In search of Augustus Jeremiah Honeybun

[whole diary]

[johnneyw]

Gus became quite a cult hero for some of us in our later teens/early twenties. Always a laugh with Judi Spier's who I think was presenting there at the time as Gus seemed to have a bit of a crush on her!

[BerkshireBugsy]

I have the dubious honour of remembering both Gus Honeybun and Jimmy Saville from my childhood in the 70's.

Gus only because I used to see him on tele when visiting my grandparents in Plymouth. Being Berkshire born and bred he was quite a novelty.

Jimmy because he used to stay about 3 doors down from us (whilst carrying out his "charitable work" at Broadmoor Hospital) during the same era. Even then my mother used to warn my sister and I to stay away from him as she felt he was "odd". I remember the white Rolls, the Winnibago and the Range Rover with the double bed in the back - makes me shudder to think of it now.

I have visited Stoke Mandevile Hospital (where Saville was a frequent helper) twice. The first occasion was prior to his death and his portraits we displayed prominently in the reception area. It was the about a year before I returned following his death and for some reason the portraits had been removed. Can't think why!

[Thatcham Crossing]

Well aware of that BB, as until a few years ago my sister worked at the National Spinal Centre at Stoke Mandeville, so had the displeasure of crossing paths with him again.

She always told me that all the nursing staff used to go into hiding when he was around (and this was before the revelations).

There was also a cafe there called "Jimmy's" which had it's named changed so I understand.

Sorry all, we digress!

[TonyK]

Never mind mate things could be worse  your gran could have written to Jimmy Saville !.

He would have fixed it for you. Now then, now then, 'ows about that....

[BerkshireBugsy]

Gus became quite a cult hero for some of us in our later teens/early twenties. Always a laugh with Judi Spier's who I think was presenting there at the time as Gus seemed to have a bit of a crush on her!

Am I alone in not knowing who Gus was? I can almost here the shouts of "what an appealing education" just as I did when my son asked who Mr. M. Python" was

[LiskeardRich]

Gus became quite a cult hero for some of us in our later teens/early twenties. Always a laugh with Judi Spier's who I think was presenting there at the time as Gus seemed to have a bit of a crush on her!

Am I alone in not knowing who Gus was? I can almost here the shouts of "what an appealing education" just as I did when my son asked who Mr. M. Python" was

Gus was probably Unknown to anyone outside of the Television South West region as he was one of their characters.

[didcotdean]

He used to moonlight on Channel TV^▸ (Thames Valley) as well - occasional appearances into the 2000s alongside Oscar Puffin.

[Timmer]

I remember Gus from my childhood visits to my Grandad in Cornwall and our caravan holidays in West Wales (near Tenby) where all the caravan TV^▸ (Thames Valley) aerials were pointed South West to pick up English TV stations rather than the Welsh versions.

My other Grandparents lived in Cardiff and even though they were Welsh preferred to get their TV from the West Country and get BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West!

It's nice to think I'm not alone in remembering Gus Honeybun 

[BerkshireBugsy]

I remember Gus from my childhood visits to my Grandad in Cornwall and our caravan holidays in West Wales (near Tenby) where all the caravan TV^▸ (Thames Valley) aerials were pointed South West to pick up English TV stations rather than the Welsh versions.

My other Grandparents lived in Cardiff and even though they were Welsh preferred to get their TV from the West Country and get BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West!

It's nice to think I'm not alone in remembering Gus Honeybun 

I was living in South Wales when some of the true locals were trying to get their own TV station. The irony is that when S4C came along a lot of people just pointed their aeries towards the Mendips and HTV West/Channel 4. I lived on a hill in direct line of the Mendips transmitted so I was sorted!

[John R]

My other Grandparents lived in Cardiff and even though they were Welsh preferred to get their TV^▸ (Thames Valley) from the West Country and get BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West!

Just about everyone did in Cardiff to avoid the Welsh programmes on the main channels. You could look down a street and every aerial would be pointing across the channel. Even my gran in Aberdare, who got "piped tv" (an early form of cable if I understand it) due to the terrain in the valleys got the West Country programming.  

[John R]

I remember Gus from my childhood visits to my Grandad in Cornwall and our caravan holidays in West Wales (near Tenby) where all the caravan TV^▸ (Thames Valley) aerials were pointed South West to pick up English TV stations rather than the Welsh versions.

My other Grandparents lived in Cardiff and even though they were Welsh preferred to get their TV from the West Country and get BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) Points West!

It's nice to think I'm not alone in remembering Gus Honeybun 

I was living in South Wales when some of the true locals were trying to get their own TV station. The irony is that when S4C came along a lot of people just pointed their aeries towards the Mendips and HTV West/Channel 4. I lived on a hill in direct line of the Mendips transmitted so I was sorted!

They did long before S4C, not wanting the welsh language opt outs from the main channel schedules.

[TonyK]

Gus was probably Unknown to anyone outside of the Television South West region as he was one of their characters.

Gus came as a huge surprise to me when I arrived in Redruth from Blackpool. I can say with absolute conviction that we had nothing quite like him on Granada TV^▸ (Thames Valley) in Lancashire, although whether that was to our cultural detriment or not is a matter for scholarly debate.

[ChrisB]

No, Stuart Hall was your channel's fave?.....

[TonyK]

No, Stuart Hall was your channel's fave?.....

Ah, had we known then what we know now, eh? There is no vision so clear as 20-20 hindsight.

[JayMac]

Talk of aerials and reception.

I'm firmly in Bristol yet cannot get BBC^» (British Broadcasting Corporation - home page) or ITV West through a traditional aerial. The best reception for me is from Wenvoe (BBC/ITV Wales) across the Severn Estuary. I can also pick up Ridge Hill (BBC West Midlands/ITV Central) in Herefordshire.

I cannot pick up Mendip. My location is Lawrence Weston and I haven't even got line of sight of the relay transmitter on Kingsweston Hill.

Just to compound things Sky is not an option either. The wooded hill directly behind my property blocks line of sight to satellite.

Consequently I'm left with Virgin Cable as my only option if I want a broadcast TV^▸ (Thames Valley) package. I choose however to watch my TV online through my Openreach fibre broadband connection. This does limit my choice of live streaming channels, but nearly everything I'd wish to watch can be found online somewhere...