Dilemma?

I can empathise greylag, I love films, and down the years have collected many recorded to blank video tapes and bought as videos. Some are very obscure, and despite trawling iTunes and other streaming websites, there are a few that simply aren't available. As we still have an operational, albeit not at the moment connected video player, I have hung onto a select few so that I can watch them again should I want to, say if I was ill for a period of time. I do replace vids with DVDs if I come across them, and throw out DVDs where I now have streamed versions.

In your case, I would suggest that if the tape is recorded from radio, then send BBC a list of what you have, there might be something there, particularly from 1960's/70's, but bin /recycle anything prerecorded, as likely they have it anyway. Some niche record shops might be interested, but anything on tape, be it sound or video tends to deteriorate in quality. Another option of course is to invest in a device to put them onto memory sticks etc....

We have some treasured spool tapes of family parties from the 1960's, Dad would set up his reel to reel and leave a tape to run for hours, recording all the fun and games at Christmas. I just can't steel myself to listen to them at the moment, there are just too many family members no longer with us. But they might be of interest to someone who wants memories of a happy Yorkshire childhood, and all the fun we shared in much simpler, less media dependent times. Even the dogs had to do a party piece!

I still haven't heard from BBC, they do say that they get so many emails, not to expect a reply, understandable.

With the advent of 4Extra, I can get my fix of radio comedy all times of the day and I do.

I recorded these tapes when the BBC did not reuse loads of their old comedy and it was the only way to listen when it suited me.  

I started to convert them to digital and then onto memory sticks, but soon lost the will to live, so slow,  These 90 cassettes have at least 2, sometimes 3 shows on each, so well over 200 shows, perhaps I should have got out more?

You are quite correct in the personal recordings.  I have some film of my Dad mowing the lawn, from the early sixties, probably taken by my brother Ron on cine 8mm and now on DVD...priceless.

Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Greylag, your county archivist might be interested in local films. Maybe your local BBC too? The archivist might also be able to point you in the direction of anyone who might like the tapes.

Have you got any of 'The Navy Lark' by any chance?

There were some classics. 'Round the Horne' was another one.