Friday 4 January 2013

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

…then I’ll begin! I adored Listen With Mother as a child, I suppose it was one of my earliest Radio memories [along with ‘Chapel in the Valley’ on a Sunday morning, and ‘The Archers’ at bedtime]

Today the death has been announced of Daphne Oxenford, one of the best LWM presenters, at the age of 93.

daphene oxenford

Daphne was also an accomplished actress, and best friend of the comedienne Joyce Grenfell. She acted in the original Coronation Street Cast, and more recently in Midsomer Murders.

The LWM theme tune [Berceuse from the Dolly Suite] was the first piece of music by Fauré I ever knew [years before I heard his Requiem]

A pretty little tune…

I think that LWM was brilliant because you had to use your imagination, and conjure up the pictures in your head – and contrary to common belief, they weren’t all in black and white back then.

4 comments:

  1. I loved WATCH with Mother..the theme song reminded my of sitting on a chair, my legs swinging waiting to see the Woodentops et al.
    Mum made me a 'Bizzie Lizzie' dress...Mum would rub the flower on my dress and a couple of sweets would appear.
    Jane x

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  2. We have never been great radio listeners in my family, especially when I was growing up. We do have the radio on in the car nowadays, but nothing intellectual really - it alternates between HeartFM for the girls and I occasionally manage to get ClassicFM on for me! My grandmother loved the radio, though, and listened to it every morning whilst she ate her breakfast, and then again in the evening. I think I have missed out!

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  3. I used to list to LWM when I was little and my parents listened to Wagners Walk.
    When our daughter was a baby it was recomended that we put the radio on (very low) in her room during the night. The idea was tho help her sleep as she was used to noise during the day so we tried on the classic stationan, and quess what? at around 3am there on the radio, would you believe it, was LWM. I didn't take a lot of notice of the goings on though.
    Carolx

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  4. One of my earliest memories - pre school age - is climbing onto my mum's lap after lunch to listen to LWM and Woman's Hour. It was the only time during the long day that my mum actually sat down. I napped - and I think she did too.....

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