The final BBC Home Service closedown, 29 Sept 1967 with David Dunhill

Friday 29 September 1967 and the final BBC Home Service closedown, recorded from VHF. From the next day it would become BBC Radio 4. At 11.47pm, announcer David Dunhill reads the weather forecast for coastal waters of England and Wales. Note that the full shipping forecast was on the BBC Light Programme, 1500 metres long wave, which from the next day would become BBC Radio 2.
Then at 11.50pm David Dunhill closes down the Home Service for the final time. Although for a long time after the name change, the announcer would say, "This is Radio 4, the Home Service". In fact even today, some older people still refer to it as the "Home Service", so firmly etched in people's minds are those two words.
And so it's David Dunhill who earns a place in broadcasting history as the last voice to be heard on the BBC Home Service.

[@willDunhill]

Thank you for posting this, he was my Grandfather. I'd seen the text of the closedown many times but never actually heard it before. He was very RP back then but spent the rest of his life training broadcasters to speak in their own accent.

[@ricardo2266]

Thank you for sharing your memories of your grandfather. David Dunhill was one of my favourite announcers when it came to the closedown. He always seemed to find something different to say each night. A David Dunhill closedown was always something to look forward to before sleep. It's very appropriate that his was the last voice to be heard on the Home Service.

[@geneve2008]

Even for foreigners, Mr David Dunhill was "the" BBC voice. I still can remember him, and the withdrawal of the so - loved BBC Home Service was really a very sad moment. - From Brussels, Belgium.

[@Tripp1993]

I'm amazed. I think that you're honored to have a famed announcer for a relative. A true honor. Enough said.

[@rangerbud]

There was a name given to the "BBC accent;" what was it????

[@Tripp1993]

@@rangerbud "Received Pronounciation."

[@Londonfogey]

My housemaster at school always called it 'the Home Service' and if anyone corrected him with 'Radio Four, sir' he would reply 'I haven't gone metric!'

[@dan4lau]

Good on him! I still haven't.

[@olwens1368]

My mother always called it 'the Home Service'- a memory of when the BBC was still respected and held in affection. I remember Radio 4 starting- and we had a Bush radio for all the years of my childhood-like the illustration but cream and red. Warm fuzzy memories, thank you.

[@lordattislie7931]

Possibly the best closedown I've ever heard. Really gives an indication of how much respect people had for the Home Service.

[@gus2721]

As a Yank I was impressed with the high caliber of professionalism. .... Missing sadly today on both sides of the pond.

[@philjamieson5572]

SDG3750: Well said. I miss that too.

[@didiask4485]

R.I.P Home Service (1939-1967)

[@gavinmillar7519]

This is lovely. A time when there was still some heart in the life of large public institutions in the UK.

[@sillygoose635]

still is.

[@gavinmillar7519]

@@sillygoose635 I'm sure you're right - we have to make sure we keep the BBC for all its faults, a public service organisation. That model is made out consistently to be outdated but there are some things which private concerns can't do well, they reflect a different set of principles when left entirely to their own devices with financial profit the chief motivating factor. When that becomes the god, all the rest is up for grabs or diminution. Public transport, council services etc., are all testament to that.

[@LostsTVandRadio]

I love the brilliant quip at the end: 'Good bye .... Home Service - two of the best words in the British language and still, I'm sure, the only answer you can give to the question "What is radio for?"' I still think of it as the Home Service even though I was only six when it was so carelessly rebranded.

[@plonchyvideos7456]

I always heard that as "What is Radio Four?" (as in Radio Four is the Home Service) as opposed to "What is Radio for?".

[@LostsTVandRadio]

Yes, a deliberate play on words that works whichever way you hear it!@@plonchyvideos7456

[@riceymartin2203]

Ah, homophones. Giving double meaning to spoken sentences since the dawn of language.

[@geneve2008]

A very sad moment in Britain's history ... The BBC Home Service played a very important role durant WW.II.From a Belgian BBC listener - and devotee.

[@garrysimpson1395]

Such a plumbly voice and CLOSE DOWN at a quarter to midnight. I"m old enough to remember it all. A former 51 disabled carer. GOD BLESS!

[@trevordance5181]

I was 12 when this was broadcast. All we had radiowise where I lived was the BBC's Home, Light, Third, and World Service, plus also Radio Luxembourg and AFN in the evenings and early mornings. Add to that Radio Caroline that I believe was still broadcasting, the other "pirates" having been closed down.

[@didiask4485]

R.I.P. BBC Home Service (1963-1967)

[@diichertz1]

What a class act. Bravo Sir.

[@lengthmuldoon]

I keep expecting to get pulled up by my ear by Mr Simpson in maths for some reason and the picture of grandma's old fox stoll comes to mind.

[@slodown3670]

Thank you for sharing this snippet of history. Very evocative of a time which I remember with fondness. Now seems sadly alien.

[@user-yu1yz6qk1g]

I'm only 6 weeks old and I love this

[@MerseyBilly]

It really was a sad day when the stations changed names, but like in 1971, with the introduction of decimal money, we soon got used to the new ones. In this broadcast, I think the changeover greatly affected David Dunhill, as he seemed to be near to crying on a few occasions, as if the change was personal. To the end of the transmission though, he kept his stiff upper lip and was true to the old BBC style of broadcasting.

[@cormacdoheny470]

+Bill Hunt-Jones That's actually very noticeable, especially on one occasion where David Dunhill says that DJ Chris Denning appeared on BBC Television with the words, "Death to the Home Service" on his shirt. He's clearly trying to prevent himself from stifling a sob when he says, "...just appeared on television..." P.S: RIP, David (d. 2005)

[@QED_]

@Bill Hunt-Jones: Now that we have Brexit (presumably) . . . next historical correction: return of £sd.

