It's A Knockout 1972
British Domestic Series

Presenters:
Stuart Hall
Eddie Waring

Referee:
Arthur Ellis

Scoregirls:
Glynne Geldart
Jean Galston
Tricia O'Donnell
Laura Sutcliffe

Production Credits:

Production Team: Geoff Wilson and Alan Wright; Engineering Manager: Geoff Lomas; Sound: John Drake; Designer and Games Deviser: Stuart Furber; Producer: Barney Colehan; Director: Bill Taylor

A BBC Manchester Production

Key: ● = Qualified for International Series / ● = Heat Winner  ▲ = Promoted to Position / ▼ = Demoted to Position

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 1

Event Staged: Sunday 16th April 1972 from 3.45pm
Venue: Top Field, Wyvern Territorial Army Barracks, Exeter, Devon, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 19th May 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Teams: Exeter v. Salisbury

Team Members (Full Squads):
Exeter - D. Hurrell (Team Manager), Phil McGouldrick (Team Coach), Judy Ash, Rosemary Bennett, Peter Berry, Stephen Byrne, Susan Casson, Lynn Cavil, William Cormack, Patrick Flavin, Jill Ford, Kenneth Granger, Yvonne Granger, Neil Grombie, Christopher Humphrey, Gordon King, Stephen Marchant, Susan Mason, Raymond Milford, Amanda Orr, Daniel O’Sullivan, David Parr, Terry Radmore, Frances Robins, Michael Sullivan, Frances Watts;
Salisbury - Bryan White (Team Manager and Co-Team Coach), Bill Gourlay (Co-Team Coach), John Hibberd (Co-Team Coach), Bill Toop (Team Captain), Jane Aurther, Steve Baldock, Iain Blood, Margaret Brown, Christina Bystrzamowska, Brian Coles, Hilary Edworthy, Roger Gregory, Paul Griffin, Carlos Gutierrez, Hilary Hancock, Vic Hart, John Hayes, Michael Hayes, Sally-Anne Heygate, Susan Jenkins, Rod Jones, Denise Keane, Roger Kelner, Nicola King, Susan King, Chas Lucas, Helena Lush, Gordon May, Barry Pritchard, Ian Purcell, Glenys Raven, Jack Smith, Neil Stott, Clay Thomas, Stephen Tilley, Linda Tullet, Richard Waite, Geraldine Westlake, Carolyn Wright.

Games (Official Titles): Skating Waiters, Jellies and Springs, Pancake Race, Box Balance, Sack Race, Ball Balance, Motor-Bike Lances;
Marathon: Water Run.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 S • Salisbury ● ●
 E • Exeter

12
9

Salisbury qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Spa, Belgium:
staged on Tuesday 23rd May 1972

The Host Town

Exeter, Devon

Exeter is a cathedral city with a population of around 128,000 inhabitants in the county of Devon. It lies on the 5 miles (8km) long River Exe and is located 18 miles (29km) north of Torquay, 36 miles (58km) north-east of Plymouth, 65 miles (105km) south-west of Bristol and 72 miles (116km) west of Bournemouth.

The modern name of Exeter derives from the anglicised form of the river Exe ‘escan’ and the Old English suffix ‘ceaster’, used to mark important fortresses or fortified cities. The Romans established a 42 acre (17 hectare) 'playing-card' shaped fort named Isca around AD 55. The fort was the south-west terminus of the Fosse Way and served for the next 20 years as the base of the 5,000-man Second Augustan Legion originally led by Vespasian (AD 9-79), later Roman Emperor, before they moved to Caerleon in Wales, which was also known as Isca. To distinguish the two, the Romans also referred to Exeter as Isca Dumnoniorum (Watercity of the Dumnonii), and Caerleon as Isca Augusta. A small fort was also maintained at Topsham and a supply depot on the route between the two was excavated at St Loyes on Topsham Road in 2010. In AD 876, the city was attacked and briefly captured by Danish Vikings. Alfred the Great (AD 849-899) drove them out the following summer. Over the next few years, he elevated Exeter to one of the four burhs (fortified settlements) in Devon, rebuilding its walls on the Roman lines. These permitted the city to fend off another attack and siege by the Danes in AD 893.

The city held a weekly market for the benefit of its citizens from at least 1213, and by 1281, Exeter was the only city in the south-west to have three market days per week. There are also records of seven annual fairs, the earliest of which dates from 1130, and all of which continued until at least the early 16th century. The city's motto, 'semper fidelis' (always faithful), is traditionally held to have been suggested by Elizabeth I (1533-1603), in acknowledgement of the city's contribution of ships to help defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588. However, its first documented use is in 1660. Schools in Exeter teach that the motto was bestowed by Charles II (1630-1685) in 1660 at the Restoration due to Exeter's role in the English Civil War (1642-1651).

Early in the Industrial Revolution, Exeter's industry developed on the basis of locally available agricultural products and, since the city's location on a fast-flowing river gave it ready access to water power, an early industrial site developed on drained marshland to the west of the city, at Exe Island. However, when steam power replaced water in the 19th century, Exeter was too far from sources of coal (or iron) to develop further. As a result, the city declined in relative importance, and was spared the rapid 19th century development that changed many historic European cities.

Exeter was bombed by the German Luftwaffe in the Second World War (1939-1945), when a total of 18 raids between 1940 and 1942 flattened much of the city centre. Large areas of the city centre were rebuilt in the 1950s, but little attempt was made to preserve Exeter's heritage. Damaged buildings were generally demolished rather than restored, and the street plan was altered in an attempt to improve traffic circulation. The modern architecture stands in sharp contrast to the red sandstone of buildings that survived the Blitz.

On 27th October 1960, following very heavy rain, the Exe overflowed and flooded large areas of Exeter including Exwick, St Thomas and Alphington. The water rose as high as 6ft 6¾in (2m) above ground level in places and 150 employees of the local firm Beach Bros were trapped for nine hours. 2,500 properties were flooded. Later the same year on 3rd December, the river levels rose again, flooding 1,200 properties. These floods led to the construction of new flood defences for Exeter. Work began in 1965, took 12 years to complete and cost £8 million. The defences included three flood relief channels, and were complemented by the construction of two new concrete bridges (built in 1969 and 1972) to replace the old Exe Bridge which had obstructed the flow of the river and made the flooding worse.

In addition to the city’s spectacular Cathedral, one of the city’s most visited places is ‘The House That Moved’, a 14th century Tudor building, which earned its name in 1961 when it was moved from its original location on the corner of Edmund Street to make way for a new road. Weighing more than 21 tonnes (21,000kg), it was strapped together and slowly moved a few inches at a time to its present-day position.

The Visiting Town

Salisbury is a city with a population of around 41,000 inhabitants in the county of Wiltshire and is located 80 miles (129km) north-east of Exeter.

The Venue

Wyvern Territorial Army Barracks

The games were played on the top field of the Wyvern Territorial Army Barracks, with Dryden Road forming the field's northern-eastern boundary. Although today it is a military installation, the barracks, located on Topsham Road, was established as an artillery barracks for the Board of Ordnance under the name of Topsham Barracks around 1800.

In 1873, a system of recruiting areas based on counties was instituted under the Cardwell Reforms and the barracks became the depot for the two battalions of the 10th (North Devonshire) Regiment of Foot. Following the Childers Reforms, the regiment evolved to become the Devonshire Regiment with its depot in the barracks in 1881. During the First World War (1914-1918), a reserve brigade of the Royal Field Artillery was based there and during the Second World War (1939-1945), units of the United States Army were based there.

The city of Exeter was subjected to heavy bombardment during the Second World War, with a direct hit destroying the officers' mess in 1941, and later a German bomber crash landed on the barracks' grounds - specifically on the top field which was decades later utilised for It's A Knockout.

After becoming home to the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment in 1958, the barracks went on to become the regional centre for infantry training as the Wessex Brigade Depot under the name of Wyvern Barracks in 1960. It is currently home to Battalion HQ, HQ Company and an Assault Pioneer Platoon of 6th Battalion, The Rifles and Exeter UOTC, as well as B Detachment of 243 Field Hospital and 72 Military Intelligence Company Detachment of 7 Military Intelligence Battalion.

The top field was sold off around 2002, with part of it being turned over to residential development, and the remainder becoming what is today a small public park.

Team Selection and Training

The Salisbury squad was selected after trials had been held at the Salisbury College of Technology, under the direction of Bryan White, who worked there in the College's Physical Education Department and would himself become the team's manager and co-team coach.

The Rehearsals

The report in the Salisbury Times published in the aftermath of this Domestic heat remarked upon "a gruelling day" which had started in the morning with a training session for both teams. This was followed in the afternoon by a full rehearsal and run-through of the contest, which resulted in a Salisbury win, giving the team confidence going into the final recording later in the day.

