Wikipedia

Robert Dougall

For the footballer, seeRobert Dougall (footballer).

Robert Neill DougallMBE(27 November 1913 – 18 December 1999) was an English broadcaster andornithologist,mainly known as a newsreader and announcer. He started his career in the BBC's accounts department before moving on to become a radio announcer for theBBC Empire Servicein 1934. Dougall covered the first three years of theSecond World Warfor the corporation, before resigning in 1942 to join theRoyal Naval Volunteer Service.

Robert Dougall
MBE
Robert Dougall
Born
Robert Neill Dougall

(1913-11-27)27 November 1913
Croydon,Surrey,England
Died18 December 1999(1999-12-18)(aged 86)
Southwold,Suffolk,England
Occupation(s)Broadcaster
Ornithologist
Years active1934–1999
Spouse
Nan Byram
​
(m.1947)​
Children2
RelativesRose Elinor Dougall(granddaughter)

Dougall returned to the BBC after demobilisation, first for the Far Eastern Service in Singapore and then for theBBC Light Programmein London. He started his career in television as a newsreader in the 1950s and retired in December 1973. Dougall served as president of theRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB) for five years, from 1970 to 1975, during which time the charity's membership increased from 50,000 to 250,000. He was appointedMember of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire(MBE) in the1965 Birthday Honours.

Early life

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Dougall was born on 27 November 1913 inSouth Croydon,Surrey.[1][2]He was the son of aCity of Londonworker fromGlasgow,Scotland.[3][4]Dougall had two older sisters,[5]and moved frequently in his childhood before settling in the seaside town ofBrightonbecause he hadasthma.[3]From 1923 to 1931,[6]he attendedWhitgift Schoolin Surrey;[7]he did not carry on to university despite having some talent in languages, specifically French and German.[1][5]

Dougall left Whitgift School at the age of 16 when work became scarce during theGreat Depression.[8][9]Through his father's contacts in the city,[8]he was recruited as an accounts clerk by theDeloittefirm of accountants that were responsible for auditing theBBC.[1][5][2]Dougall discovered that accounting was not for him, so he joined the BBC's Accounts Departments after a friend recommended it to him while he was conducting an audit.[3][8]

Career

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On his 21st birthday in 1934, his bilingualism landed him a position as a radio announcer for theBBC Empire Service(the forerunner of the BBC World Service),[3][8]becoming the youngest BBC staff announcer.[2][4]Dougall also worked for the BBC European Service, where he conducted a number of interviews that were broadcast across Europe.[7]He worked six days on and three days off before transitioning to outside broadcasts with a focus on the London scene.[5]

By 1939, Dougall had advanced to the position of associate editor, and he announced the United Kingdom's declaration of war on Germany when Germany invaded Poland that September.[5][7]He had broadcast a message as a "anonymous" Englishman (although speaking in German, which was translated by a member of the German Service), pleading with Germany to withdraw its forces and avert the impending war.[1][8]Dougall was "indefinitely reserved" for duty as a radio war correspondent and commentator for outside events by the BBC during the early years of theSecond World War.[5][8]As he informed the world and the British Empire about the events of the war,[3]he reported onThe Blitzin London andPlymouth,[9]decamped with the BBC Overseas Service at Abbey Manor inEvesham,reported forRadio Newsreeland interviewed Commonwealth leaders.[5]

In 1942, Dougall resigned from the BBC following the corporation's recruitment of Irish playwright Douglas Johnston as its Middle East air correspondent.[5]He signed up to train with theRoyal Naval Volunteer Servicethat same year.[5][10]Dougall took a short course in Russian inHarwich,where he completed his basic training, after learning that volunteers were needed for special duties at a Northern Russia base.[1][5]He sailed with convoys carrying supplies from Britain and the United States betweenMurmansk,at the end of the Russian portion of the Arctic convoy route, and the United Kingdom.[1][3][11]

