Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
This Is Your Life regularly paid tribute to brave individuals who in the course of their work would often risk their own lives to save those of others.
These particular editions, invariably charged with emotion, were a mainstay of the show's output from the second series.
So, from the first firefighter to the last, here is a look at the heroes of the emergency services who have received the Big Red Book* treatment...
Peter METHVEN retired Fire Officer 29 October 1956 Eamonn surprised the retired Edinburgh fire officer - on a visit to London - in the audience at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith. |
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Edwin MADRON Lifeboat coxswain 18 March 1957 The coxswain of Cornwall's Penlee lifeboat was surprised by Eamonn at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith - which was dressed as a Lifeboat Day rally - complete with posters and flag-sellers on the steps. |
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Frederick STONE retired Police Constable 3 March 1958 During his thirty-year career as a Metropolitan Police Constable, Frederick was awarded the King's Police Medal, the British Empire Medal and the George Medal for gallantry. Eamonn surprised him in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre, where, unknown to Frederick, more than 100 members of the Metropolitan Police Force were in attendance. |
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Archie ROWE Lifeboat coxswain 14 April 1958 Eamonn used a photograph of his subject to locate his target in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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William MERRILEES The Chief Constable of Lothian and Peebles Constabulary since 1950 was surprised by Eamonn at King's Cross railway station in London. |
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David BARCLAY David - the pioneering Scottish Airways and BEA pilot known throughout Scotland for his bravery and skill in flying over 500 mercy missions with the air ambulance - was surprised by Eamonn outside the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Tom BREAKS Firefighter 26 March 1962 The First World War veteran was surprised by Eamonn at London Airport. |
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Daniel KIRKPATRICK Lifeboat coxswain 1 January 1963 Daniel - the coxswain of Longhope Lifeboat on the Island of Hoy in the Orkneys - was surprised by Eamonn on his 53rd birthday at a Glasgow theatre. |
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James CARROLL Policeman 22 January 1963 The former police sergeant - who was quite a legend in London's East End for his efficient and effective policing, and was known to all as 'Big Jim' - was surprised by Eamonn outside London's Limehouse Police Station. |
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Richard EVANS Lifeboat coxswain 4 March 1970 The coxswain dubbed 'a hero of the sea', and the only living holder of two RNLI gold medals for bravery - was surprised by Eamonn at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios. Dick - who had been coxswain for 16 years and whose grandfather and uncle were both lifeboatmen - was treated to a live link to his home town - Moelfre in Anglesey. |
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Robert SOUTTER Ambulance driver 13 January 1971 Robert - who had spent the last 20 years as an ambulance driver with the Scottish Ambulance Service in Glasgow - was surprised by Eamonn outside Thames Television's Euston Road Studios. |
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Harry JOHNSON Coastguard 29 January 1975 |
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Henry 'Shrimp' DAVIES Lifeboat coxswain 18 February 1976 Eamonn surprised Henry at Cromer's lifeboat station in Norfolk - on the eve of his 62nd birthday and his retirement after 45 years service, during which time he had helped save more than 400 lives. |
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Alfred PAVEY Lifeboat coxswain 16 February 1977 Alf was led to believe that his second in command was to be the subject of the programme, and had even filmed a tribute to him. However, Eamonn turned the tables and surprised the Weymouth coxswain at the town's lifeboat station. Alf's show, recorded at ITV's Southampton studio, honours his 30 year service as a lifeboatman, in which he saved almost 300 lives. |
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Robert LAW RAF Winchman 21 March 1979 Robert was surprised by Eamonn at RAF Northolt on the very day he was awarded the RAF's prestigious Meritorious Service Medal. |
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Brian BEVAN Lifeboat coxswain 2 April 1980 The coxswain of Humberside's lifeboat, which is based at Spurn Point, was surprised by Eamonn at London's Kodak Gallery. |
