BBC Genome: the Radio Times Archive

Here's a new resource that should find its way onto best online resource lists for British genealogists.

The BBC Genome project involved digitising 4,469 editions of Radio Times from 1923 to 2009, 350,622 pages, 4,423,653 programme records.

BBC Genome allows users to search by programme, date or Radio Times edition, revealing a snapshot of the corporation’s schedule on any given day in its 91-year history – and a fascinating insight into changing social and cultural trends over nearly a century.

One-namers will find this a valuable resource to investigate people involved with BBC programs - presenters, performers, producers and editors and follow their broadcasting careers.

One-placers may well find mention of communities of interest, if only a church service broadcast on location.

No information is available for 11 weeks when the Radio Times was not published, between 1926 and 1983, for reasons including printing disputes, the 1926 general strike and 1947 fuel crisis.