The Games in Detail

Marathon, Round 6 - Water Trapeze

The Marathon - ‘Water Run’ - featured a male competitor from each team and a spinning carousel with a large measuring cylinder at its centre. On the whistle, the competitors had to collect water in a bucket and then step onto the carousel and deposit the water into the cylinder. They then had to return to the start and repeat the game throughout. The team collecting the greater volume of water at the end of the six rounds would be declared the winners.

The sixth and final round of the Marathon saw the teams making one last effort to improve on total achieved over the previous five rounds.

At the end of this round, Salisbury had fared better overall by collecting the greater volume of water and were awarded the 4pts.

Game 7 - Motor-Bike Lances

The seventh and final game - ‘Motor-Bike Lances’ - was played in unison and featured two male competitors from each team armed with lances and riding motor-bikes. On the whistle, the first competitor had to ride from one end of the course to the other whilst negotiating an obstacle course comprised of ski-gates. Once he had reached the end of the course, a team-mate had to place a bucket of water over the lance and then he had to return to the start through the ski-gates whilst ensuring as little water as possible got spilled. Any water remaining in the bucket had to then be emptied into a measuring cylinder. The second competitor then had to repeat the process. The game would continue in the same manner until the end of permitted time. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

At the final whistle, the visiting team of Salisbury had collected the greater volume and were awarded the 2pts.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Salisbury (2pts awarded / 12pts total) 2nd Exeter (0pts / 9pts)

Media Attention

Councillor Gilbert Burdon, the Mayor of Salisbury, had been one of the forces behind the Salisbury team and was interviewed by the Salisbury local press in the aftermath of the city's victory in Exeter. He confessed to having been "very thrilled" by the performance and result and said that, "Our team was absolutely marvellous - they each put all they had into the games. This will be a big thing for the city. In Europe, Salisbury will be representing Great Britain. The contest will be available to more than 150 million European fans."

The report went on to state that the only disappointment regarding the It's A Knockout event was that the contingent of Salisbury supporters travelling to Exeter numbered about 200 people. The degree of disappointment becomes clear when the overall attendance at the Wyvern Territorial Army Barracks venue was given as 10,000 (which compared very favourably to Exeter City's average home attendance of 3,857 during the 1971/72 football league season, demonstrating the great popularity of It's A Knockout).

Associated Events

After the It's A Knockout event a civic reception was held in Exeter, with guests from Salisbury in attendance, including the Mayor and Mayoress and their two daughters, the town clerk, aldermen, councillors and the medical officer and their wives and husbands.

Additional Information

Prior to this first Domestic heat of 1972, which witnessed the presenting debut of long-running host Stuart Hall, audiences were entertained by the Band of the 1st Battalion of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, conducted by D. Jones, A.L.C.M.

Photographs of games from this heat were featured on Pages 13, 14, 19, 32, 41, 44, 47, 56, 61 and 75 of the It’s A Knockout Annual 1977 published by World Distributors (Manchester) Limited in the autumn of 1976.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 2

Event Staged: Saturday 22nd April 1972 from 6.00pm
Venue: Congleton Park, Congleton, Cheshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 26th May 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Teams: Congleton v. Banbury

Team Members included:
Banbury - Mike Swann (Team Manager), Brian Stone (Team Coach), Ray Phillips (Team Captain), Louise Belcher, Sandra Boland, George Gibbs, Angela Harper, Derek Heywood, David Higgs, Eric Hillman, Helen Jarman, Stella Judd, Ann Mullard, Mike Palmer, Tony Puddifoot, George Reynolds, Stuart Smith, Lee Steadman, Gerard ‘Jed’ Sutton, Ellen Twiner;
Congleton - Ann Brightwell (Women's Team Captain), Robbie Brightwell (Men’s Team Captain), Glenys Baskerville, Kevin Cooper, Barry Cove, Fiona Dale, Robert Dale, Ivor Davies, Sandra Dyson, David Edwards, Tony Heath, Janice Holden, Paula Kennerley, Rona Livingstone, Colin McFadeine, Gordon Mellor, David Miller, Stephen Mulligan, Rita Powell, Eddie Pruden, Bob Roberts, Fiona Roberts, Richard Sawbridge, Peter Shufflebottom, Linda Swinyard, Leslie Taylor, Geoff Walker.

Games: Recycling the Cycle, Hammering the Flour, Seesaw Skittles, Giant Ball Slalom, Don’t Run…But Get the Water, Jelly Canvas Run and Elastic Skates;
Marathon: Water Carpet.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 B • Banbury ● ●
 C • Congleton ●

12
10

Banbury qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Bern, Switzerland:
staged on Wednesday 7th June 1972

Congleton qualified as the highest scoring losing team for
Jeux Sans Frontières at Sheffield, Great Britain:
staged on Wednesday 2nd August 1972.

The Host Town

Congleton, Cheshire

Congleton is a town with a population of around 28,000 inhabitants and lies on the banks of the River Dane in the county of Cheshire. It is located 11 miles (18km) north of Stoke-on-Trent, 22 miles (35km) south of Manchester, 28 miles (45km) east of Chester and 33 miles (54km) east of Chesterfield.

Following King Edward I (1239-1307) granting permission to build a mill, the town became an important centre of textile production, notably of leather gloves and lace. In 1451, the River Dane flooded, destroying a number of buildings and the town’s wooden bridge and mill. The river was then diverted and the town rebuilt on higher ground.

As time passed, further mills were established including an early silk throwing mill and what became known as the Old Mill built by John Clayton and Nathaniel Pattison in 1753. The town's prosperity depended on tariffs imposed on imported silk. When tariffs were removed in the 1860s, the empty mills were converted to fustian (a heavy cotton cloth) cutting. A limited silk ribbon weaving industry survived into the 20th century, and woven labels were still produced in the 1990s. Many of the mills survive today as industrial or residential units.

The principal industries in Congleton today include the manufacture of airbags and golf balls. There are light engineering factories near the town, and sand extraction occurs on the Cheshire Plain, although much of the town is now a dormitory for Manchester and Stoke-on-Trent. The Macclesfield Canal, completed in 1831, passes through the town. It runs 26 miles (42km) from Marple, where it joins the Upper Peak Forest Canal, southwards (through Bollington and Macclesfield), before arriving at Bosley. Having descended the 12 Bosley Locks over the course of about one mile (1.6km), the canal continues through Congleton to a junction with the Hall Green Branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal at Hall Green. The canal is renowned for its elegant roving bridges, locally known as 'Snaily Bridges'. Congleton is one of few places in Britain where a road, canal and railway all cross each other at the same place.

Congleton became notorious in the 1620s, when bear-baiting, as well as cockfighting, were popular sports. The town was unable to attract large crowds to its bear-baiting contests and lacked the money to pay for a new, more aggressive bear. A solution was found when money set aside to purchase a bible for Congleton was used to buy such a beast - and the increased income generated by the spectators who then flocked to the town went to replenish the fund. It became legend that Congleton sold its bible to pay for a new bear and is celebrated in the chorus of 20th century folk song Congleton Bear, by folk artist John Tams, which runs “Congleton Rare, Congleton Rare, Sold the Bible to buy a bear”. The town’s nickname of 'Beartown' was the consequence of this legend and the logo of the local brewery, Beartown, bears (excuse the pun) the words to the song and the town’s football team, Congleton F.C. are nicknamed The Bears and has a performing chained bear as part of its official club badge.

This heat was held during the weekend festivities celebrating the 700th anniversary of the town of Congleton being granted its first charter in 1272. This charter enabled the town to hold fairs and markets, elect a mayor and ale taster, have a merchant guild and behead known criminals.

The Visiting Town

Banbury is a town with a population of around 48,000 inhabitants in the county of Oxfordshire and is located 85 miles (137km) south-east of Congleton.

The Venue

Congleton Park

The games were played at Congleton Park which was opened in 1871. Following a movement to create public parks in the 19th century, the Town Council bought twelve acres of land between Town Wood and the River Dane in 1856, with the object of creating an open space in which to lay out a public park. A park committee was appointed but seemingly they needed reassurance about the site. One advisor to whom they applied was James Bateman (1811-1897) who had developed a series of impressive gardens at Biddulph Grange. As parks were a matter of public pride their design was as important as that of public buildings, which were built on a grand scale with meticulous attention to detail. Just as a notable architect was employed to design buildings, so equivalent landscape designers and gardeners were employed for the parks.

The designer of Congleton Park was Edward Kemp (1817-1891) who was assisted by town surveyor William Blackshaw. Kemp had worked under the supervision of Joseph Paxton (1803-1865) at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. In September 1843, he became Head Gardener and subsequently superintendent at Birkenhead Park. Later he was consulted on the designs for Central Park in New York. His main aims and many of his ideas were the result of having been trained by Paxton. These ideas included providing open spaces, together with formal bedding and rockeries and a mixture of evergreen trees with the border shapes of native trees. In Congleton Park, Paxton’s principles are particularly noticeable in the carriageway running round the outside of the park and in its proximity to the river.

