Welcome. This project is to acknowledge & celebrate the UK's first regular radio broadcast service, wireless station '2MT'.

 

In 1922 from 'a long low hut full of long low people' - a small group of young Marconi employees entertained radio amateurs & listeners across the UK & beyond with regular experimental broadcasts every Tuesday evening. The broadcasts originated from Writtle on the outskirts of Chelmsford, Essex, & the enthusiastic team led by Captain Peter Eckersley assembled their transmitter together with a gramophone player, microphone, & on occasions a piano from the local public house, to entertain listeners.

 

Whilst transmissions lasted for just a year, their impact was immense. Many of those involved moved on to make major contributions to the works of Marconi & the BBC.

 

Our aim is to celebrate this short time in history, when a small wooden hut in a field in Writtle, occupied by a small group of fascinating individuals, became the home of the UK's first regular radio broadcasts.  

 

We will not try to recreate station 2MT - how could we ? We live in a very different age. What we would like to recreate is - the spirit and adventure of 2MT, to be 'born in laughter and nurtured in laughter'.  

 

Now that could be fun...!

Footnote :   Why 'Emma Toc' ...?  

 

The wireless station was required to read out their allocated callsign '2MT' at regular intervals, & in 1922 the British Army phonetic alphabet of the time was used. 'M' was 'Emma' & 'T' was 'Toc', so '2MT' became 'Two Emma Toc'. The amusing & flippant manner in which Captain Peter Eckersley read out the phonetic version of '2MT' resulted in the station being affectionately known as 'Two Emma Toc' !

 

Have a listen here -

Final Footnote...

 

One further thought - this story is an important part of radio history & makes Chelmsford not only the 'Birthplace of Radio' but also the 'Birthplace of (British) Broadcasting'. Well worthy of celebration...