We have excellent news to pass on in the form of the following press release:
Our “Highly Esteemed” organisation has received its own version of a New Year’s Honour in the shape of a communication confirming that His Majesty The King would be delighted to retain Patronage of The Goon Show Preservation Society.
We are overjoyed that His Majesty continues to honour us with the Royal Patronage he bestowed upon us as the former Prince of Wales. It is well documented that His Majesty has been a lifelong aficionado of
The Goon Show and a friend and admirer of the principal stars of the series, Sir Spike Milligan, Sir Harry Secombe, Peter Sellers and Michael Bentine.
The Goon Show Preservation Society was created in 1972 following a performance of The Last Goon Show of All for the BBCs 50th anniversary celebrations. Famously, the then Prince of Wales was unable to attend the recording, which was, however, attended by Prince Philip and Princess Anne. A telegram was despatched and read out by announcer Andrew Timothy:
“One of your most devoted fans is enraged at the knowledge he is missing your last performance. Last night my hair fell out and my knees dropped off, having turned green with envy at the thought of my father and my sister attending the show. One day, perhaps, you will find time to give a performance to a shipful of Seagoons.”
The GSPS is not simply a humble fan club, oh no! The clue is in the society’s name, a remit to preserve anything associated with a radio series that began life as Crazy People in May, 1951, and quite literally changed the landscape of British comedy for generations to come. As devotees of this groundbreaking radio comedy show, the membership of the GSPS has collected and collated a mass of items including scripts, photographs, rare film reels and even a typewriter. Much of the society’s archive is now deposited with the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, while we continue to seek out rare items and safeguard all things Goon.
In addition to our Royal Patronage, the society is proud to have as honorary presidents, Spike Milligan’s daughters, Silé and Jane Milligan, who look after their father’s archive and perpetuate his legacy through Spike Milligan Productions Ltd.
For more information or to join our merry band, please browse this website and follow the ‘join us’ link.
The Goon Show Preservation Society 