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Celebrating television's This Is Your Life

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THIS IS YOUR LIFE - Bob Oatway, scrap merchant and humanitarian, was surprised by Eamonn Andrews while working at his scrap yard in Shepherd's Bush, London.

Bob, who was born in Notting Hill, London, grew up in poverty and, as the son of a rag-and-bone man, established his own scrap metal business in Shepherd's Bush after serving in the armed forces during the Second World War.

He established the Children's Friendship League to help children have a better life than he had as a child. He purchased the Turrets Hotel in Deal and developed it as a holiday centre, providing free holidays for underprivileged children.

programme details...

• Edition No: 191
• Subject No: 192
• Broadcast live: Mon 9 Apr 1962
• Broadcast time: 8.00-8.30pm
• Venue: BBC Television Theatre
• Series: 7
• Edition: 28

on the guest list...

• Mary Guntrip
• Jim Guntrip
• Leslie Guntrip
• Harry Nudds
• Tom Nudds
• George Ledger
• Arthur - brother
• Gertrude - wife
• H B Smith
• Tom Leslie
• Keith Shelfer
• Victor Wright
• Patrick Wright
• Philomena Wright
• group of children from the CFL
• Michael - son
• Stanley - son

production team...

• Researchers: Arthur Sellwood, Suzanne Twiston Davies
• Writer: Peter Moore
• Director: Yvonne Littlewood
• Producer: T Leslie Jackson

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Photographs of Bob Oatway This Is Your Life