21 March 2022
Recording of the week: George V in 1933
This week’s selection comes from Steve Cleary, Lead Curator, Literary and Creative Recordings.
As a curator in the British Library’s sound archive, members of the public often contact me about records or tapes that they might want to donate to the national collection.
Often, we will already have a copy of the item in question, and have to politely decline. Other times, we are happy to say thank you very much.
The record I am highlighting today came to us via the British Library’s Donations department, around this time last year.
In this case, it is not so much the attributes of the disc itself that made it attractive. As it happens, we already held several copies of the record. Rather, it was the unique packaging and presentation, and the very special provenance of the item, which made it an exciting acquisition.
The donor, Ishbel Lochhead, is a granddaughter of Ramsay MacDonald, who was Prime Minister at the time the record was issued.
This copy of the disc was given to Ramsay MacDonald in a special personalised album, which includes, inlaid, the signature of the King.
Listen to the voice of George V [BL REF 1CS0053198]
This is just a short excerpt. Please go to our Sounds site for the full recording.
With grateful thanks to Ishbel Lochhead for this kind donation.
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