Ronnie Munro BBC Scottish Variety Orchestra WW2 Kay Cavendish Autograph s

PFAS72b Antique collection of autographs from The BBC Scottish Variety Orchestra from an autograph book and three signatures of its members including its founder and famous star Ronnie Munro in very good condition. Reverse has autograph from leading wartime pianist Kay Cavendish (see image 2).

There was a great need for variety music during the war, especially following the introduction of the BBC Forces Programme in January 1940, and when the blitz (starting September 1940) stopped the supply of light music from London, there was an opportunity for such music to come from Scotland. In around November 1940, Moultrie R. Kelsall, who had the BBC's acting Scottish programme director since April of that year, decided to establish a new variety orchestra at Broadcasting House, Glasgow. To lead it, he turned to Ronnie Munro, who had worked as a conductor and arranger on a number of pre-war radio and television programmes from London.  The SVO soon became a well-known name all over Britain, through a series of early Sunday morning shows called Sunday Serenade, which was broadcast on the Forces Programme from 23 November 1941