Access to the park was originally by a single bridge at the end of Park Road but a second wooden bridge at the end of a path from Willow Street was provided by the end of the nineteenth century. The opening of the new bridge was celebrated with a fête at which 7,000 people are reported to have watched the red, white and blue silk cord being removed to declare the bridge open. The games at the fête included a pillow fight on a pole laid across the river, crossing a greasy pole and a pig chase which involved chasing a well-soaped pig. This bridge lasted several decades before it was replaced in 1976 by the present bridge.

The Pavilion was built to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of Queen Victoria (1819-1901) in 1887. At one end was placed a bell reputed to have been cast in 1720 and weighing about half a hundredweight (25kg). It originally stood near the Mill Green entrance to the park in a small cabin. The bell was sounded each evening to denote closing time in the park. The pavilion was in great demand for social events including wedding receptions and other functions. It survived until the 1980s, when vandals attacked it and it was partly gutted by fire and was then boarded up until its restoration in 2005.

The bandstand was added to the park in 1914 as a result of a demand by Dr William Isaac Fern (Mayor, 1911-1913) that provision should be made for public entertainment. A carnival held in September 1913 seems to have raised enough money to cover the cost and Dr Fern opened the bandstand on 11th April 1914. A commemorative stone is incorporated into the wall to mark the visit of King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953) to the town on 23rd April 1913.

The Rehearsals

As in the final show, the Banbury team also emerged as victors in the rehearsals earlier in the morning when they beat Congleton 13-9.

Team Personnel

Congleton recruited Olympic medal winners Robbie and Ann Brightwell (née Packer) to lead their team following their successes at the 1964 Olympics Games staged at Tokyo in Japan. The British team had ended with a total haul of 18 medals, including 4 golds and 12 silvers, putting it just within the top ten on the medal table and runners Ann Packer and Robbie Brightwell, who were engaged to be married at the time, had both contributed to this success: Ann with a gold in the 800m and a silver in the 400m, and Robbie with a silver in the 4 x 400m relay.

In their day-to-day professions, Packer and Brightwell were teachers at the time and, despite their Olympic successes, they did not expect to make a living from sport. Soon after the Games, which would be her first and last, Packer had talked about how difficult it was to fit training around her working life as a Physical Education teacher. Despite only being 22 and 24 years old, respectively, Packer and Brightwell both retired from competitions, and were married that December. A Reuter’s news report from the time described the Olympic-themed wedding, with a gold and white colour scheme (Packer even had a gold lamé lining to her train) and a six-foot (1.83m) high wedding cake decorated with Olympic rings, and replicas of the pair's gold and silver medals.

The couple settled down in Congleton, where they are still resident today, and have three sons, all of whom were sportsmen. Gary became a 400m runner like his parents, and Ian and David both played football for Manchester City.

Ann’s achievement has gone down in history as one of the great sporting moments of all time, one for which she was recognised with the award of an MBE in 1965. Her achievement would stand the test of time and it would be another 40 years before another woman, Kelly Holmes, won a track gold medal for Great Britain at the Olympics!

For the It’s A Knockout competition, Ann was worried that she was expected to win simply because she had achieved the world record time over 800 metres. She was canny enough to realise that this did not automatically mean that she would be adept at springing across a series of wobbly platforms carrying a tray of jellies!

Returning Teams and Competitors

Future Domestic and International series referee Mike Swann began his It’s A Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières career in this heat as the team manager for the Banbury team. He participated again in 1973 as an advisor to the Bicester It’s A Knockout / Jeux Sans Frontières team. He began his officiating career as a touch-judge at the British International heat staged at Bristol later that year, before becoming a full-time It's A Knockout referee in 1977. He was also a part of the Celebrities team in It's A Celebrity Knockout 1978, and participated in Anything Goes in 1985 with other members of his family.

Robbie Brightwell would return as Team Advisor for the Macclesfield team when they participated in the 1977 series of It’s A Knockout.

Additional Information

The programme was notable for starting at the latest-ever time of the day (6.00pm) in It's A Knockout's history. This was to allow presenter Eddie Waring extra time to travel down from Warrington after commentating on his usual Saturday afternoon broadcast. A helicopter had been specially chartered to bring him from the rugby match right into the park itself. The arena had to be specially floodlit towards the end of the programme due to the late start.

The production crew and presenters spent the whole weekend of 22nd to 23rd April 1972 in Congleton, recording this Domestic Heat on the Saturday and staging the 1972 It's A Cup Final Knockout (to be aired on Saturday 6th May) on the Sunday.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 3

Event Staged: Sunday 30th April 1972
Venue: Open-Air Swimming Pool, Folkestone, Kent, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 2nd June 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Teams: Folkestone v. Canterbury

Team Members included:
Folkestone - Brian Spearpoint (Co-Team Coach), Steve Thomas (Co-Team Coach), Mike O’Grady (Team Captain), Keith Allen, David Anslow, Sue Anslow, Mike Berry, Van Betts, Sue Boardman, Lottie Boucher, Sue Clark, Gary Cooper, Sheila Crockford, Norma Devereux, Brian Fowler, Chris Fowler, Ron Fowler, Michael Hawkes, Janet Hughes, Pat James, Graham Jones, Peter Kennedy, Roger McCrow, Elizabeth Mount, Peter Munday, David Price, Ron Price, Jenny Thomas, Peter Warren.

Games: Rafter You Than Me, Water seesaw, Target Run, Raft to Plank and Plank to Raft, Water Football, The Raft Jumpers and The Beach Requisites;
Marathon: Stepping Stones.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 F • Folkestone ● ●
 C • Canterbury

13
7

Folkestone qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Westerland (Sylt), West Germany:
staged on Tuesday 20th June 1972

The Host Town

Folkestone, Kent

Folkestone is a town with a population of around 47,000 inhabitants on the English Channel in the county of Kent and was an important harbour and shipping port for most of the 19th and 20th century. It is located on the southern edge of the North Downs, 7 miles (11km) west of Dover, 23 miles (37km) south-west of Margate, 63 miles (101km) south-east of London and just 25 miles (40km) north-west of the French town of Audinghen.

The town’s history stretches back to prehistoric times, with evidence of human habitation dating to the Mesolithic and Palaeolithic ages over 12,000 years ago. Its close proximity to the Continent means that it has often been a point of transit for migrating groups. The area has alternatively been occupied by groups of Britons, Romans and Saxons. During the Iron Age, a large oppidum (fortified settlement) and quern-stone workshop were situated on the eastern headlands of the bay. By the Roman era, it had been transformed into a large Roman Villa overlooking the sea.

Following the Norman Invasion during the 11th century, a Norman knight held the Barony of Folkestone, by which time the settlement had become a fishing village. In the 13th century, it became part of the Cinque Ports, and with it, the privileges of a wealthy trading port. Wars with France meant that defences had to be built and plans for Folkestone Harbour were made. At the beginning of the 18th century, the harbour finally became a reality, and Folkestone, like most settlements on the south coast, became involved in smuggling.

However, it was the coming of the railways in mid-19th century that proved to be the town’s future and with it, came the tourist trade. The railway reached Folkestone on 28th June 1843, when a temporary railway station was built while the construction of the line to Dover continued. This started with the Foord viaduct, designed by Sir William Cubitt (1785-1861), completed in 1844. Folkestone Junction railway station was then opened and construction through the cliffs between Dover and Folkestone commenced. Once the line was opened to Dover, the town began to prosper and resulted in growth westwards.

In the 1920s, the sail ships had been replaced by steam ships, which were using the outer harbour. The inner harbour had then started being used by smaller private craft. During World War II (1939-1945), the port closed to civilian boat usage and 44,000 personnel used the port during the Dunkirk Evacuation. In 1945, cargo services returned to the harbour and ferries went to Calais in France and Zeebrugge in Belgium. On 1st August 1946, the SS Auto Carrier started carrying cars to Boulogne-sur Mer and in July 1947, the Folkestone to Boulogne-sur Mer service resumed after a winter break.

By the 1960s, the services were becoming very popular and at the beginning of the next decade, a RORO (roll-on, roll-off) ramp was built for two new ships, Hengist and Horsa. In 1972, the Folkestone to Boulogne-sur Mer, Calais and Oostende services were carrying up to 1,266,783 passengers, 913,160 cars, 5,633 commercial vehicles and 31,594 freight vehicles (lorries and trucks) per annum. However, with the completion and opening of the Channel Tunnel in 1994, the port finally succumbed to its fate. Unable to compete with the speed of transit across the English Channel, all ferry services to Europe ceased in 2001 after falling passenger numbers resulted in them being no longer financially viable.

The Visiting Town

Canterbury is a cathedral city with a population of around 58,000 inhabitants in the county of Kent and is located 15 miles (24km) north of Folkestone.

The Venue

Open-Air Swimming Pool

The games were played in the 165ft x 75ft (50.29m x 22.86m) open-air swimming pool which was filled with purified sea-water. The pool was opened in 1938 and was situated on the seafront alongside Marine Parade with the Rotunda amusement park.

