Beresford joined the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) at Cardiff in 1924.[1] After working for the BBC in Cardiff as a Talks Assistant and at Manchester, he joined the Empire Service,[2] becoming its Director in 1935.[1] In the late 1930s, he travelled abroad widely to explore the use and advances of broadcast technology. In 1938, the Empire Service was reorganised into the Overseas Service and he became its first director, overseeing foreign language broadcasts in the wake of the 1938 Munich Crisis.[3] In 1941, the Overseas and European Services were separated, with Clark remaining as Controller of the Overseas Service;[2] between 1944 and 1945 he served as Temporary Controller of European Services.[1] From 1948 to 1952, he was Deputy Director of Overseas Services (once again incorporating the European Service) and was then Director of External Broadcasting from 1952 to 1964, when he retired.[2]
According to The Times, by the time of his death Clark had become, apart from Lord Reith, "the last of the B.B.C. pioneers. When he committed himself to the newly-born Overseas Service from which in the end so astonishing an effort and importance were to emerge in and after the Second World War, he was in the position of a man who 'lit matches on Dartmoor in a November gale hoping to find his way'".[2] For his efforts in leading the Empire, European and Overseas services, he was appointed firstly a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1942 and then a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1958. He was also elected a Fellow of his alma mater King's College London in 1964. He had married Edith Margery Cotton, daughter of Alfred and Edith Cotton in 1932, but they had no children.[1] She was a keen promoter of improving race relations in London, where the couple made their home. Sir Beresford died there on 2 August 1968.[2] His "rich" private papers formed a major source-base for Asa Briggs' study of the development of British overseas and Empire broadcasting;[4] Briggs dedicated the third volume of his History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom to Clark.[3]
Referencesedit
^ abcde"Clark, Sir (John) Beresford", Who Was Who (online edition, Oxford University Press, December 2007). Retrieved 11 January 2018.
^ abcdef"Sir Beresford Clark", The Times, 3 August 1968, p. 8.
^ abAnne Pimlott Baker, "Clark, Sir (John) Beresford (1902–1968)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online edition, Oxford University Press, 2004). Retrieved 12 January 2018.
^Asa Briggs, The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom, vol. 2 (Oxford University Press, 1995), p. xiv.
beresford, clark, john, kcmg, december, 1902, august, 1968, british, broadcaster, biography, editclark, born, west, hartlepool, county, durham, 1902, elder, frederic, lettia, clark, educated, rydal, school, king, college, london, became, president, university,. Sir John Beresford Clark KCMG CBE FKC 2 December 1902 2 August 1968 was a British broadcaster Biography editClark was born in West Hartlepool County Durham in 1902 the elder son of Frederic and Lettia Clark He was educated at Rydal School and King s College London he became President of the University of London Union in 1924 1 2 Beresford joined the British Broadcasting Corporation BBC at Cardiff in 1924 1 After working for the BBC in Cardiff as a Talks Assistant and at Manchester he joined the Empire Service 2 becoming its Director in 1935 1 In the late 1930s he travelled abroad widely to explore the use and advances of broadcast technology In 1938 the Empire Service was reorganised into the Overseas Service and he became its first director overseeing foreign language broadcasts in the wake of the 1938 Munich Crisis 3 In 1941 the Overseas and European Services were separated with Clark remaining as Controller of the Overseas Service 2 between 1944 and 1945 he served as Temporary Controller of European Services 1 From 1948 to 1952 he was Deputy Director of Overseas Services once again incorporating the European Service and was then Director of External Broadcasting from 1952 to 1964 when he retired 2 According to The Times by the time of his death Clark had become apart from Lord Reith the last of the B B C pioneers When he committed himself to the newly born Overseas Service from which in the end so astonishing an effort and importance were to emerge in and after the Second World War he was in the position of a man who lit matches on Dartmoor in a November gale hoping to find his way 2 For his efforts in leading the Empire European and Overseas services he was appointed firstly a Commander of the Order of the British Empire CBE in 1942 and then a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George KCMG in 1958 He was also elected a Fellow of his alma mater King s College London in 1964 He had married Edith Margery Cotton daughter of Alfred and Edith Cotton in 1932 but they had no children 1 She was a keen promoter of improving race relations in London where the couple made their home Sir Beresford died there on 2 August 1968 2 His rich private papers formed a major source base for Asa Briggs study of the development of British overseas and Empire broadcasting 4 Briggs dedicated the third volume of his History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom to Clark 3 References edit a b c d e Clark Sir John Beresford Who Was Who online edition Oxford University Press December 2007 Retrieved 11 January 2018 a b c d e f Sir Beresford Clark The Times 3 August 1968 p 8 a b Anne Pimlott Baker Clark Sir John Beresford 1902 1968 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online edition Oxford University Press 2004 Retrieved 12 January 2018 Asa Briggs The History of Broadcasting in the United Kingdom vol 2 Oxford University Press 1995 p xiv Media offices Preceded bySir Ian Jacob Director of External Broadcasting BBC1952 1964 Succeeded byTangye Lean Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Beresford Clark amp oldid 1148186998, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
