Radio history. Scottish humour.
Mono - no graphics. Programme notes follow . . .

Before the distractions of television, our main source of home entertainment was the wireless, radio. Every Saturday evening we would tune in to the Scottish Home Service and gather round the set to hear our favourite 'soap', The McFlannels, followed by Scottish Country Dance Music.

The McFlannels - written by Helen W Pryde and produced by Archie P Lee / Howard M Lockhart - were a fictitious working-class family who lived in a Glasgow tenement, with Willie (Wullie) and Sarah, daughter Maisie and son Peter. Various assorted relatives and friends appeared throughout the years, including the dodgy, adenoid Uncle Mattha - Wullie's brother Matthew - who features prominently in this episode. [Waxcloth is linoleum, by the way.]

Characters were named after fabrics, including Mrs McCotton (who regarded herself a cut above the others), Mrs McVelvet and Mr McCrepe the minister. Sarah's maiden name was McTwill.

As there are still many folk around who remember The McFlannels with great affection, I submit this episode from presumably the 1940s in the hope that the BBC will not object. Unfortunately there appears to be no recordings available, and even the web page which featured an interview with Scots actress Molly Weir (you may remember her as Aggie in 'Life with the Lyons') has been archived and can no longer be heard. Here are the relevant BBC pages should you require more information.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/aboutus...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/internet/e...

Several of Helen W Pryde's long-out-of-print books are currently available on e-bay, amazon and other sources.