Sadly, neither exists today after being demolished in the 1980s, although the white poolside café buildings remained on the seafront for a further three decades.

In 2010, a plan was commissioned for the development of the seafront from architect Sir Terry Farrell and Partners, and outline planning permission was granted in summer 2013. Clearance of the redundant and dilapidated buildings took place in 2014/15, and stonework and original steelwork on the harbour arm has been carefully restored so that the area can be opened up to the public as a new pier and promenade. Much of the former fairground and swimming pool site is being used for car parking and temporary recreational use whilst preparations continue for the rest of the development.

Additional Information

A fierce gale was blowing during the recording of this heat, which made some of the games difficult and even hazardous. In one game, involving men having to cross a swimming pool jumping on to a series of floating platforms, a member of the Folkestone team cracked his leg badly against one of the platforms. After being rescued by frogmen, he insisted on continuing as he was a Physical Education teacher and his students would never let him live it down if he didn't complete the game!

At the time of recording, the venue for the West German International Heat was not decided. The souvenir programme from the Swiss International heat at Bern suggest that the West German event was due to be held at Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler or Westerland (Sylt). The latter venue, given simply as Sylt in the Swiss programme, was the venue ultimately chosen.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 4

Event Staged: Sunday 7th May 1972
Venue: Lanark Racecourse, Lanark, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 9th June 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Teams: Lanark v. Dalkeith

Team Members included:
Lanark - Billy Adams, John Barry, Billy Dempster, Diana Dunn, Brian Hawbutt, Marjorie Hunter, Gibby Kerr, Derek McIver, Susan McMoran, Richard Paterson, Robert Roma, Carol Smith and Marion Thompson; 
Dalkeith - Marion Renfrew (Team Coach), Alice Anderson, Lyb Anderson, Bob Barnes, Hunter Blair, Bill Ingram, Robert Gilfinnan, Maggie Holmes, Rob Holmes, Jim Ingram, Toby Morris, Minnie Robertson and Jim Smith.

Games (Official Titles): Plank Balance, Waiter on Skates, Stacking Tins, Water Transfer, Cylinder Race, Hula-Hoop and Tile Race;
Marathon: Flat Painting.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

Final Scoreboard

1st
2nd

 D • Dalkeith ● ●
 L • Lanark

13
8

Dalkeith qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Passariano di Codroipo, Italy:
staged on Wednesday 5th July 1972

The Host Town

Lanark, Lanarkshire

Lanark is a small town with a population of around 9,000 inhabitants in the council area of South Lanarkshire. It is located 22 miles (35m) south-east of Glasgow, 30 miles (48km) south-west of Edinburgh and 42 miles (68km) north of Dumfries in the area known as the Central belt. The name of the town is believed to come from the Cumbric Lanerc meaning ‘clear space or glade’.

There is little industry in Lanark and some residents commute to work in Glasgow and Edinburgh. Its shops serve the local agricultural community and surrounding villages and there is a large modern livestock auction market on the outskirts of the town.

Lanark has served as an important market town since medieval times, and King David I (1084-1153) made it a Royal Burgh in 1140, giving it certain mercantile privileges relating to government and taxation. King David I realised that greater prosperity could result from encouraging trade. He decided to create a chain of new towns across Scotland. These would be centres of Norman civilisation in a largely Celtic country, and would be established in such a way as to encourage the development of trade within their area. When a site had been selected for a new town, the King’s surveyors would lay out an area for the town’s market. Each merchant who came to the town was granted a plot of land (usually rent free for the first few years) bordering on the marketplace. These plots were known as feus or rigs. Each feu in a burgh was the same size, though the size varied between burghs. The layout of the feus in Lanark can still be easily seen between the north side of Lanark High Street (the former market place) and North Vennel, a lane which runs behind the feus. A motte and bailey castle was also constructed at the bottom of Castlegate.

This historic background forms the basis for the Lanark Gala Day celebrations, which take place each year for one week in June. Local primary schoolchildren elect a Lanark Gala Queen and a Lord Cornet is chosen from local businessmen. On the Monday night, the Perambulation of the Marches takes place, when townspeople turn out to walk around half the town boundary, following the Lord Cornets past and present as they inspect the border-stones. Traditionally, the townspeople carry ‘birks’, which are small branches of birch trees cut from the woods at the Glenburnie estate. This tradition was started in 1948 by Joseph Doolan (1912-1990), whose family owned the land. The other half of the boundary is inspected on the Wednesday night, again led by the Lord Cornet accompanied by many local riders who participate in the Riding of the Marches, locally referred to as the Rideout. On the Thursday morning, schools and other organisations parade before the Lanark Gala Queen in themed dress, accompanied by pipe bands. The best floats win prizes and, after the parade, the crowning of the Queen takes place on a temporary stand erected in front of St Nicholas' Church, under the statue of William Wallace (1270-1305). The Queen holds a reception party in the town's Memorial Hall on the Thursday and Friday nights, where children perform songs and dances.

At the time of transmission, Lanark was located in the county of Lanarkshire. However, following the complete redistribution of county boundaries under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the town became part of the newly-formed region of Strathclyde on 16th May 1975. Further changes followed and under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act of 1994, the regions were abolished and were replaced with 32 unitary authorities on 1st April 1995 and Lanark became part of the newly-formed South Lanarkshire council area!

The Visiting Town

Dalkeith is a town with a population of around 14,000 inhabitants in the council area of Midlothian and is located 32 miles (52km) north-east of Lanark.

The Venue

Lanark Racecourse

The games were played at Lanark Racecourse which was reputedly founded by King William the Lion of Scotland (1143-1214). The course was a right-handed oval, 10 furlongs (2,000m) round, with a run-in of around 3½ furlongs (700m). It was home to Britain’s oldest horse race, the Lanark Silver Bell, which after a gap of three decades following the closure of Lanark Racecourse, is now contested again at nearby Hamilton Park racecourse. The original Silver Bell is commonly reported to have been a gift of William the Lion in the 12th century. While the original bell no longer exists, the present one dates from the 17th century. The course also staged the longest handicap in the racing calendar, the 2½ mile (4km) long William the Lion Handicap, which traditionally closed the Scottish flat racing season.

The Lanark Race Committee, a syndicate of innkeepers and tradesmen of Lanark, had existed since the 1880s to encourage and promote race meetings at the course, including one every September that incorporated the Silver Bell race. When the committee fell into financial difficulties in 1903 it approached Lord Hamilton of Dalzell suggesting that without his help there would be no race meeting in 1904. Shortly afterwards Hamilton and Lord Newlands of Mauldslie Castle entered into a guarantee against loss and the first steps leading to the creation of a holding company were taken.

In 1908, the Lanark Racecourse Co Ltd was founded by Lord Hamilton and Lord Newlands at Lanark with a capital of £5,000, to manage and organise racing fixtures, including the Silver Bell fixture. A meeting of interested parties was held on 2nd October 1908 to consider the advisability of taking over the race meeting. It was estimated that £4,000 was needed to furnish Lanark with a modern racecourse. The funds were raised by subscription from the landowners in the county and those who contributed were invited to join the Lanark Race Club which was founded at the same time.

Along with horse-racing, the racecourse became somewhat of a makeshift airfield when the first ever aviation meeting in Scotland was held there between 6th and 13th August 1910. The event, during which pilots from seven countries demonstrated their skills to onlookers below, proved very popular. Figures vary as to attendance but certainly at least 200,000 people paid to attend during the week, 50,000 on one day alone. Surprisingly, the otherwise successful event still lost an estimated £8,750 (approx. £725,000 today), due to the organisers having been somewhat over-generous with prize money. The location was chosen because the land was relatively flat, the racecourse already had facilities for a paying public, there were stables to act as hangars for the aeroplanes and the racecourse was accessible by both road and rail, especially as The Caledonian Railway Company was prepared to construct a new station near the main entrance. The aeroplanes were transported to the meeting by rail, as aviation technology at the time was not advanced enough to safely fly there.

The Lanark meeting took place shortly after a similar event in Bournemouth at which aviator Charles Rolls (1877-1910) lost his life, becoming the first Briton to die in an aeronautical accident involving a powered aircraft. Influenced by this tragedy, it was decided that no aircraft would fly within a distance of 300 yards (270m) of the spectators. For the first time, aeroplanes were accurately timed over a straight measured distance, allowing the first world records to be set, covering flights over one mile (1.6km). It is believed that the commemorative postcard above involved a certain amount of retouching!

Racing at Lanark was of a modest quality, and race meetings were only attended by the faithful Scottish race-goer. The racecourse closed on 18th October 1977 due to financial problems which had begun to affect the business in the late 1960s and, despite having been closed for four decades, the land has never been developed, becoming a recreational area for the local population. Now administered by South Lanarkshire Council and known as the Lanark Racecourse Recreation Area, it provides a range of outdoor recreation facilities including four eleven-a-side grass pitches, two eleven-a-side grass pitches, two rugby pitches and a floodlit synthetic pitch. The remains of the course are still visible today, in particular the grandstand and Tote building.

