Its that man again It was at 8.15 pm on Wednesday, July 12, 1939, that a BBC announcer said; "This is the National Programme. Ladies and Gentlemen-"I ts that man again!" The Liverpool comedian, Tommy Handley [and his famous team] launched ITMA, the radio show that was to run for ten years. The show became an institution and a legend, with characters like Mrs Mopp [Dorothy Summers]: Frisby Dyke [Deryck Guyler]; Sophie Tuckshop [Hattie Jacques]; Miss Hotchkiss [Diana Morrison]; Colonel Chinstrap [Jack Train] and Mona Lott [Joan Harben]. Some of their catchphrases, like TTFN ["Ta,ta for now"], "Can I do you now sir?" and "I go, I come back," became part of our daily speech. News of Tommy Handleys death reached the BBC as a recording of the 310th edition was going out on the Light Programme. Listeners were still laughing at his jokes when the 6pm bulletin announced that "that man" was no more. People stood six deep along the six-mile route of his funeral procession to St,Paul's Cathedral, to pay their last respects to this "fellow of infinate jest." --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.365 / Virus Database: 202 - Release Date: 24/05/02

Ah Happy days, I remember them well. What a lovely and very apt name for dear old Hattie. Do any other of the senior members remember where they were when war broke out as Rob Wilton used to say. I was on holiday in Blackpool and on September the 7th was it, the lights went out. I was devastated and heaped what deprecations a seven year old boy knew on the head of that nasty man Hitler. We used to go to Blackpool every year in September ( yes, I know how fortunate I was but my dad always had a job because he drove a tram for Manchester Corporation Tramways Dept.) We always stayed about half a mile from the sea front near Lytham Road at the house of Mrs. Nicholson who had a son Peter my age. With Peter's help I got to know Blackpool inside out. Mrs. Nicholson was a widow and she let her parlour and front bedroom for ten shillings a week. My mum used to buy our food and Mrs. Nicholson would cook it for us all for ten bob. So mum also had a holiday. I loved blackpool in those days and I can't ever remember it raining but of course it must have now and again. These days you're lucky to get a fine day at Blackpool. To get an idea of even our poverty a visit to the South Shore pleasure beach fairground was always reserved for Friday the last day before we boarded the special Manchester employees bus for home. Jim Sharpe Shaw, Oldham, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Marged <marged@btinternet.com> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 2:31 AM Subject: [GEN-FRIENDS] ITMA - Just a blast from the past > Its that man again > > It was at 8.15 pm on Wednesday, July 12, 1939, that a BBC announcer > said; > > "This is the National Programme. Ladies and Gentlemen-"I ts that man > again!" > > The Liverpool comedian, Tommy Handley [and his famous team] launched > ITMA, the radio show that was to run for ten years. > The show became an institution and a legend, with characters like Mrs > Mopp [Dorothy Summers]: Frisby Dyke [Deryck Guyler]; Sophie Tuckshop > [Hattie Jacques]; Miss Hotchkiss [Diana Morrison]; Colonel Chinstrap > [Jack Train] and Mona Lott [Joan Harben]. > Some of their catchphrases, like TTFN ["Ta,ta for now"], "Can I do you > now sir?" and "I go, I come back," became part of our daily speech. > News of Tommy Handleys death reached the BBC as a recording of the 310th > edition was going out on the Light Programme. > Listeners were still laughing at his jokes when the 6pm bulletin > announced that "that man" was no more. > People stood six deep along the six-mile route of his funeral procession > to St,Paul's Cathedral, to pay their last respects to this "fellow of > infinate jest." > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.365 / Virus Database: 202 - Release Date: 24/05/02 > > > ==== GEN-FRIENDS Mailing List ==== > If you are unsubscribed from the list unintentionally, > simply resubscribe. A full mailbox, computer error, > or spam may cause you to be unsubscribed. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