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Mike YARWOOD RAF Winchman 12 November 1980 Mike was surprised by Eamonn at the studios of Tyne Tees Television - where the show was then recorded. A winchman on the RAF's Sea King helicopter, and based at Bulmer, Mike had recently been awarded the Air Force Medal for gallantry. |
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John P SPENCER RN (FAA) Winchman 2 February 1983 In one of the most dramatic 'pick-ups' in the show's history, a very windswept Eamonn surprised the winchman in a mock rescue operation on the River Thames - losing his hat in the process. |
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Matthew LETHBRIDGE Lifeboat coxswain 11 January 1984 The coxswain of St Mary's lifeboat in the Isles of Scilly was surprised by Eamonn while he was attending the Boat Show at London's Earl's Court. |
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David ELLAWAY Ambulanceman 4 December 1985 Surprised by Eamonn in the audience at the Royalty Theatre, David - whose job as an ambulanceman is based in Cheltenham - has travelled the world as a volunteer with the Red Cross, working in Ethiopia and on the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and helping to provide aid to the recent devastating famine in the Sudan. |
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Larry SLATER Royal Navy Aircrewman 9 April 1986 Eamonn arrived by helicopter onto HMS Ark Royal in order to surprise the veteran of 160 rescue missions and recipient of the Queen's Award for Gallantry. |
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Derek SCOTT Lifeboat coxswain 21 January 1987 Presenter Judith Chalmers helped Eamonn surprise the lifeboat coxswain in a mock-up television show entitled Life Achievers at Teddington Studios. Derek - about to retire after 40 years of service - volunteered at 19, after the Mumbles lifeboat disaster in 1947, and became the youngest coxswain in the country at 26. His bravery earned him a British Empire Medal in 1970. |
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Harry FRIEND Policeman 4 February 1987 Harry had been led to believe he was being filmed for a documentary when Eamonn - dressed as a policeman - surprised him on the streets of Teddington. |
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Robert POUNTNEY RAF Winchman 5 December 1990 Michael and the team travelled to Clashnach Cove, Scotland to surprise the winchman who - with his crew - had played an important role in the rescue mission at the Piper Alpha fire - the world's worst ever oil-platform disaster. |
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John WOODHOUSE Lifeboat coxswain 27 February 1991 Comedian Jim Davidson helped Michael surprise the 79-year-old - known as Skipper' - at sea off the Norfolk coast, on board Caister's new lifeboat. Jack was - at the time - the oldest and longest serving lifeboatman in the country, and his family tradition with the Norfolk boat goes back to his grandfather. |
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Anthony JONES Mountain Rescue Expert 20 January 1993 The Bangor University academic was surprised by Michael during a search and rescue practice operation on Snowdonia. |
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David WALLACE Winchman 7 December 1994 David was surprised by a helicopter-bound Michael during a rescue training session over Dawlish in Devon. |
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Allan NORMAN Paramedic 27 September 1995 The London based motorbike paramedic - who had been featured in the television series 'Blue and Twos' and '999' - was surprised by Michael during a mock accident in London's Fulham. |
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David KENNETT Lifeboat coxswain 6 December 1995 Michael was winched from a helicopter over the Isle of Wight onto the Yarmouth lifeboat, in order to surprise the current longest serving coxswain, and recipient of both the RNLI Silver and Bronze medals. |
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Hewitt CLARK Lifeboat coxswain 8 November 1999 Hewitt - coxswain of the Lerwick lifeboat and Britain's most decorated serving lifeboatman - was surprised by Michael at Edinburgh's Holyrood House. |
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Roger KENDALL Firefighter 22 May 2000 Michael surprised the firefighter at London's Soho fire station - with the assistance of cast members from the ITV drama series London's Burning, with whom Roger had worked as a technical advisor. With over 20 years of service with the London Fire Brigade, Roger played a crucial part in many of the capital's major incidents, including the Kings Cross fire in 1987. |
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* the pre-1970 subjects were surprised by a different coloured book - see the Big Red Book feature for full details