The Tote, originally known as the Horserace Totalisor Board, was set up in 1928, by the then Chancellor of the Exchequer, Winston Churchill (1874-1965), as a government-appointed board. It was established to provide a safe, state-controlled alternative to illegal off-course bookmakers. It also ensured that some gambling income was put back into the sport of horse racing. The first Tote was opened at Carlisle in early 1929 and Lanark became the venue of the second.

Opening in July 1929, it was an immediate success. Its automated system allowed the calculation and then speedy display of odds and winning prices. Despite this automation, it required an incredible 220 people to run it during race meetings. Its popularity was demonstrated by the fact that before the first race in which it was first used, there had been over 6,500 bets taken. The Tote in Lanark continued in use until racing at Lanark ceased in October 1977.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Plank Balance

The first game - ‘Plank Balance’ - is missing from the BBC's existing recording of this programme. However, from later commentary, it can be deduced that the winners of the game were the visiting team of Dalkeith team.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Dalkeith (2pts awarded / 2pts total) 2nd Lanark (0pts / 0pts)

Marathon, Round 1 - Flat Painting

The next game - ‘Flat Painting’ - was the Marathon, which was played in unison over six rounds of 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured a male competitor from each team equipped with a long-reach paintbrush. On the perimeter of the game there was a large board with 56 squares on it and in front of it was spinning carousel. On the whistle, the competitor had to dip the brush into a large tub of white paint and then jump on the carousel and paint the board and covering as many of the squares as possible. The carousel was rotated by a male team-mate from both teams and therefore they could adjust the speed accordingly. The competitor could return to the tub at any time to replenish the paint on his brush. The team covering the greater number of complete squares over the course of the six Marathon heats would be declared the winners.

The first round is missing from the archive footage and therefore the comparative progress of the teams at the end of Round 1 is unknown at this point.

Running Marathon Standings: --- Dalkeith (---) --- Lanark (---)

Game 2 - Waiter on Skates

The second game - 'Waiter on Skates' - is also missing from the BBC’s existing recording of this programme. However, from later commentary, it can be deduced that the winners of the game were Lanark.

Running Scores and Positions: =1st Dalkeith (0pts awarded / 2pts total) =1st Lanark (2pts / 2pts)

Marathon, Round 2 - Flat Painting

The cameras returned to the Marathon for the second round to witness the two teams continuing to paint the chequered boards.

Although the footage from this round is also missing from the archive video, the running scores were confirmed by presenter Eddie Waring before the commencement of the third round.

Running Marathon Standings: 1st Dalkeith (24) 2nd Lanark (18)

Game 3 - Stacking Tins

The third game - ‘Stacking Tins’ - was played individually over 1 minute 30 seconds duration and featured two male competitors from each team equipped with six large water-filled plastic barrels. On the whistle, one of the competitors had to grab the first of the barrels and, whilst he ran up a seesaw, his team-mate had to counterbalance his weight on his descent on the other side. The barrel then had to be placed on a podium and once accomplished the competitor had to return along the seesaw to collect another barrel. The game then had to be repeated with the competitor building a tower of six barrels but the team had to ensure that they counterbalanced the seesaw correctly especially after the tower was three barrels high. Any sudden movement would ultimately spell disaster and see the tower tumbling to the ground. The team completing the game in the faster time or the highest tower within the permitted time would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Lanark and although this section of the game is also missing from the archive, the surviving footage captures referee Arthur Ellis announcing that the team had completed the game in 1 minute 28 seconds.

The second heat featured Dalkeith and they appeared to be faster than Lanark after stacking four barrels in just under 50 seconds of elapsed time. The pressure was now on for the team to hold their nerve and not panic but they seamlessly placed the fifth barrel after one minute and the sixth and final barrel was placed securely after 1 minute 14 seconds. A final rush to the finish line saw Dalkeith complete the game in 1 minute 17 seconds.

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Dalkeith (2pts awarded / 4pts total) 2nd Lanark (0pts / 2pts) ▼

Marathon, Round 3 - Flat Painting

The third round of the Marathon saw the two competitors continue to paint the squares but their task began to become more difficult as they stretched themselves to the limit to reach the outermost squares.

By the end of the round, Lanark had reduced the deficit between the two teams to just nine squares.

Running Marathon Standings: 1st Dalkeith (34) 2nd Lanark (25)

Game 4 - Water Transfer

The fourth game - ‘Water Transfer’ - was played in unison over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and witnessed Lanark presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team equipped with a bucket at opposite ends of the course and with an elasticated rope around their waists. On the whistle, the first competitor had to collect water from a large container and then run up the course to a small greased incline. Contemporaneously, the second competitor ran towards him from the other end to an identical incline. On reaching the incline, the two competitors had to hold their positions and then stretch the wire a little more in order that the water could be passed from one bucket to the other. Once accomplished, the second competitor had to return to his start point and empty any contents collected into another container whilst his team-mate returned to the start and then repeat the game throughout. Only water that was passed from bucket to bucket would be counted and any water that was thrown between the two would not be deemed valid. The team collecting the greater volume of water would be declared the winners.

Although this was a straightforward game, it was very tough on the competitors and at the end of the permitted time Lanark had collected 18lb (8.2kg) of water and Dalkeith had collected 12lb (5.5kg).

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Lanark (4pts awarded / Joker / 6pts total) ▲ 2nd Dalkeith (0pts / 4pts) ▼

Comments: This game was designed as such that the ropes would only stretch as far as the incline which would require the competitors to have to overstretch to get a full complement of water. However, as the game progressed and the competitors began to tire, the distance between them began to gradually widen.

Marathon, Round 4 - Flat Painting

The cameras returned to the Marathon to witness the fourth round and with all the central squares now covered the competitors struggled to reach those in lower and upper rows and the far left and right columns.

By the end of the round, Lanark had further reduced the deficit and Dalkeith were now leading by just five squares.

Running Marathon Standings: 1st Dalkeith (37) 2nd Lanark (32)

Game 5 - Cylinder Race

The fifth game - ‘Cylinder Race’ - was played individually over 2 minutes 30 seconds duration and featured four competitors (two males and two females) from each team and a slalom course comprising five gates. On the whistle, the two male competitors each holding a large wooden cylinder aloft on their shoulder had to support a smaller cylinder between the two by placing pressure from the back of one and the front of the other. They then had to move down a 60ft (18.28m) course negotiating five slalom gates en route. At the end of the course, they had to turn around and race back to the start. Once they had crossed the start line, the first of the females had to join them with a large cylinder on her shoulder and another small cylinder was placed between her and the competitor at her rear. The team then had to support and transport all five cylinders (large / small / large / small / large) down the course in the same manner and return. The final run would see the second female join them with another large cylinder on her shoulder and another small one placed between her and the competitor at her rear. The team then had to transport all seven cylinders (large / small / large / small / large / small / large) through the slalom gates and then return to finish the game. If the team lost control of the cylinders, they would be permitted to stop and recompose themselves before continuing. The small cylinder could not be handled at any time whilst the game was in play and the teams could decide for themselves in which order the competitors stood in the second and third runs. The team completing all three runs in the faster time would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Dalkeith and all went well for the first two runs. However, on the third run and with seven cylinders being transported, the team struggled to keep the pressure at an even level which caused the last two cylinders to tumble to the ground. After receiving assistance from their team captain to rebuild, the team kept their nerve for the remainder of the game and finished in 2 minutes 20 seconds.

The second heat featured Lanark and whilst they opted to use a different positional order on the second and third runs, their execution of the game was not as polished as Dalkeith's and this showed in the final run when the team lost total control of the cylinders and they all tumbled to the ground. Behind the clock at this point, their fate had already been sealed and eventually failed to complete the game within the permitted time.

Running Scores and Positions: =1st Dalkeith (2pts awarded / 6pts total) ▲ =1st Lanark (0pts / 6pts)

Comments: The surviving footage of this heat revealed one of those moments that is normally edited out before broadcast. At end of the first heat, Dalkeith had permitted the cylinders to tumble to the ground after they successfully completed the game. This caused some of the plywood used to cover the ends of the cylinders to become loose and break away. Presenter Stuart Hall requested that assistance be sought from the production team, and a host of backroom staff rushed in to solve the problem.

Marathon, Round 5 - Flat Painting

The fifth and penultimate round of the Marathon saw the competitors continue their task of covering all the squares but despite their efforts there was no significant change to the scores. At the end of the permitted time, Lanark had reduced the deficit to just four squares.

Running Marathon Standings: 1st Dalkeith (43) 2nd Lanark (39)

Game 6 - Hula-Hoop

The sixth and penultimate game - ‘Hula-Hoop’ - was played individually over 1 minute 45 seconds duration and featured three female competitors from each team equipped with hula-hoops and a wooden beam that spanned a large pool. On the whistle, the first of the competitors had to cross the beam and in doing so keep the hoop aloft by spinning it around her waist. The team with the greater number of crossings would be declared the winners.

