OLD PLYMOUTH . UK
www.oldplymouth.uk
 

©  Brian Moseley, Plymouth
Webpage created: March 13, 2020
Webpage updated: March 13, 2020

        

WHO WAS WHO IN OLD PLYMOUTH

DEREK IVOR BREASHUR McCULLOCH (1897-1967)

Radio listeners of a certain age will remember "Uncle Mac", the presenter of the BBC's "Children's Favourites" for just over ten years.  It may not been known that Mr Derek Ivor Breashur McCulloch, to give him his full name, was born in Plymouth on November 18th 1897.

After service in the Great War, in both the infantry and the Royal Flying Corps, he went to work for the railways in Argentina.  When that came to an end he returned to England where he underwent an operation to remove a bullet from his lung.

In 1930 he joined the BBC and presented "Children's Hour" for the next twenty years until he resigned in 1950.  He returned to the air waves again in 1954 as the host of the very popular "Children's Favourites" request programme every Saturday morning.  He was also known for being the voiced of Larry the Lamb in the "Toytown" programmes.

Mr McCulloch was awarded the OBE in 1964 and retired in 1965.  Mr Derek Ivor Breashur McCulloch, "Uncle Mac", died at Hayward's Heath, on June 1st 1967.