Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Henry STARLING (1906-?)
THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Henry Starling, market porter, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was there at his wife's request to see the programme being recorded.
Henry was born and raised in Edmonton, London, where his family suffered hardship and poverty after his father was killed in action during the First World War. Henry's first job was making attaché cases, but work in the 1920s for manual workers was insecure, and he sought work where he could.
Henry and his childhood sweetheart Maud got engaged when they were both 18 years old, but it was several years before they could afford to finally marry on Christmas Day in 1933, as the Great Depression meant work and money were scarce. Henry finally secured a steady job at Leadenhall Market in 1939, but at the outbreak of the Second World War, he was called up to serve with the Royal Artillery. After the war, with jobs more plentiful, he found work as a market porter at Billingsgate Fish Market.
"We all say thank you again and again for the wonderful and happy time you gave us"
programme details...
- Edition No: 10
- Subject No: 10
- Broadcast live: Sun 26 Feb 1956
- Broadcast time: 3.30-4.00pm
- Venue: BBC Television Theatre
- Series: 1
- Edition: 10
on the guest list...
- Maud - wife
- Elizabeth Busbridge - mother
- Arthur Burgess
- Daisy Fosbeary - sister
- Fred Fosbeary - brother-in-law
- Charlie - brother
- John - brother
- Emmy Curtis - sister
- Jimmy Waller
- Horace Lee
- Bill Little
- Doris Standing
- Bertha Greenwood
related appearance...
- These Were Your Lives - May 1956
production team...
- Researchers: Peter Moore, Nigel Ward
- Writer: Gale Pedrick
- Director: unknown
- Producer: T Leslie Jackson
Press release 27 February 1956
Star of yesterday's This Is Your Life programme on the BBC television was Billingsgate fish porter Henry Starling (49).
Many of his old friends and relations appeared to tell the story of his life, how he struggled to keep home going in 1917 when his father was killed.
Included in the programme was his wife Maud - who had been blind since she was 15.
They told how they met at the age of 18.
He asked for a rise to get married - and was given the sack.
Their first week's housekeeping was 2/7d.
After the show an Italian airline has offered the Starling's a fortnight's free holiday in Italy.
Series 1 subjects
Eamonn Andrews | Yvonne Bailey | Ted Ray | James Butterworth | C B Fry | Johanna Harris | Donald Campbell | Joe BrannellyStanley Matthews | Henry Starling | Ida Cook | Lupino Lane | Hugh Oloff de Wet | Elizabeth Wilde | Robert Stanford Tuck