The first heat saw the participation of Dalkeith and they made a total of 9 crossings from 14 attempts.

The second heat featured Lanark and they also made a total of 9 crossings but from 18 attempts.

Running Scores and Positions: =1st Dalkeith (1pt awarded / 7pts total) ▲ =1st Lanark (1pt / 7pts)

Comments: Before the start of the game, presenter Stuart Hall introduced Dalkeith competitor Minnie Robertson to the audience and questioned her on her thoughts about falling into the icy water. She replied that she had no problem with it and Hall mentioned that she had fallen in a few times during the rehearsal earlier in the morning. He then went on to say that if she did not fall in, he would give her 20p for her efforts. One must remember that this was 1972 and back then 20p would have been equivalent to £1.85 today (2017), but would still not be a great reward for her achievements!

Marathon, Round 6 - Flat Painting

The cameras returned to the Marathon for the sixth and final round and with a difference of just four squares between the two teams, there was everything to play for. Although all the remaining squares to be painted were in areas that needed a great deal of reach, both teams increased their scores significantly. Despite there being no official announcement of the final scores, it could clearly be seen on camera that Dalkeith had only eight squares remaining (56-8 = 48) whilst Lanark had twelve squares remaining (56-12 = 44).

Final Marathon Standings: 1st Dalkeith (48) 2nd Lanark (44)

Running Scores and Positions: 1st Dalkeith (4pts awarded / 10pts total) 2nd Lanark (0pts / 7pts) ▼

Comments: After winning this game, Dalkeith had accumulated sufficient points to secure overall victory and still had yet to play their Joker!

Game 7 - Tile Race

The seventh and final game - 'Tile Race’ - was played over two minutes duration and witnessed Dalkeith presenting their Joker for play. The game featured two male competitors from each team equipped with 16 large roofing tiles with hooks on the back and a set of wooden rafters of a roof. On the whistle, the first competitor had to grab a tile and run to the roof and hang the tile by the hooks on a metal baton spanning the rafters. He then had to run back and tag his team-mate so that he could lay the second tile next to the first on the same row. This process then had to be repeated throughout with each layer of two tiles overlapping the two below them. Once the 16th tile was in place, the competitor set off a firecracker in the chimney. The team completing the game with all tiles securely in place would be declared the winners.

This was a closely run race with the teams neck and neck throughout and saw Lanark completing the game in 1 minute 36 seconds with Dalkeith just one second behind in 1 minute 37 seconds. However, in their haste both teams had not complied with the rules and ensured that the tiles on the top row were secure before setting off the firecracker. Referee Arthur Ellis stated that neither team had completed the game correctly and both had been disqualified.

Final Scores and Positions: 1st Dalkeith (2pts awarded / Joker / 13pts total) 2nd Lanark (1pt / 8pts)

Comments: The irony of the disqualification was that the teams still had at least 20 seconds remaining whereby they could have checked and secured the loose tiles. However, the adrenaline and excitement of such a close race clearly obscured their vision with both teams intent on being first to finish, no matter what! On the day of recording, Arthur Ellis made a huge blooper which would have resulted in some of the audience going home not knowing the correct score. After the game had finished and the disqualification announced, he awarded both teams 1pt each but forgot to double Dalkeith's score to 2pts as they were playing the Joker. Therefore, the recording ended with the scoreboard displaying Lanark 8, Dalkeith 12. Stuart Hall and Eddie Waring then bid their goodbyes and the programme’s theme music played over the end credits. Some moments later and realising the error, the It's A Knockout team asked the audience still in attendance to remain whilst a retake was staged from the point where Hall asked Ellis to announce the points awarded in the game. This time, Dalkeith were awarded their full points tally and the scoreboard was shown with the correct score of 8-13. This sequence would have been edited into the finished programme and audiences at home would have been none the wiser.

Made in Colour • Footage from this programme exists in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 5

Event Staged: Sunday 14th May 1972
Venue: Forest Recreation Ground, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 16th June 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Teams: Nottingham v. Lincoln

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 L • Lincoln ● ●
 N • Nottingham

14
8

Lincoln qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Nice, France:
staged on Wednesday 19th July 1972

The Host Town

Nottingham, Nottinghamshire

Nottingham is a city with a population of around 730,000 inhabitants, located 22 miles (35km) north of Leicester, 32 miles (52km) south of Sheffield, 43 miles (69km) east of Stoke-on-Trent and 47 miles (76km) west of Boston. It was granted its city charter in 1897 as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations for Queen Victoria (1819-1901).

The city predates Anglo-Saxon times and was known in Brythonic as Tigguo Cobauc, meaning Place of Caves. When it fell under the rule of a Saxon chieftain named Snot, it became known as Snotingaham - the homestead of Snot's people (inga meaning ‘the people of’ and ham meaning ‘homestead’).

Nottingham Castle was constructed in 1068 on a sandstone outcrop by the River Leen. The Anglo-Saxon settlement was originally confined to the area today known as the Lace Market and was surrounded by a substantial defensive ditch and rampart. The ditch was later widened, in the mid-13th century, and a stone wall built around much of the perimeter of the town. A short length of the wall survives, and is visible at the northern end of Maid Marian Way, and is protected as a Scheduled Monument.

On the return of Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199) from the Crusades, the castle was occupied by supporters of Prince John (1199-1216), including the Sheriff of Nottingham. It was besieged by Richard and, after a sharp conflict, was captured. In the legends of Robin Hood, Nottingham Castle is the scene of the final showdown between the Sheriff and the hero outlaw.

During the Industrial Revolution, much of Nottingham's prosperity was founded on the textile industry and in particular, that of lace manufacture. In 1831, citizens rioted in protest against the Duke of Newcastle's opposition to the Reform Act 1832, setting fire to his residence, Nottingham Castle. In common with the country’s textile industry, Nottingham's textile sector fell into decline in the decades following World War II (1939-1945). Very little textile manufacture now takes place in Nottingham, but many of the former industrial buildings in the Lace Market district have been restored and put to new uses.

The geographical centre of Nottingham is usually defined as the Old Market Square. The square is dominated by the Council House, which replaced the Nottingham Exchange Building built in 1726. The Council House was constructed in the 1920s to display civic pride, ostentatiously using baroque columns and placing stone statues of two lions at the front to stand watch over the square.

Nottingham is home to the headquarters of several companies including Boots the Chemists, pet food company Pedigree, credit reference agency Experian, energy company Eon UK, betting company Gala Group, amusement and gambling-machine manufacturer Bell-Fruit-Games, engineering company Siemens, sportswear manufacturers Speedo, bicycle manufacturer Raleigh and high-street opticians Vision Express and SpecSavers.

In the sporting world, Nottingham is home to the world's oldest professional football club, Notts County, which was formed in 1862. The town's other football club is Nottingham Forest who takes its name from the Forest Recreation Ground on which they originally played their home games.

The Visiting Town

Lincoln is a city with a population of around 98,000 inhabitants in the county of Lincolnshire and is located 32 miles (52km) north-east of Nottingham.

The Venue

Forest Recreation Ground

The games were played at the Forest Recreation Ground, a large open space located approximately one mile (1.6km) north of the city centre. The name ‘Forest’ derives from medieval times when the land that is now the recreation ground was part of the Sherwood Forest that extended from the city of Nottingham to the north of Nottinghamshire.

The site was the southernmost part of Sherwood Forest and was part of the open area known formerly as ‘The Lings’ which was largely covered by gorse and scrub. Joseph Paxton (1803-1865), a leading gardener and architect of the nineteenth century, was responsible for its criss-cross formation of walkways. Paxton’s designs had also been responsible for the layout of Congleton Park, which had been utilised as the venue for the second heat earlier in this series.

In the summer of 2008 the Forest was the subject of a public consultation to decide on regeneration priorities, to be funded by an expected Heritage Lottery Fund award. The £5.2 million restoration project was completed during September 2013. The project encompassed the restoration and refurbishment of the lodge (now office space) and the pavilion (which now houses a new café, public toilets and office space), the reparation and improvement of footpaths, replacement of park benches, improvements to access to sporting facilities, the amelioration of lighting and security, the expansion of planting areas and the creation of higher-quality activity areas for young people. The final phase of the Forest project created a sports zone with new sports pitches and changing rooms, paid for by the Premier League, the Football Association and Sport England.

However, the Recreation Ground is now probably best known as the site of the city's famous annual Goose Fair which is believed to date back to just after 1284, when the Charter of King Edward I (1239-1307) referred to city fairs in Nottingham. It derives its name from the 1400s, when geese were driven from Lincolnshire to be sold in Nottingham by huntsmen to local villagers in the forest grounds. It started as a trade event and enjoyed a reputation for its high-quality cheese, although it is now known for its rides and games which were introduced around 1541.

Originally, the fair was held in September but was moved in 1752, following the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, and has been held during the first week of October ever since. It is largely provided by showmen (travelling fair people) and is one of only three established fairs in the United Kingdom to carry the name, the others being the smaller Goosey Fair in Tavistock, Devon, and the even smaller Michaelmas Goose Fayre in Colyford in East Devon.

