Sandy Ross joined Granada Television in 1976 after working as a solicitor in Edinburgh. He worked initially as a Researcher on regional programmes and in particular Granada Reports before working with Tony Wilson on What’s On. He later became a Producer producing local and networked programmes such as the Mersey Pirate which presented more than its fair share of technical challenges. He also produced Alan Bleasdale’s Scully, famously persuading the Liverpool Kop to chant Scully’s name as he ran out onto the pitch alongside Kenny Dalglish. Sandy was also heavily involved in the ACTT trade union.

He left Granada in 1986 to join Scottish Television as Head of Light Entertainment. He later became Managing Director of Scottish Television.

For further information about the Granadaland project, and to view transcripts, please see http://granadaland.org/

Sandy Ross (Researcher & Producer)

Ken Howarth founded the North West Sound Archive in 1979. In this documentary, Ken discusses the work of the archive.

The documentary starts with the early years of Ken's oral history career from his first interview in 1972 when he set out to capture the last surviving voices and memories of the industrial revolution.

Ken recalls the equipment he used to record, store and provide access to sound archives. He also talks about the politics and fundraising involved in setting up and running the archive, and where he thinks sound archives fits alongside other kinds of local studies sources.

Ken discusses his typical working week including processes of archiving, copying, cataloguing, and working with the computerised catalogue. Ken also describes the motivation behind his local history series on BBC Radio Manchester.

Towards the end of the interview Ken shows off how the Prestel system allowed users to access the sound archive catalogue. He goes on to discuss the possibilities for digital sound archives.

The documentary is cut with clips from some of Ken's early interviews with canal workers, a woman who remembers her grandmother's Peterloo memories, a tram lamp-lighter and a striking fireman.

The documentary is not dated but may have been made around 1990, judging from the computer technology referenced.

Reference number: GRANEY/1196

Ken Howarth, founder of the North West Sound Archive

Granada Television was once described as the ‘greatest television company in the world.’ And indeed during the 1970s and 1980s it boasted programmes such as Coronation Street, World In Action, Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel In The Crown, Seven Up and Disappearing World, all of them award winning and highly acclaimed, both by both critics and the general public. Many of these programmes, along with their presenters, remain legendary in television history.

The aim of this project is to collect the memories of those who worked for Granada at its Manchester, London and Liverpool offices between 1956 and 1990. These interviews include presenters, producers, researchers, directors, camera operators, stagehands, production assistants, accountants and many others who worked for the company.

Sandy Ross (Researcher & Producer)

Granadaland

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