RECENT mention in the Journal's Grass Roots columns of a Christmas event from yesteryear brought memories flooding back for one reader.

Dennis Flower, of Ilmington, gave a talk to the village's Wednesday Club several weeks ago about King George V's Christmas broadcast of 1934, in which Ilmington played a big part.

Now Raymond Handy, aged 73, who lives in Stratford, has written to the Journal to say how the report brought back many memories of his grandfather's starring role in the BBC's festive effort.

He said: "I well remember as a young lad having to sit quietly with my brothers while my parents listened intently. My thanks to the Journal for jogging my memory of the good old days."

His grandfather, Walton, then aged 65, was a shepherd well-known throughout the area, who had worked in and around Ilmington all his life before he found his moment of fame with that Christmas broadcast.

Mr Flower explained how his father, Spenser, had acted as the compere for the event at the family's home at Ilmington Manor.

"The BBC had had a series of Christmas broadcasts from all over the country and decided that the Ilmington one was the best," he said. "They asked my father to do something special for them. Technically it was an amazing achievement to connect everybody up and it all went very well.

"Walton Handy was the star of the show and I can remember we gave him a pint of Flowers beforehand.

"He was talking to the world and there were millions of people listening to him all over the Empire, as it then was."

Among those listening to Walton talk about his life and experiences as a shepherd was his own brother in New Zealand.

Raymond Handy remembers as a six-year-old listening with his two brothers, Alec and Ronald, as his grandfather's voice came over the radio.

The Christmas Day broadcast, which also included bell-ringing from the village and carols from the Ilmington Singers, made headline news in the Evesham Journal and Four Shires Advertiser, complete with a photograph of Walton Handy and his dog, Shep.

The newspaper's December 29 edition detailed the technicalities of the event, saying: "The Post Office lines between Shipston and Ilmington in the Stratford postal area were used in connection with the Empire Broadcast relay on Christmas Day.

"BBC and Post Office engineers were in attendance at Shipston Telephone Exchange and Ilmington Rural Automatic Exchange. The relay went off perfectly."

The report described the event as "one of the most wonderful feats - perhaps the most wonderful - that has been accomplished since wireless has been brought to its present state of perfection."

It praised the villagers' efforts, saying: "Ilmington's part was of the greatest importance and right well did the Warwickshire village acquit itself." The Journal then added: "In homely tones so well known to the residents of the Four Shires, Shepherd Walton Handy told of his 65 years' connection with agriculture, the backbone of the country and the source of the Empire's finest sons.

"There was a ring of sincerity in Handy's voice and even the most unemotional must have felt a thrill when he conveyed from the heart of England the Empire's greetings to its well beloved Head."

Walton Handy introduced King George V for his Christmas speech, but there seems little doubt that he really did steal the show.