Square Eyes

Anyone else remember this cracking (and long-running) programme for schools & colleges? I recently watched a few episodes on YouTube and was hooked again pretty much right from the start. It's aged really well and would be a great piece of TV drama in its own right, regardless of any educational purpose it was originally intended for (you do learn a lot about history watching it though - but it never feels like it's hard work at all. Just a great programme, basically!).

But yeah, I was so impressed that I immediately ventured over to eBay and bought the 1884-1897 series of twenty episodes (each block of twenty eps focused on a different era and family) centring on a doctor and his family (who included a young Joanne Whalley, fact fans!) living in a northern town in Victorian England. The videos I bought seemed a bit pricey at first (£28 inc P&P for each series) but I'd put them right up there with early Grange Hill as must-see TV for any fans of classic TV drama (kids' or otherwise) from the 1970s and 80s. Highly recommended!

Ohhh I remember that. Come to think of it there were quite a few really good history programmes made for school brats.

I'd love to see 'Zigger Zagger' again. The story of Harry a football fan/hooligan and his life on the football terraces. Can't find it on 'You Tube' unfortunately. That one really stayed with me over the years.

I remember watching this in primary school, all sitting on the carpet in front of the TV that was wheeled out on a tall stand with the TV in a locked "cupboard" on top
The one we saw was about a family in WW2. For some reason, the main thing I remember was that they had a daughter called Avril

Maria wrote:I remember watching this in primary school, all sitting on the carpet in front of the TV that was wheeled out on a tall stand with the TV in a locked "cupboard" on top
The one we saw was about a family in WW2. For some reason, the main thing I remember was that they had a daughter called Avril

That's my memory of this too.
I seem to recall it had a catchy theme tune that we'd all be humming along to too.

My goodness Hughesy,

I watched those episodes too! The middle class Victorian family the 'Hughes' and the upper crust Selwyns. Classic stuff. Wasn't there a poor family too?

It was set in the fictitious Yorkshire town of Bradley.

I even have an old map of the town and family tree issued by the television company somewhere!

An acting chum of mine (Anna-Jane Casey) appeared in a sixties edition I believe.

I'm tempted to have a look myself for old editions.

BRONSON

Impressive stuff, Bronson! I love the idea of the TV company issuing a map of the fictional town as well. That's the sort of attention to detail that's missing from so much modern-day TV!

You're right about there being a poor family too. That's where Annie (the Hughes's maid and later cook) came from. Hence the two families' stories were easily able to be interwoven and contrasted against each other. And what a contrast it was between the haves and have-nots in those days. Quite shocking.

By the way, the scallywag father in Annie's downtrodden family was played by none other than Peter Ellis AKA Chief Superintendent Brownlow from The Bill!

I too am from the 'Avril' era, with other specifics standing out in my memory:

- the theme tune, obviously, I can hear it now (clarinet?)
- the mother character working a mangle in the first episode
- evacuated children from London slums, with brown paper under their clothes to keep warm
- Sheffield glowing on the horizon during the blitz
- the invention of the wheel
- woah, bodyfoooorm!

Maybe not the last two. But thanks for letting me know it's on ebay - I just bought that run of 20 episodes starting in 1936.

Hughesy wrote:Anyone else remember this cracking (and long-running) programme for schools & colleges?
I was so impressed that I immediately ventured over to eBay and bought the 1884-1897 series of twenty episodes

Gosh, I knew this was an old series from yesteryear but I had no idea it was that old! That must have been back when Bruce Forsythe was starting his career.

Maria wrote:I remember watching this in primary school, all sitting on the carpet in front of the TV that was wheeled out on a tall stand with the TV in a locked "cupboard" on top
The one we saw was about a family in WW2. For some reason, the main thing I remember was that they had a daughter called Avril

Those were the days eh, all gathered round the carpet to watch tv in the tv room! If you're lucky you might catch a glimpse of the lunchtime edition of Neighbours while the teacher struggles to get the video/tv working! Catching a glimpse of real tv during school hours always provoked an exciting response, even if it was of a programme you would get to see at home later that day!