[@highpath4776]

Well We retained The World Service (which used to be Funded by the Foreign Office). Pre WW2 there used to be regional programming too, and some did remain in R4 and R2 LW and VHF broadcasts but I think it was supplanted when BBC Local Radio came into existance. Overall the change to add Radio 1, put some of the chat and music into Radio 2 and expand the Third Programme into Radio 3 made sense, and other than a number change Radio 4 continued with much of the same content as it had before.

[@andrewclayton4181]

The Home, as distinct to The World, the light and the third. As a reaction to the popular pirate stations, it was all renamed 1, 2, 3 & 4. It's not been the same since.

[@citizen1163]

a dignified ending

[@sarahbrummitt4383]

I was 2 days old when this recording was made!

[@geneve2008]

A very sad moment.

[@allankempson6951]

I have no memory of the Home Service as I was born in 1995, but O have a lot of respect for it as it was the only BBC station during the War. Also I like Radio 4, especially the news, so it's interesting hearing where it came from.

[@oliverharristrzchef6724]

Greatest pun in broadcasting history

[@bb3ca201]

I love this. thx

[@danielmorse4213]

What is radio for? Beautifully done. Classy, cheeky and understated. The best sir. Thank you

[@david_g_barron]

Interesting name mentioned in the announcement about The Home Service becoming Radio 4.

[@anonUK]

David Barron Yes, well, at least Denning was in the studios that night and not prowling the underage discos of Surrey with Jonathan King and others.

[@julianaylor4351]

Became Radio 4. That's a modern retro radio. 😁

[@richardsharpe2966]

When radio was done properly

[@sillygoose635]

still is.

[@jaycemacinnis2228]

Rest in Peace BBC Home Service

[@bluray2012ify]

Nice closedown!!

[@clemstevenson]

There were little stickers you could get at the time, in order to update your tuning dial.

[@MerseyBilly]

+Stephen Clementson - I remember those stickers. I had one on my (quite large) portable radio. Unfortunately, when the radio broke down and was thrown out, the sticker went with it.

[@clemstevenson]

Bill Hunt-Jones I was born in 1956. so I was still a bit young at the time of the change. But I remember numerous radio sets that had light, third, and home service on their dials. Well, radio three kept close to its old name.

[@christopherhulse8385]

The little stickers were for the wavelength changes of 23 November 1978.

[@CrowTRobot-ni7zu]

Weather was my first love, but being an American, I'm not quite sure what Mr. Dunhill means by "fresh," in regard to the wind.

[@highpath4776]

Chilly, but not enough for an Arran Jumper, a M&S cardigan will do, but with shirt and vest on.

[@danielmorse4213]

I totally got it right away.

[@philjamieson5572]

Why the heck does this make me sad? It's probably because I remember that mixture of sadness at the loss of all that predictable and comforting Light prog. stuff and the excitement of waiting for the great unknown - Radio 4 etc.

[@rjmcallister1888]

Professionalism one would expect from the BBC, especially in that era. Many broadcasters in America, like myself, have enjoyed and respected the Beeb for many years. Just once, a modern BBC Radio 4 newsreader ought to just use the Home Service monicker again.

[@michaelloughlin7108]

I can vaguely remember see through stickers that went on you're perspex tuning scale to mark new locations of radio station's I can't remember the exact date anyone else remember this. ....

[@cuedotfilms4427]

Michael Loughlin it was the radio changes that happened on the 23 November 1978.

[@globalaquatech513]

Loved it

[@stephensimpson4022]

Thankfully Chris Denning got his comeuppance in the years to come!

[@trevpr1]

This accent is very rarely heard on the Radio these days

[@That_Random_Bloke]

3:40 The last person who should have ever slagged off the Home Service was the hideous Chris Denning

[@danielmorse4213]

God bless the BBC.

[@JohnnyNorfolk]

How it should be done.

[@sillygoose635]

no it shouldn't

[@sirpercivalsmallcock-jones9585]

I don't think it's heard at all any more.

[@robertkincaid1239]

it have a bush Radio the very same clearly updated guess what and listen to light programme , today it better known as Radio 2

[@julianaylor4351]

Yeah Radio 2 was the Light Program, the Home Service became Radio 4. Radio 3 was invented for classical music and jazz and Radio 1 was created for ex pirate radio DJs to play pop music. Different world. But that radio is an anachronism. It's a modern retro radio, most people had big valve radios.

[@Mike8981]

Well, I'm orf to Kint !

[@test-ru2jo]

Kent*

[@Londonfogey]

Didn't it end with 'God Save the Queen'?

[@test-ru2jo]

Not really.

[@muhammadrafiuddinbinmohmme6078]

On Transdiffusion's website, it did.

[@riceymartin2203]

Yes it did. This recording omits it. Another recording, which can be found elsewhere, has that tune.

[@Agnethatheredhairkid]

I was 8!

[@phillipjones3439]

What a lovely voice, now we would be forced to put up with some cackling woman.

[@sillygoose635]

you aren't forced, and i'd rather to put up with a "cackling woman" than a posh man.

[@olwens1368]

It seems to be compulsory now to have announcers whose voices set your teeth on edge. This was a lovely clear voice- pleasure to listen to.

[@barron8006]

So sad, not only does britain not have its people living abroad in british adminstered territories, but it doesn't even have a 'home' as the british iles are peopled by hostile, parallel societies.

[@pix046]

3:26 If this had happened in today's world he would have had to say we are like a bride in a heterosexual marriage where our name changes to that of the groom but not in a same sex marriage where the name of 'bride' and 'groom' remain the same.

[@Mike8981]

oh shut up lol