Jim, I was only 3 months and 3 days old at the time and my memory is somewhat vague ! Dave ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Sharpe" <jimm.sharpe@virgin.net> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 10:44 PM Subject: Re: [GEN-FRIENDS] ITMA - Just a blast from the past Ah Happy days, I remember them well. What a lovely and very apt name for dear old Hattie. Do any other of the senior members remember where they were when war broke out as Rob Wilton used to say. I was on holiday in Blackpool and on September the 7th was it, the lights went out. I was devastated and heaped what deprecations a seven year old boy knew on the head of that nasty man Hitler. We used to go to Blackpool every year in September ( yes, I know how fortunate I was but my dad always had a job because he drove a tram for Manchester Corporation Tramways Dept.) We always stayed about half a mile from the sea front near Lytham Road at the house of Mrs. Nicholson who had a son Peter my age. With Peter's help I got to know Blackpool inside out. Mrs. Nicholson was a widow and she let her parlour and front bedroom for ten shillings a week. My mum used to buy our food and Mrs. Nicholson would cook it for us all for ten bob. So mum also had a holiday. I loved blackpool in those days and I can't ever remember it raining but of course it must have now and again. These days you're lucky to get a fine day at Blackpool. To get an idea of even our poverty a visit to the South Shore pleasure beach fairground was always reserved for Friday the last day before we boarded the special Manchester employees bus for home. Jim Sharpe Shaw, Oldham, UK ----- Original Message ----- From: Marged <marged@btinternet.com> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 2:31 AM Subject: [GEN-FRIENDS] ITMA - Just a blast from the past > Its that man again > > It was at 8.15 pm on Wednesday, July 12, 1939, that a BBC announcer > said; > > "This is the National Programme. Ladies and Gentlemen-"I ts that man > again!" > > The Liverpool comedian, Tommy Handley [and his famous team] launched > ITMA, the radio show that was to run for ten years. > The show became an institution and a legend, with characters like Mrs > Mopp [Dorothy Summers]: Frisby Dyke [Deryck Guyler]; Sophie Tuckshop > [Hattie Jacques]; Miss Hotchkiss [Diana Morrison]; Colonel Chinstrap > [Jack Train] and Mona Lott [Joan Harben]. > Some of their catchphrases, like TTFN ["Ta,ta for now"], "Can I do you > now sir?" and "I go, I come back," became part of our daily speech. > News of Tommy Handleys death reached the BBC as a recording of the 310th > edition was going out on the Light Programme. > Listeners were still laughing at his jokes when the 6pm bulletin > announced that "that man" was no more. > People stood six deep along the six-mile route of his funeral procession > to St,Paul's Cathedral, to pay their last respects to this "fellow of > infinate jest." > > > > > --- > Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. > Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). > Version: 6.0.365 / Virus Database: 202 - Release Date: 24/05/02 > > > ==== GEN-FRIENDS Mailing List ==== > If you are unsubscribed from the list unintentionally, > simply resubscribe. A full mailbox, computer error, > or spam may cause you to be unsubscribed. > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > > ==== GEN-FRIENDS Mailing List ==== If you are unsubscribed from the list unintentionally, simply resubscribe. A full mailbox, computer error, or spam may cause you to be unsubscribed. ============================== To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

Happy days indeed. I still had three months to go before I popped out. My mother blamed me for starting the war! Brian Staffordshire, UK List Admin ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Sharpe" <jimm.sharpe@virgin.net> To: <GEN-FRIENDS-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Tuesday, May 28, 2002 10:44 PM Subject: Re: [GEN-FRIENDS] ITMA - Just a blast from the past > Ah Happy days, I remember them well. What a lovely and very apt name for > dear old Hattie. > Do any other of the senior members remember where they were when war broke > out as Rob Wilton used to say. > I was on holiday in Blackpool and on September the 7th was it, the lights > went out. I was devastated and heaped what deprecations a seven year old boy > knew on the head of that nasty man Hitler. > We used to go to Blackpool every year in September ( yes, I know how > fortunate I was but my dad always had a job because he drove a tram for > Manchester Corporation Tramways Dept.) > We always stayed about half a mile from the sea front near Lytham Road at > the house of Mrs. Nicholson who had a son Peter my age. > With Peter's help I got to know Blackpool inside out. > Mrs. Nicholson was a widow and she let her parlour and front bedroom for ten > shillings a week. My mum used to buy our food and Mrs. Nicholson would cook > it for us all for ten bob. So mum also had a holiday. > I loved blackpool in those days and I can't ever remember it raining but of > course it must have now and again. > These days you're lucky to get a fine day at Blackpool. > To get an idea of even our poverty a visit to the South Shore pleasure beach > fairground was always reserved for Friday the last day before we boarded the > special Manchester employees bus for home. > > Jim Sharpe > Shaw, Oldham, UK --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.365 / Virus Database: 202 - Release Date: 25/05/2002