The Goose Fair has only ever been cancelled on three occasions since its inception due to the bubonic plague in 1646 and again during the two World Wars (1914-1918 and 1939-1945) in the 20th century.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in the BBC Archives

GB

It's A Knockout 1972

Heat 6

Event Staged: Sunday 21st May 1972
Venue: Outdoor Pool, Wardown Baths Centre, Bath Road, Biscot,
Luton, Bedfordshire, England

Transmission:
BBC1 (GB): Friday 23rd June 1972, 7.45-8.30pm

Radio Times Trophy presented by:
Charles Hill (Lord Hill of Luton), BBC Chair of Governors

Teams: Luton v. Watford

Team Members (Full Squads):
Luton - John Riches (Team Manager), John Howells (Men’s Team Coach), Alan Baldock, Pat Barker, Janice Barton, Marilyn Borlase, Pamela Brebner, Geoffrey Brown, Peter Bruce, Linda Butler, Finlay Campbell, Patricia Cornes, Colin Curle, Stephanie Daniels, Sharon Dillette, Christopher Dunnington, Gary Dunington, Barry Elliott, Douglas Fleming, Kevin Hanna, Michael Harrison, Brenda Howe, Ann Howells, Annette Hunter, Andrew Maddox, Colin Mayes, Valerie McDonough, Steve Mizsei, Thomas Murphy, Linda Nash, John O’Kane, Geoffrey Osborne, Barry Penning, Jeanette Purdy, John Randall, Raymond Roach, Sandra Rogers, Frederick Standard, Peter Sturgess, David Watkins, Diana Windle, Paul Woolford, David Worker, Jean Wright, Caroline Yates. Unconfirmed: Pam Lewis (Women’s Team Coach);
Watford - Reg Morgan (Team Manager), Colin Southgate (Team Coach), Lynn Taylor (Women’s Team Coach), Chris Barker (Men’s Team Captain), Audrey Adams, Judith Almand, Susan Andrews, Geoff Arnell, Jackie Attree, Christine Badger, Hilary Ball, Bob Beazley, Derek Beevor, Donal Brewis, David Brown, Roger Castle, Tom Collins, Rose Cullen, Guiseppe De Piano, Nick Dobner, Peter Evans, Joanna Finch, Patricia Gaman, Bill Graham, Marcus Grodentz, Lawrence James, Vicky King, Penny Lawson, David Long, Sandra Marquis, Pat McCloughlin, Russell O'Connor, Amanda Parkin, Hilary Philips, Alan Poole, Peter Redmond, Philip Rider, Carol Robbins, Keith Roszell, Tony Shenton, Graham Stiles, Jean Tye, Dennis Webster. Unconfirmed: Roy Rogers.

Games (Official Titles): Rafts and Barrows, Football Skittles, Walking the Plank, Raft Race, Ball Transfer, Tarzan Swing and Canvas Slide;
Marathon: Water Carriers.

Game Results and Standings

Result

 Team

Points

1st
2nd

 L • Luton ● ●
 W • Watford

16
4

Luton qualified for Jeux Sans Frontières at Delft, Netherlands:
staged on Wednesday 16th August 1972.
This result secured Luton with the new Radio Times Trophy for 1972
for the highest scoring team in the British heats.

The Host Town

Luton, Bedfordshire

Luton is a town with a population of about 258,000 inhabitants in the county of Bedfordshire. It is located 10 miles (16km) west of Stevenage, 17 miles (27km) east of Aylesbury, 18 miles (29km) south-east of Milton Keynes and 28 miles (45km) north-west of London. The town was for many years famous for hat-making and also had a large Vauxhall Motors factory.

The earliest settlements in the Luton area were Palaeolithic encampments and more settlements re-appeared after the ice had retreated in the Mesolithic period around 8000 BC. Luton itself is believed to have been founded as Lea-tun by the Anglo-Saxons sometime in the 6th century. After the establishment of the Danelaw in the east of England and the unification of the remaining English kingdoms in the west, Luton stood on the border between Christendom and Heathenism which ran up the River Lea from London through to Bedford.

In 1214, King John (1166-1216) had hired a mercenary soldier, Falkes de Breauté (Breauté being a small town near Le Havre in France), to act on his behalf. When he married, de Breauté acquired his wife's house which came to be known as Falkes Hall, subsequently corrupted over the years to ‘Foxhall’, then to ‘Vauxhall’. In return for his services, King John granted Falkes the manor of Luton, where he built a castle alongside St Mary's Church. He was also granted the right to bear his own coat of arms and chose the mythical griffin as his heraldic emblem. The griffin thus became associated with both Vauxhall and Luton in the early 13th century and is still used to this day as the Vauxhall Motors emblem.

The hat-making industry began in the 17th century and became synonymous with the town. By the 18th century, the industry dominated the town and although hats are still produced, it is on a much smaller scale. The town grew strongly in the 19th century. In 1801, the population was 3,095 inhabitants and by 1901 it had grown almost eleven-fold and stood at 39,000. Such rapid growth demanded a railway connection, but the town had to wait a long time for one. The London and Birmingham Railway (L&BR) had been built through Tring in 1838, and the Great Northern Railway was built through Hitchin in 1852, both by-passing Luton, the largest town in the area. A branch line connecting with the L&BR at Leighton Buzzard was proposed, but because of objections to the release of land, construction terminated at Dunstable in 1848. It was another ten years before the branch was extended to Bute Street Station and the first train from Luton to Dunstable ran on 3rd May 1858.

In 1905, Vauxhall Motors opened the largest car plant in the United Kingdom in the town and work continued for almost a century until 2000, when Vauxhall announced the end of car production in Luton, with the plant finally closing in March 2002. At its peak, it had employed in excess of 30,000 people. Vauxhall's headquarters remain in the town, as does its van and light commercial vehicle factory. In 1950, Luton was twinned with the car manufacturing town of Wolfsburg in Germany, a link that remains intact to this day.

Luton Airport was opened in 1938 and was owned and operated by the local council. During the Second World War (1939-1945), it doubled as an RAF (Royal Air Force) base. Today things are a lot different with the airport now known as London Luton Airport and serving as a base for budget airlines EasyJet, Monarch, Thomson Airways and Ryanair. In 2015, over 12.2 million passengers passed through the airport, making it the fifth busiest airport in the United Kingdom after Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Stansted.

The town received an unexpected reference in Gerry Anderson's science-fiction TV series Space: 1999 when American executive Fred Freiberger was trying to come up with a suitably exotic name for an alien planet for an episode he was writing for the series. While driving to work one day on the M1 motorway he saw the name Luton on a roadsign and thought this would be ideal. He submitted his script, The Rules of Luton, reportedly causing much amusement to Anderson and the British crew who knew the town to be not the most glamorous of destinations. Freiburger's title, however, remained and the episode was made and transmitted with his planet name intact.

Luton is home to League One team Luton Town Football Club, whose nickname is unsurprisingly ‘The Hatters’. Its history includes several spells in the top flight of the English League as well as a Football League Cup triumph in 1988. More recently, the club has experienced tough times. Between 2007 and 2009, financial difficulties caused the club to fall from the second tier of English football to the fifth in successive seasons. The last of these relegations came during the 2008–09 season, when 30 points were docked from Luton's tally as part-penalisation for various financial irregularities. Luton thereafter spent five seasons in non-League football before winning the Conference Premier in 2013–14, securing promotion back into the Football League. When they won the League One title in the 2018-2019 season, this restored them to the second tier Championship for the first time in 12 years. They play at Kenilworth Road stadium, which has been their home since 1905 and its most famous director was comedian Eric Morecambe, MBE (1926-1984).

The Visiting Town

Watford is a town with a population of around 92,000 inhabitants in the county of Hertfordshire and is located 15 miles (24km) south of Luton.

The Venue

Wardown Baths Centre

The games were played at the Baths Centre in the Biscot area close to the centre of Luton. When originally opened in June 1935, it was solely an open-air pool and paddling area for children, but in 1963 the local council began building the Wardown Swimming and Leisure Centre adjacent to it which in itself included a heated indoor pool. This was completed and opened in 1965.

As European travel and foreign holidays became more widely available and more fashionable in the mid-1970s, and with Britain’s not-so-sunny climate, the open-air pool began to be used less and less. By the beginning of the 1980s, the pool had fallen in to disuse and was finally closed to the public in 1981. The plan was to sell the land for local housing but this proved more difficult than expected, and during the first few years following the closure, the emptied pool was ‘opened’ as a skateboarding area for local children. However, with rules set down in the Health and Safety Act (1974), and with the possible citations of legal action for injuries sustained, the area was sealed off at the end of the 1980s.

The site lay untouched for the next 30 years and in mid-2012, the dilapidated remnants of the pool could still be seen from the balcony of the Leisure Centre, before the council’s plans were finally realised, but in a different guise. Demolition of the site (including the heated indoor pool) commenced in the autumn of 2012, to make room for a new education facility.

