Kathleen Mary Evelyn Garscadden (18 February 1897 – 20 February 1991) was a Scottish radio broadcaster and presenter who became famous as presenter of the Scottish

Children's Hour ''Children's Hour'', initially ''The Children's Hour'', was the BBC's principal recreational service for children (as distinct from "Broadcasts to Schools") which began during the period when radio was the only medium of broadcasting. ''Childre ...

programme on the

BBC Home Service The BBC Home Service was a national and regional radio station that broadcast from 1939 until 1967, when it was replaced by BBC Radio 4. History 1922–1939: Interwar period Between the early 1920s and the outbreak of World War II, the BBC ...

which later became

Radio Four BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...

. She was known as 'Auntie Kathleen' and her popularity turned her into a celebrity. Crowds gathered at the studio to obtain her autograph and she received a large volume of correspondence from listeners.W. H. McDowell, ‘Garscadden, Kathleen Mary Evelyn (1897–1991)’, ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'', Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 200

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Life

Kathleen Garscadden was born on 18 February 1897 at 13 Nithsdale Gardens,

Crossmyloof Crossmyloof (, gd, Crois Mo Liubha, sco, Crossmaluif) is an area on the south side of Glasgow situated between the districts of Pollokshields, Strathbungo and Shawlands in Scotland. Etymology The name is possibly derived from Gaelic ''Croi ...

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

, the daughter of George Garscadden, accountant and businessman, and his wife, Maggie Jane Vint. She was educated at Hutchesons' Girls' Grammar School,

, before moving to London to train as a professional singer under

Sir Henry Wood Sir Henry Joseph Wood (3 March 186919 August 1944) was an English conductor best known for his association with London's annual series of promenade concerts, known as the The Proms, Proms. He conducted them for nearly half a century, introd ...

. She abandoned her goal of becoming an opera singer and returned to Glasgow where her career began at the very beginnings of radio broadcasting. She never married and died in Glasgow, on 20 February 1991.

Career

Garscadden acted as a singer, pianist and announcer on her father's amateur radio station. This radio station became the basis of the BBC's first Scottish radio station when it was taken over in 1923. She was then invited by the first station director to join the BBC as a programme assistant. Originally her

programme was broadcast only from Glasgow but from 1928 onwards it was broadcast throughout Scotland. In 1940, she was appointed as

organizer for Scotland and she held that post until her retirement. Among the well-known entertainers who received their first opportunities from Garscadden were Gordon Jackson,

Fulton Mackay William Fulton Beith Mackay (12 August 1922 – 6 June 1987) was a Scottish actor and playwright, best known for his role as prison officer Mr. Mackay in the 1970s television sitcom ''Porridge''. Early life Mackay was born in Paisley, Renfr ...

, John Grieve,

Molly Weir Mary Weir (17 March 1910 – 28 November 2004), known as Molly Weir, was a Scotland, Scottish actress. She appeared as the character Hazel the McWitch in the BBC TV series ''Rentaghost''. She was the sister of naturalist and broadcaster Tom We ...

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Sydney Devine Sydney Devine (11 January 1940 – 13 February 2021) was a Scottish singer. He sold 15 million albums during his career, reached the UK's top 20 albums chart and was part of the White Heather Club troupe. Life and career Devine was born in B ...

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Jimmy Logan James Allan Short, OBE, FRSAMD (4 April 1928 – 13 April 2001), known professionally as Jimmy Logan, was a Scottish performer, theatrical producer, impresario and director. Family Logan was born in Dennistoun, Glasgow, a member of a famil ...

Rikki Fulton Robert Kerr "Rikki" Fulton, OBE (15 April 1924 – 27 January 2004) was a Scottish comedian and actor best remembered for writing and performing in the long-running BBC Scotland sketch show, ''Scotch and Wry''. He was also known for his appea ...

, and

Janet Brown Janet McLuckie Brown (14 December 192327 May 2011) was a Scottish actress, comedian and impressionist who gained considerable fame in the 1970s and 1980s for her impersonations of Margaret Thatcher. Brown was the wife of Peter Butterworth, who ...

. There is photograph of her with Tom H. Gillespie (known as the Zoo Man), James Douglas Home (The Bird Man) and Gilbert D. Fisher (the Hut Man). These three experts presented natural history programmes on Scottish

, hosted by Garscadden. She retired in June 1960 after 37 years' service with the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

. After Kathleen Garscadden retired, she continued to give piano and singing lessons at least into the late nineteen eighties.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garscadden, Kathleen 1897 births 1991 deaths Mass media people from Glasgow Scottish radio presenters Scottish women radio presenters British children's entertainers Children's Hour presenters