An impressive number of Stratford Society members turned out for the AGM of the Stratford Society on Monday 5 March.

Following the official business of the evening, members and guests were treated to a talk by Peter Jefferson covering his 40 years’ experience with the BBC, principally reading the Shipping Forecast.

Peter’s early aspirations were to become an actor and he enrolled at RADA with this in mind, but this ambition was modified by joining the BBC and eventually becoming the beloved voice of the Shipping Forecast. He reflected that in the early 19th century we began to get huge loss of lives at sea so in 1854 the forecasting system was devised, and so became the essential broadcast of sailors and fishermen for vital information of what was happening to seas around the country over the following 24 hours.

Peter read amusing anecdotes of his experiences in the role, interspersed with spoof announcements (spot the difference!) and read out an impressive role call of the great and good with whom he had worked. Comments from the floor illustrated how vital the broadcasts were, even for amateur sailors, and those suffering from insomnia…