In September 2013, the new River Bank Primary School, a brand new Active Education Academy Trust Free School for boys and girls, opened its doors on the site which formerly encompassed both of the old swimming pools.

The Games in Detail

Game 1 - Rafts and Barrows

The first game - ‘Rafts and Barrows’ - was played in unison and featured five competitors (one male and four females) from each team armed with a wheelbarrow. Across the pool, there was a bridge comprised of a number of floating podia spread out at regular intervals across the pool, atop of which were wooden planks connecting each podium to its neighbour. On the whistle, the first of the female competitors, standing on the pool’s edge, had to sit in the wheelbarrow and then the male competitor had to push her across the bridge to the other side of the pool. Once across, the female then had to climb out and the male returned to the start via the bridge. The game then had to be repeated on three occasions until all four females had been transported across. If any competitor (or wheelbarrow) fell into the pool, the team had to recompose itself on the bridge before continuing. The team completing the game in the faster time or the one with the greater number of competitors transported across would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Marathon, Round 1 - Water Carriers

The next game - 'Water Carriers’ - was the Marathon which was played individually and featured two competitors (one male and one female) from each team armed with buckets. In the middle of the pool was a large rotating disc either side of which were a number of floating ‘stepping stones’. On the whistle, the competitors had to fill their buckets with water and then transport them across the ‘stones’ and revolving disc to the other side of the pool. They then had to empty any remaining contents into a large measuring cylinder and return to the start via the poolside. Any competitor that fell off the disc or a stepping stone would have to return to the start and repeat their run.

The Marathon would be contested by each team on three alternating occasions. The team collecting the greater aggregate volume of water would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Game 2 - Football Skittles

The second game - ‘Football Skittles’ - was played individually and featured two male competitors from each team and a floating bridge comprised of inflatable rafts leading to a podium. In front of the podium was a set of goalposts defended by an opposition male. On the pool’s edge, and at 90° to the angle of play, there were three more opposition males armed with large stuffed sacks hanging from above. On the whistle, the first competitor had to dribble a football along the bridge to the podium. He then had to take a penalty kick and aim for the goal. Contemporaneously, the poolside opposition would swing the sacks to hinder and dislodge him during his execution of the game. Once in the pool, successful or not in scoring or being knocked off by the opposition, he had to make his way back to the start whilst the second competitor commenced play. Once the second competitor had completed his run, the team had to repeat the game throughout. The team scoring the greater number of goals within permitted time would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Marathon, Round 2 - Water Carriers

The second round of the Marathon saw the team that had not participated in the first round trying to emulate the target set by their rivals.

Game 3 - Walking the Plank

The third game - 'Walking the Plank’ - was played individually and featured six competitors (three males and three females) from each team and a set of three seesaws laid out across the pool. Each of the seesaws was above the water line and could be rotated through 360°. On the whistle, whilst one end of the seesaw was balanced by the first male standing in the pool, the first female had to stand on the other end. He then had to rotate the seesaw through 180° in order to line it up with the second seesaw being balanced by the second male. The female then had to step onto the second seesaw and then be rotated around 180° to meet the third seesaw. Once the third seesaw had been rotated, she had to step off and onto the poolside. Contemporaneously, the males had to return the seesaws to their original positions for the game to be repeated by the second female and then by the third. However, once the first seesaw had been returned to its original start position, the second female competitor could commence her run. This could result in more than one female in play at any time. Any competitor losing her balance and falling into the pool had to return to the start and repeat her run. The team with all three females across the pool in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Marathon, Round 3 - Water Carriers

The third round of the Marathon saw the team that had participated in the first round, trying to improve on the total volume of water collected earlier.

Game 4 - Raft Race

The fourth game - 'Raft Race’ - was played in unison and featured a male competitor from each team standing on a floating raft in the pool. Around his waist, supported by shoulder straps, was a large bobbin with a rope affixed. The other end of the rope was fastened to the far side of the pool. On the whistle, the competitor had to spin around on the raft and wind the rope onto the bobbin in order to propel the raft forward and towards the pool’s edge. The team completing the game in the faster time would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Comments: During this game, Watford team member Tony Shenton had to be assisted to hospital by the local ambulance service after he fell from the raft and hit the side of the pool, causing a hairline fracture to his left arm.

Marathon, Round 4 - Water Carriers

The fourth round of the Marathon saw the team that had participated in the second round, trying to improve on the total volume of water collected earlier.

Game 5 - Ball Transfer

The fifth game - 'Ball Transfer’ - was played individually and featured five competitors (four males and one female) from each team. Whilst the female was located on the poolside, the four males, each armed with a long pole with a large hoop at the end, were standing on floating podia spread out at regular intervals across the pool. On the whistle, the female had to place a large ball into the hoop of the first competitor’s pole and then he had to rotate 180° to line up with the end of the pole of the second competitor. He then had to transfer the ball to the hoop of the second competitor who then had to rotate 180° to meet with the third competitor and so on. The fourth competitor, after rotating 180° around had to drop the ball into a large holding net. Any ball that dropped into the pool during transfer would not be counted. The team transferring the greater number of balls would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Marathon, Round 5 - Water Carriers

The fifth and penultimate round of the Marathon saw the team that had participated in the first and third rounds, making one last attempt to improve on their score.

Game 6 - Tarzan Swing

The sixth and penultimate game - 'Tarzan Swing’ - was played individually and featured six competitors (five males and one female) from each team and a large floating podium in the pool. On the whistle, each of the males had to collect a large ball and then climb a ladder to a high podium located in the pool. The female then had to pass a rope hanging from a high scaffold to the first male competitor. He then had to use the rope to swing out across the pool and at the right moment drop down and land on the floating podium. If he failed and fell into the pool, he would have to return to the start and repeat his run later. If he was successful and remained on the podium, he had to take up a position that would keep him secure but whilst always keeping hold of the ball. In either scenario, the rope would be returned to the start by the female and handed to the second competitor to repeat the game. The game would continue until all five competitors had landed on the podium or until the end of permitted time. The team landing all five competitors in the faster time or the one with the greater number on the raft would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Marathon, Round 6 - Water Carriers

The sixth and final round of the Marathon saw the team that had participated in the second and fourth rounds, making one last attempt to improve on their score.

Game 7 - Canvas Slide

The seventh and final game - 'Canvas Slide’ - was played in unison and featured two competitors (one male and one female) from each team and a large canvas slide secured at one end to a high rostrum and at the other to the pool’s floor. On the whistle, the competitors had to swim to the base of the slide and then one of them had to climb it using any technique of their choice. To assist them to climb the final few feet (final metre) of the slide, a small rope was hanging down from the rostrum. Once at the top, the competitor had to collect a balloon and then slide down and transport it to the far side of the pool. The second competitor then had to commence their climb and repeat the game and this would continue until the end of permitted time. The team collecting the greater number of balloons would be declared the winners.

Image © BBC, 1972

Returning Teams and Competitors

Four members of Luton’s 1972 team, Steve Mizsei, Sharon Dillette, team coach John Howells and John O’Kane participated many years later in It’s a Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières. Steve was a member of the 1977 St. Albans It’s a Knockout team, as well as the 1978 Stevenage and 1979 St. Albans It’s a Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières teams, whilst John O’Kane competed again for St. Albans in 1979. Sharon competed again for the Luton team in 1981 when they participated in It’s A Knockout and Jeux Sans Frontières, and John Howells returned as team manager for the squad during their 1981 participation.

Media Attention

Reports in the local press Luton News just two weeks before this heat was held show that the original venue for the Dutch International Heat this year was to have been Gouda. This information is borne out by details of the proposed venues in the souvenir programme for the 1972 Swiss International Heat from Bern. The Dutch venue had changed to Delft by time the heat was staged. Other reports show that this heat cost £4000 to stage (excluding the wage bill of the BBC’s one hundred personnel) and that on display was a six-foot wide wooden boater, which was made by 40-year old local library display assistant Bob Godfrey. Reports also showed in both towns’ local press Luton News and Watford Observer that the people of Watford did not take the programme to their hearts. Both towns had been allocated 2,500 tickets each but whilst the Luton allocation sold at an extraordinary rate, four days before the actual contest only 600 tickets had been sold in Watford and in the 19th May 1972 edition of the Watford Observer, three separate adverts were placed urging the locals to support their team. The town eventually sent back over 1,500 unsold tickets to Luton!

Additional Information

The town of Luton was presented with over £1000 of silverware and hard cash by the then BBC Chairman of Governors, Charles Hill (Lord Hill of Luton), after their routing of Watford. He presented the new Radio Times Trophy worth £600 for being the highest scoring team in the British domestic heats. The trophy was designed by Radio Times cartoonist, Bill Tidy. Hill also handed over a cheque for £500 to help the old people of Luton.

Made in Colour • This programme does not exist in the BBC Archives

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