Today, as I was driving in to work, I heard that Oliver Postgate had died. As a child of the 1970s, I was brought up with many of his creations. The Pogles of Pogle's Wood taught me about table manners (or rather, how not to hold my knife and fork). I got my passion for reading from our family's fortnightly visits to the library, where I read the sagas of Noggin the Nog. I avidly watched Ivor the Engine and Bagpuss (where I first found out what a butterbean was). And best of all, those knitted extra-terrestrials - the Clangers.
With the Clangers, I learnt about the important things in life. Mischief, blue string pudding, dustbin lids. And environmentalism - even in the early '70s, Postgate used to compare the dirty factories on earth to the carefully nurtured environment of the Clanger's home world. I was slightly scared of the scolding soup dragon. And I shared the fears of
Small Clanger when he became lost in the caves beneath the surface of the planet - I cried as he folded his ears over his eyes, as I cried when the Hamish pincushion went back to his lost tribe in a story in Bagpuss. I'm almost welling up thinking about it now. Such are our lives shaped.
But Oliver Postgate was also a political creature. Grandson of the Labour politician George Lansbury, he was a conscientious objector, spending time in prison because of this. He continued to write political commentary up until recent years. If you're a fan, read his autobiography 'Seeing Things' - a story of a fascinating life, including when he was summoned to the head of Children's Programming at the BBC who wanted to censor The Clangers, as Major Clanger had clearly sworn.
Oliver Postgate - you will be sadly missed but cherished in the hearts of a myriad of children, both young and old.
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
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8 comments:
I felt very sad this morning as well. His voice was such a big part of my childhood.
My mother loved Pogles so much she has called her last few houses Pogles.
I had not heard of him before but his books sound wonderful. Must see if I can find them here as I still read children's books. One of my fave writers is Diana Wynne Jones.
Your post is a lovely memorial to a very special person who has made so many British children happy.
Oh what a sad loss and what an enormous contribution he made to broadcasting. I grew up before the advent of colour television but can still vividly recall 'The Saga of Noggin the Nog' with its magical flying ship. Marvellous stuff. I will look out for his autobiography which sounds as if it will be a most interesting read.
Oooooooh :(
NAH and I have just had a major reminisce about this. We've had a set of running gags for 26 years based on Ivor the Engine and NAH loved Noggin the Nog. I loved Bagpuss and the Clangers too, especially the Soup Dragon and the Mouse Organ.
Ivor the Engine and the Clangers were my favourites...good times!
It was sad news yesterday, I loved the Clangers the best and was delighted when my kids liked bagpuss as much as me, despite the competition from today's cgi wizardry.
For years I thought Nogin the Nog was educational - a true history of a Viking (or someone).
Then, for years, I assumed Oliver Postgate had died. Then I heard him on the radio a few times, realised he had not . . . and began to imagine he would not.
That voice . . .
Lucy
I felt quite saddened by Oliver Postgate's death - a bit like a favourite uncle dying.
My teenager daughters bought me a Clangers DVD last Christmas - and it was still as good as I'd remembered it to be. Blue string soup....!
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