Big Red Book

Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Michael Wilson, musician and curative educator, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at the BBC Television Theatre, having been led to believe he was there to meet with the Ealing Youth Orchestra.

Michael, who was born in Birmingham, studied violin and conducting at the Royal College of Music and became the second conductor of the British National Opera Orchestra in 1929. However, a meeting with the German curative educator Fried Geuter changed the course of his life.

Inspired by Geuter's teachings, Michael gave up his musical career and established the UK's first curative children's home in 1930. The Sunfield Children's Home, initially located in Selly Oak, Birmingham, but moved to larger premises in Stourbridge in 1933, offered education to children with severe and complex learning needs through music and colour light therapies developed by Michael.

programme details...

• Edition No: 209
• Subject No: 210
• Broadcast date: Tue 8 Jan 1963
• Broadcast time: 7.55-8.25pm
• Recorded: Mon 10 Dec 1962 8.00pm
• Venue: BBC Television Theatre
• Series: 8
• Edition: 14

on the guest list...

• Adrian Boult
• Rev Chad Varah
• Dr Ruth Catchpool - sister
• John Dell
• Lord Chorley
• Robert Crawford
• Mrs Crawford
• Betty - wife
• Arthur Hughes
• Wilfred Waldron
• Christopher - son
• Diana - daughter
• Robin - son
• Cecil Reilly
• Mrs Reilly
• Mr Drorian
• Mrs Drorian
• Ealing Youth Orchestra
• John Railton
Recorded tributes:
• Gustav Ritter
• Stuart Easton
• Stanley Hookway

production team...

• Researcher: unknown
• Writer: unknown
• Director: Vere Lorrimer
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

• names above in bold indicate subjects of This Is Your Life

• with thanks to Adam Seedhouse for his contribution to this page

A Charitable Life

The unsung heroes who work tirelessly to help those in need

Edward Chad Varah

Photographs of Michael Wilson This Is Your Life