Following demobilisation, Dougall returned to the BBC as an announcer and newsreader for theBBC Home Service.[8]In 1947, Dougall was appointed Programme Manager of the BBC's Far Eastern Service by theForeign Office,a position which required him to move toSingapore.[1][9]He was responsible for relaying Russian broadcasts to London until the Far Eastern Service became redundant soon after and went on to become a presenter of theBBC Light ProgrammeshowsSerenade for Sleep,Music for MidnightandFamily Favourites.Dougall also presented the 10pm news bulletin from February 1951.[5][12]

Dougall began working as a television newsreader in 1954,[13]and is thought to have been the only person from the BBC's early radio service who had an enduring career in television. He and other BBC newsreaders such asKenneth KendallandRichard Bakerwere not visible until the September 1955 debut ofITNled Chief News EditorTahu Holeto agree to broadcast their faces but not their names on-screen.[5][8]As part of an effort to make television less trivial, news headline evening bulletins were broadcast every hour from 6 to 11 p.m., and Dougall was appointed to be a member of the news reading team on 1 October 1957.[8][14]It was then that he and other newsreaders could be named.[5]

According toLeonard MiallofThe Independentand his obituarist inThe Times,Dougall became popular with the television audience with his straightforwardness.[1][8]He announced the fall ofNikita Khrushchevand the results of the1964 United Kingdom general election.[3]Dougall was selected to presentNews Review for the Hard of HearingwhenBBC2was launched in 1964,[5]and worked as a news reading training adviser for radio and television personnel of theVoice of Kenyain late 1968.[15]He was the first person to present the long-runningBBC Nine O'Clock Newsin 1970, continuing in this role until his retirement from the newsroom on 31 December 1973. Dougall's autobiography,In and Out of the Box,was published in October 1973 and has been reprinted six times.[1]He was the subject ofThis is Your Lifeon 2 January 1974.[16]

Post-retirement

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From 1970 to 1975, he was president of theRoyal Society for the Protection of Birds(RSPB),[6]and became its honorary vice-president in 1979,[17]having been a member of the organisation since 1949.[18]The RSPB's membership increased from 50,000 to 250,000 during Dougall's presidency,[1]and took responsibility for land-management atMinsmereand exporting the RSPB's expertise abroad to reserves such as Spain'sCoto de Donanaand Malta'sGhadira Pool.[19]He was the narrator of two of RSPB's wildlife films and raised money for theRoyal National Institute for Deaf Peoplethrough television appeals.[19]In 1975, he appeared as a guest onThe Morecambe & Wise Christmas Show,where he danced.[7][10]Dougall also appeared on television programmes and films such asThe Generation Game,Russell Harty Show,Celebrity Squares,[13]Nationwide,Going for a Song,Yes Minister,Danger TomorrowandThe End of Arthur's Marriage.[10][20]He appeared in an advertising campaign for the jewellers Prestons of Bolton in the 1980s.[21]

Dougall was a member of theRoyal Society of Literaturebetween 1975 and 1983 as well as theGarrick Club.[6]He also presented seven series ofChannel 4'sover-60s programmeYears Aheadover four years and two series of the ITV programmeStars on Sundayin the mid-1970s.[3][7]In mid-1995, Dougall was removed as president of the Association of Retired Persons Over 50, a role he had held since the anti-ageist association was founded seven years earlier.[22]He was replaced by newsreaderMartyn Lewis.[23]Dougall was a contributor to newspapers and magazines such asThe Sunday Telegraph Magazine,theDaily Mail,The SpectatorandHigh Life.[6]He wrote the booksNow for the Good News(1976),A Celebration of Birds(1978),The Ladybird Book Of British Birds,Basil Ede's Birds(1980) andBirdwatch Round Britain(1982).[6]

Personal life

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Dougall married BBC studio manager Nan Bryam (néeLockhart) on 7 June 1947. The couple had a son and he was stepfather to her daughter from a previous marriage.[1][5][6]Dougall's granddaughterRoseand grandson Tom are musicians.[24]He was appointedMember of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire(MBE) in the1965 Birthday Honours.[25]Dougall died in his sleep inSouthwold,Suffolkon 18 December 1999.[1][26]

Legacy

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A bromide print portrait of Dougall taken by Anthony Buckley in 1969 was bequeathed to theNational Portrait Gallery, Londonand put on public display in 2002.[27]

