Big Red Book
Celebrating television's This Is Your Life
Though more prevalent in the early years of This Is Your Life, but no less worthy of recognition, were those editions featuring the 'men of God' – individuals who had a divine call to God's service, and whose stories usually touched on incredible humanitarian or charitable work.
Here we look at those extraordinary individuals who devoted their lives to the help and service of others, and whose remarkable stories were told through the pages of the Big Red Book*...
James BUTTERWORTH 20 November 1955 The Methodist minister - whose pioneering youth work and fund raising led to the creation of Clubland, a Christian institution for underpriviledged children in Walworth, London - was surprised by Eamonn at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Brian HESSION 7 January 1957 Eamonn surprised the clergyman and filmmaker at the King's Theatre, Hammersmith. |
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P B 'Tubby' CLAYTON 3 February 1958 The Anglian clergyman - who co-founded Talbot House, a rest home for soldiers, at Poperinge in Belgium in 1915 - was surprised by Eamonn in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Noel DUCKWORTH 12 January 1959 Noel was Chaplain to the 2nd Battalion, Cambridgeshire Regiment, and stationed in Malaya during the Second World War. Having been captured by the Japanese and imprisoned in Pudu Gaol and later Changi Prison, his courage and comfort as Chaplain inspired all who knew him. Eamonn surprised him outside the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Donald CASKIE 7 September 1959 The Church of Scotland minister - who risked imprisonment and death to help as many as 500 Allied service personnel flee France during the Second World War - was surprised by Eamonn in the foyer of the BBC Studios in Edinburgh. |
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Edmund ARBUTHNOTT 5 October 1959 The clergyman and charity worker was on a tour of the BBC Television Theatre when Eamonn surprised him. |
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David SHEPPARD 3 October 1960 David was ordained in 1955 following a successful cricketing career and continued to play Test cricket sporadically until 1963, being the first ordained minister to do so. |
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Clarence WOLFE 17 October 1960 Clarence - the Warden and Chaplain of the Orphanage in Aberlour, a village in the Moray district of Scotland - was a father figure to hundreds of children and a driving force behind the home, masterminding publicity and fundraising efforts. |
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Edward Chad VARAH 20 February 1961 The Anglican priest and social activist was surprised by Eamonn in the audience at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Mario BORRELLI 9 October 1961 In a first for This Is Your Life, the production team travels outside the UK - to the Italian city of Naples - to surprise the Roman Catholic priest - before returning to London's BBC Television Theatre for the live broadcast. |
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Sydney MACEWAN 16 October 1962 The Glasgow born tenor singer of traditional Scottish and Irish songs was surprised by Eamonn at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Paul BURROUGH 26 March 1964 Eamonn surprised the Anglican Bishop - a former prisoner-of-war who became a Missionary Priest in Korea - at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Dominique PIRE 16 April 1964 The Belgian Dominican friar, whose work helping refugees in post-Second World War Europe saw him receive the Nobel Peace Prize, was surprised by Eamonn at the BBC Television Theatre. |
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Francis O'LEARY 9 May 1973 The Roman Catholic priest and missionary - who founded the St Joseph's Hospice Association, an international network of hospitals in some of the poorest parts of the world - was surprised by Eamonn in the audience at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios. |
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Michael and Kevin DOHENY 7 November 1984 Eamonn announces "Forgive me father for I have conned both of you" as he surprises the brothers and priests in the audience at the Royalty Theatre - each think the other brother is to be the subject! |
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* the pre-1970 subjects were surprised by a different coloured book - see the Big Red Book feature for full details