Big Ben | Celebrating the world-famous clock tower

Scrapbook for 1924

How the Big Ben chimes were first recorded for broadcast by the BBC.

CHANNEL | National Programme

RECORDED | circa May 1936

DURATION | 41 seconds

RECORDED

1936

Synopsis

On New Year's Eve, 1923, BBC engineer AG Dryland climbed onto a roof opposite the Houses of Parliament with a microphone to record the chimes of Big Ben. The sound he captured has been broadcast on BBC radio ever since. This is an extract from the 'Scrapbook for 1924' radio programme.

Did you know?

In 1967, the head of the Home Service, Gerard Mansell, proposed that Big Ben be dropped from the start of the 'Ten O'Clock News' when the channel was reformed as Radio 4. However, this was at the time when 'ITV News at Ten' had started to use the bongs and the idea was immediately rejected by producers.

Contributors

AG Dryland
Contributor

More like this...

The clock face of Big Ben.

Scrapbook for 1924

RECORDED c. 1936
41 SECONDS

How the Big Ben chimes were first recorded for broadcast by the BBC.

The Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

These Foolish Things

BROADCAST 1958
4 MINUTES

Nancy Mitford and others comment on the sound of Big Ben.

'Blue Peter' presenter Valerie Singleton.

Blue Peter | The Story of Big Ben

BROADCAST 1967
3 MINUTES

Valerie Singleton outlines the history of the world famous clock.

Close-up of the clack face of Big Ben at one o'clock.

The World at One

BROADCAST 1971
4 MINUTES

'The World at One' reports on the maintenance of Big Ben.

Close-up of the cloack face of Big Ben approaching 12 noon.

News | Big Ben Repaired

BROADCAST 1976
59 SECONDS

Repairs to the great Westminster clock are completed.

A steeplejack lowers himself down the clock face of Big Ben.

Blue Peter | Big Ben is Cleaned

BROADCAST 1980
8 MINUTES

Peter Duncan cleans the face of Big Ben.

Close-up of a floor design for the Houses of Parliament by the artist Augustus Welby Northcote Pugin

The Great Palace: The Story of Parliament | Victorian Masterpiece

BROADCAST 1983
49 MINUTES

A view inside Britain's world famous Houses of Parliament.

Branches of a tree covered in snow.

London Plus | Big Ben's Chimes

BROADCAST 1986
2 MINUTES

Frosty weather has a chilling effect on the bell chimes.

Westminster clack tower, better known as Big Ben.

Breakfast Time | Big Ben under repair

BROADCAST 1987
4 MINUTES

Big Ben has lost its bong.

Jimmy Saville in 1992.

Jim'll Fix It | The Chimes of Big Ben

BROADCAST 1988
6 MINUTES

A wish to see and hear Big Ben up close comes true.

Galleries

Close up of the inside of the Westminster clock face.

Big Ben

Photographs of Big Ben dating back to the 1920s.

bbc.co.uk navigation

BBC © 2013 The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read more.

This page is best viewed in an up-to-date web browser with style sheets (CSS) enabled. While you will be able to view the content of this page in your current browser, you will not be able to get the full visual experience. Please consider upgrading your browser software or enabling style sheets (CSS) if you are able to do so.