Great Storm - I'd like to erase the memory completely!
BBC Memoryshare Team on behalf of Michael Fish's memory of 16th October 1987
Not so much Great Storm Memories as I would like to erase the memory completely!
There are many myths to dispel. First it WAS NOT a hurricane and never could be as the sea temperatures around the British Isles are nowhere near high enough, (they have to be over 27 deg C). Second my remark had nothing to do with the subsequent events as it was given a long time before and was referring to Florida, not the UK. Third there was NO lady in Wales who phoned in but in fact a member of staff ringing his mother in Wales and again talking about Florida where she was about to go on holiday. The remark was to reassure her that it was safe to go.
I wasn't even on duty at the time. I went home at lunchtime the day before and Bill Giles took over the presentation for the afternoon and evening followed by Ian McCaskill on the night shift. I was tucked up in bed and oblivious! Bill Giles was the one who failed to make much of the wind, whereas I had said "batten down the hatches there's some stormy weather on the way" A pretty good forecast I would say! Of course it wasn't Bill's forecast either as he was just the voice of the Met Office computer at Bracknell which was where the fault lay although even that got it right 5 days in advance but not a few hours before largely because of a strike in France preventing it from receiving some of the information.
I have now written a book to try to clear my name called 'Storm Force' published by Great Northern Books. Even this may fail so I expect it to be on my tomb stone at the same time as insisting that all copies of that tape are buried with me.
M J Fish
This memory was submitted to the Memoryshare web service by the BBC Memoryshare Team on behalf of Michael Fish.
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This memory was added 15th October 2007
Keywords: London bbc weather storm forecast BBC Norfolk michael fish Great Storm 1987
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Hurricane winds batter southern England
Southern Britain begins a massive clear-up operation after the worst night of storms in living memory.
BBC On This Day -
Great Storm of 1987: hurricane force winds to hit much of the South of England killing 23 people.
Wikipedia -
UK Prime Minister
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Monarch of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
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US President
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BBC 1 on this day
19:02 - WOGAN - 16 October 1987
19:40 - BLANKETY BLANK - 16 October 1987
20:15 - THE TWO RONNIES - TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF THE TWO RONNIES
21:34 - PULASKI - 3, VIOLENCE,LOVE AND RATINGS
22:26 - OMNIBUS - THE ARTS AND GLASNOST, ARTISTS
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BBC 2 on this day
19:08 - HOT WHEELS 'N' BIG DEALS
19:29 - THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME - 16 October 1987
19:59 - ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES - A SLOW BUS TO CHINGFORD
19:59 - NATURAL CONCERN - A LITTLE PIECE OF ENGLAND
19:59 - TOWNSCAPE SPECIAL - DOBSON,ARCHITECT
19:59 - SOUTH ON TWO - SOUL OF A NEW TOWN, BASINGSTOKE
19:59 - INSIDE STORY - AGAINST ALL ODDS
19:59 - INSIGHT - 3
19:59 - TALKING FROM EXPERIENCE - LORD RIVERDALE
20:00 - THE FRIDAY REPORT - HOUSEY HOUSEY
20:00 - PUBLIC ACCOUNT - 16 October 1987
20:00 - TOP TOWN - 3, CARLISLE V SOUTHPORT
20:29 - GARDENERS' WORLD - 16 October 1987
21:00 - FOREIGN BODIES - FALSE START
21:30 - PETER USTINOV'S RUSSIA - 5, WAR AND REVOLUTION
22:20 - NEWSNIGHT - 16 October 1987
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Radio 1 on this day
21:00 - YOU'LL NEVER BE SIXTEEN AGAIN - REMIX
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Radio 2 on this day
19:02 - THANKS FOR THE MEMORY - NO. 41
19:31 - SOUND STAGE INTERNATIONAL - AMERICAN MUSIC PROG
22:32 - THE PRESS GANG - 16 October 1987
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Radio 3 on this day
19:00 - BARNSTABLE - 10 April 1987
19:30 - CHILINGIRIAN STRING QUARTET - MOZART/BARTOK/BEETHOVEN.
20:20 - INTERVAL TALK - JAN SMACZNY AND THE MARTINA STRING QUARTETS
21:20 - THE ELONGATED SCAR AND POEMS OF PARUIR SEVAK - 16 October 1987
21:35 - SONNY ROLLINS QUINTET - 16 October 1987
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Radio 4 on this day
21:05 - LAW IN ACTION - 16 October 1987
21:45 - KALEIDOSCOPE - WHEN SHALL WE FIFTEEN MEET AGAIN TX, R4 16.10.87
22:15 - PLAIN TALES FROM THE HILLS - 10/10 THE DREAM OF DUNCAN PARRENESS
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S4C on this day
19:00 - NEWYDDION SAITH - 16 October 1987
20:00 - CARYL AC EIRIAN - 3
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