References

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  1. ^abcdefghijklMiall, Leonard(21 December 1999)."Obituary: Robert Dougall".The Independent.London.Archivedfrom the original on 24 March 2019.Retrieved3 April2023.
  2. ^abcFlett, Al (5 November 1973)."He's a bit of a rip—in the nicest way".Leicester Mercury.p. 17.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  3. ^abcdefghBarker, Dennis (20 December 1999)."Obituary: Robert Dougall".The Guardian.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023.
  4. ^abHorsburgh, Frances (8 November 1973)."Exit Bob, the fireside friend..."Reading Evening Post.p. 5.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  5. ^abcdefghijklmno"Obituary: Robert Dougall".The Daily Telegraph.London. 20 December 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  6. ^abcdefCummings, David; Jacobson, Tanjam, eds. (1995). "Dougall, Robert Neill".The International Authors and Writers Who's Who(Fourteenth ed.). Cambridge, England: International Biographical Centre. p. 158.ISBN0-948875-81-X– viaInternet Archive.
  7. ^abcdeSteven, Alasdair (20 December 1999)."Robert Dougall".The Scotsman.p. 13.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– via Gale OneFile: News.
  8. ^abcdefghij"Robert Dougall".The Times.20 December 1999. p. 19.Retrieved3 April2023– via The Times Digital Archive.
  9. ^abcGowers, Michael (19 June 1965)."Front Man of the B.B.C. News".Liverpool Echo.p. 6.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  10. ^abcEvans, Jeff (2011) [2001]. "Dougall, Robert".The Penguin TV Companion(Fourth ed.). London, England: Penguin Books. p. 288.ISBN978-0-241-95291-7– viaInternet Archive.
  11. ^"Robert Dougall".Birmingham Post.3 November 1973. p. 1.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  12. ^Campey, George (1 February 1951)."Here is the news".Evening Standard.London. p. 1.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  13. ^abCurthoys, Alan; Doyle, John, eds. (1980). "Dougall, Robert MBE".Who's Who on Television: A Fully Illustrated Guide to 1,000 Best Known Faces on British Television.London, England: Independent Television Books. p. 74.ISBN0-900727-71-3– viaInternet Archive.
  14. ^"More news".Daily Herald.3 September 1957. p. 5.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  15. ^"Reading the news in Kenya".Cheddar Valley Gazette.18 October 1968. p. 18.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  16. ^"News Reader's 'Life' Top TV Programme".The Daily Telegraph.London. 16 January 1974. p. 16 January 1974.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  17. ^"Authors turn up to aid publishers' sales drive".Loughborough News.21 June 1982. p. 7.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  18. ^Utting, David (5 May 1982)."Dougall snaps at dreaded twitchers".Daily Post.p. 19.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  19. ^abSamstag, Tony (1988).For Love of Birds: The Story of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds: 1889–1988.Sandy, Bedfordshire:Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.p. 133.ISBN0-903138-28-X– viaInternet Archive.
  20. ^"Robert Dougall".Mubi.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023.
  21. ^"Diamonds are their friends".Manchester Evening News.25 July 1984. p. 25.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  22. ^Pierce, Andrew(8 September 1995)."Anti-ageist body dumps too-old head; Robert Dougall".The Times.No. 65367. p. 3.Archivedfrom the original on 4 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– via The Times Digital Archive.
  23. ^"The costly cult of youth".The Observer Review.10 September 1995. p. 3.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023– viaNewspapers.
  24. ^Walters, Sarah (17 April 2007)."Pipettes bring touch of class to Academy".Manchester Evening News.Archivedfrom the original on 3 April 2023.Retrieved3 April2023.
  25. ^"No. 43667".The London Gazette(Supplement). 12 June 1965. p. 5486.
  26. ^"BBC newsreader Dougall dies".BBC News.19 December 1999.Archivedfrom the original on 28 October 2002.Retrieved3 April2023.
  27. ^"Robert Dougall".National Portrait Gallery, London.Archivedfrom the original on 25 August 2012.Retrieved4 April2023.
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