Starring Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan
Announcer: Wallace Greenslade
Music by Max Geldray and The Ray Ellington Quartet
The Orchestra was conducted by Wally Stott
Script: Spike Milligan and Larry Stephens
Producer: Charles Chilton
Recorded: Sunday 27 October 1957
First Broadcast: Monday 28 October 1957 on the BBC Home Service
In 1600, Sir Walter Raleigh and Eccles are in America. They load a chest of treasure, which Raleigh intends to smuggle home and bury in the Tower of London. They set sail for England. Meanwhile, in 1957, Ned Seagoon, Minister of Works, reveals sadly that excavations at the Tower have failed to find any treasure. He hires treasure experts, Grytpype and Moriarty, to dig for the treasure, at the price of one guinea per shovelful of dirt. On guard in the Tower, Major Bloodnok receives reports of strange noises under the Crown Jewels room. Grytpype and Moriarty, digging upward under the Tower, break into the Crown Jewels room and, thinking they have found the fabled treasure, take it back to Seagoon. Meanwhile, in 1600, Raleigh’s men, in the good ship Venus, approach. They’re seen by Bloodnok in 1957, who fires on them. Raleigh discovers they’ve left the treasure back in America and sends Eccles back to get it. Grytpype hands over the treasure (actually the Crown Jewels) to Neddie and receives his fee of £10,000. Ned is arrested for stealing them and does ten years hard labour. Meanwhile, Bloodnok encounters Eccles returning with Raleigh’s treasure – he’s swum too far and ended up in 1957. Seagoon hires Minnie and Henry, treasure diviners, who set off in pursuit of the treasure on a pipe-organ. Back in 1600, Raleigh sees the pipe-organ. Beefeater Bluebottle meets Eccles and discovers he’s in 1600, meaning he hasn’t even been born yet. In 1957 Henry and Minnie excavate in the tower and discover no treasure, but they do hit a water main 30 feet down. Back in 1600, Raleigh discovers this hole and buries his treasure in there. And that is why in 1957 they failed to discover the treasure buried back in 1600. It’s all in the mind, you know.
The Goon Show Preservation Society 