day, Parkin reported: ‘I’ve just heard from Dallas that the President is still alive but in critical condition,’ before he paused ‘to have a look at a message I’ve just received from Dallas… President Kennedy is dead.’

DOCTOR WHO COMMENCES TRANSMISSION

Surely this will never catch on. A children’s science-fiction programme about a time traveller whose spaceship is disguised to resemble a police telephone box is a downright ridiculous idea, as is having an actor known for portraying army NCOs in the star role. And no sane viewer would care for that theme tune with all those bizarre electronic sounds. What are they thinking? No, this will clearly be nothing more than a short-lived filler between Grandstand and Juke Box Jury

, and the BBC ought to fire their Head of Drama. And as for that silly title…