The BBC started transmission of television programmes from Alexandra Palace (Ally Pally) in 1936. In the same year the J G Graves wireless department in Sheffield started experimenting.
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| Picture Sheffield Reference s12672 |
After deciding somewhere away from electrical interference was needed J G Graves set up an experimental station on Newfield Lane in Dore away from trams and roads.
As shown in this photograph from Picture Sheffield (reference s12671) the Radio equipment and TV Experimentation Masts and Station were installed.
Two masts of nearly eighty feet in height were constructed in the field next to the house on Newfield Lane.
In this, unfortunately rather poor photograph (Picture Sheffield reference s12670), the aerial atop one of the completed masts can be seen.
The shed contained over one thousand pounds-worth of equipment including shortwave transmitters and ultra shortwave receivers.
The First Television Programmes in the North
In 1938 a reporter from the Daily Independent was shown around the site by George William Bagshaw, chief engineer and manager of the wireless department of J G Graves radio factory. In the war George Bagshaw had served in France in the Wireless Section of the Royal Engineers. He was one of the best-known wireless engineers of the day.
A report of the visit appeared in the newspaper on the 1st of September. The Dore station had been receiving almost perfect pictures for the previous few days but on the day the reporter visited it was unfortunately thundery and the conditions were not suitable for television transmission.
Mr Bagshaw was assisted by Mr K Hopkinson of Crosspool and Mr G Thompson, both of whom were radio enthusiasts employed at J G Graves.
The reporter was told that they are only able to receive broadcasts from London, which is 150 miles away, using expensive specialised equipment. He thought it was unlikely that Sheffield would get a transmitter due to the cost.
George Bagshaw attended many meetings and gave speeches and interviews urging the public to apply pressure to provide television services to Sheffield.
However, war intervened. The BBC's television service was shut down on 1st September 1939, because it was said that the signal transmitted from Alexandra Palace might be an aid to enemy aircraft. While it was not being used for television services, the Alexandra Palace mast was used to jam Luftwaffe navigation signals during the Blitz.