Ralph Wightman (26 July 1901 – 28 May 1971) was an English lecturer, journalist, author, and radio and television broadcaster.
He wrote many books on farming and the countryside and in the 1950s and 1960s became a well-known national figure, especially as a regular guest on the BBC radio programme Any Questions?
From 1923 to 1927, he was a lecturer on agriculture for Devon County Council, then from 1927 to 1930 for Wiltshire County Council, before, in 1930, he returned home as Senior Agricultural Adviser to Dorset County Council. He gave up that work in 1948 to become a freelance writer and broadcaster,[2] having begun to give talks on radio in the 1930s.[1]
During the Second World War, Wightman began to broadcast once a week to the United States on English country life, and he gave 290 such "Trans-Atlantic talks".[1] His radio work nearer home included a feature on the BBC Home Service programme Country Magazine, which focuses on country life in a different place around England every week.[3] As a broadcaster specializing in farming and the countryside, Wightman was soon seen as the natural successor to his mentorA. G. Street, and from the 1950s on, he established himself as a national figure, known for his books, his column in The Guardian, and his radio and television work.[4] On 15 April 1957, he was Roy Plomley's guest on Desert Island Discs, choosing music by Elgar, Vaughan Williams, Mendelssohn, Strauss, Parry, Paul Robeson, and Bill Haley.[5]
In 1924, Wightman married Margaret Dorothy Wiggins. He died on 28 May 1971 at Dorchester Hospital after a severe fall in which he had broken his skull. His address at the time was Tudor House, Puddletown.[1][2]
In popular cultureedit
Wightman was the model for the countryman Arthur Fallowfield, a comic character created by Kenneth Williams in Beyond Our Ken, notable for his Dorset accent and his catch-phrase "the answer lies in the soil".[6]
Booksedit
Moss Green Days: talks on English country life (Westhouse, 1948)[2]
^Michael Bunce, The Countryside Ideal: Anglo-American Images of Landscape (2005), p. 50
^Monday 15 April 1957 Roy Plomley's castaway is countryside expert Ralph Wightman at bbc.co.uk, accessed 1 February 2014
^Denis Gifford, The Golden Age of Radio: an illustrated companion (1985), p. 21
External linksedit
The Ralph Wightman Story at dorset-ancestors.com
January 01, 1970
ralph, wightman, july, 1901, 1971, english, lecturer, journalist, author, radio, television, broadcaster, wrote, many, books, farming, countryside, 1950s, 1960s, became, well, known, national, figure, especially, regular, guest, radio, programme, questions, co. Ralph Wightman 26 July 1901 28 May 1971 was an English lecturer journalist author and radio and television broadcaster He wrote many books on farming and the countryside and in the 1950s and 1960s became a well known national figure especially as a regular guest on the BBC radio programme Any Questions Contents 1 Life 2 In popular culture 3 Books 4 Notes 5 External linksLife editA younger son of Tom Wightman a farmer and butcher of Piddletrenthide in Dorset Wightman was educated at Beaminster Grammar School and Armstrong College Newcastle part of the University of Durham where he graduated BSc in agricultural chemistry 1 2 From 1923 to 1927 he was a lecturer on agriculture for Devon County Council then from 1927 to 1930 for Wiltshire County Council before in 1930 he returned home as Senior Agricultural Adviser to Dorset County Council He gave up that work in 1948 to become a freelance writer and broadcaster 2 having begun to give talks on radio in the 1930s 1 During the Second World War Wightman began to broadcast once a week to the United States on English country life and he gave 290 such Trans Atlantic talks 1 His radio work nearer home included a feature on the BBC Home Service programme Country Magazine which focuses on country life in a different place around England every week 3 As a broadcaster specializing in farming and the countryside Wightman was soon seen as the natural successor to his mentor A G Street and from the 1950s on he established himself as a national figure known for his books his column in The Guardian and his radio and television work 4 On 15 April 1957 he was Roy Plomley s guest on Desert Island Discs choosing music by Elgar Vaughan Williams Mendelssohn Strauss Parry Paul Robeson and Bill Haley 5 In 1924 Wightman married Margaret Dorothy Wiggins He died on 28 May 1971 at Dorchester Hospital after a severe fall in which he had broken his skull His address at the time was Tudor House Puddletown 1 2 In popular culture editWightman was the model for the countryman Arthur Fallowfield a comic character created by Kenneth Williams in Beyond Our Ken notable for his Dorset accent and his catch phrase the answer lies in the soil 6 Books editMoss Green Days talks on English country life Westhouse 1948 2 My Homeward Road London 1950 2 Arable Farming Country Books No 5 1951 Watching the Certain Things London Cassell 1951 Livestock Farming Country Books No 7 1952 Days on the Farm with an introduction by Francis Dillon London Hutchinson 1952 illustrated by Clifford Webb 2 The Seasons London Cassell 1953 The Wessex Heathland London Robert Hale 1953 2 Revolution on the Land Newman Neame 1956 Rural Rides with Ralph Wightman through Cobbett s England London Cassell 1957 2 Hayfork and Combine Newman Neame 1960 Abiding Things London Cassell 1962 Portrait of Dorset London Robert Hale 1st edition 1965 2 Take Life Easy Pelham Books 1968 The Countryside Today Pelham Books 1970 Wallace s Ground Pelham Books 1971 Notes edit a b c d The Ralph Wightman Story at dorset ancestors com accessed 1 February 2014 a b c d e f g h i WIGHTMAN Ralph in Who Was Who 1971 1980 London A amp C Black 1989 reprint ISBN 0 7136 3227 5 online edition by Oxford University Press December 2007 John Reader Cities 2005 p 233 Michael Bunce The Countryside Ideal Anglo American Images of Landscape 2005 p 50 Monday 15 April 1957 Roy Plomley s castaway is countryside expert Ralph Wightman at bbc co uk accessed 1 February 2014 Denis Gifford The Golden Age of Radio an illustrated companion 1985 p 21External links editThe Ralph Wightman Story at dorset ancestors com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ralph Wightman amp oldid 1218362879, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
