Home Recording Studio circa 1960

When the Howson family moved to Belgrave Road, East Malvern in 1955, Denzil built a backyard workshop, recording studio and theatrette. The console seen here was constructed circa 1949 and was modelled on equipment found in radio studios of the 1940s, much of it often “home made”.

The backyard studio included two Pyrox tape recorders and a Presto disc-cutting lathe for recording directly to acetate blanks. (This equipment is described in detail elsewhere in Denzil’s “Home Recording Album 1950”.)

In his spare time Denzil operated the “Acme Actuality Recording” business from home, recording events such as weddings and transferring these to acetate disc for customers. The sound quality was definitely not “hi fi”, but that term was yet to be invented.

During his years at GTV9, this facility was used, often at night, for recording soundtracks for segments on the childrens programme.