Mary Somerville

Mary Somerville, OBE (1 November 1897 – 1 September 1963) was the first Director of Schools Broadcasting at the BBC (1925–1949). She pioneered their school broadcasting program in the 1930s and 1940s, and later served as controller of the BBC Talks division.

Early life Mary Somerville was born in New Zealand on 1 November 1897, as the eldest daughter of the Reverend James Alexander Somerville and his wife Agnes Fleming. She was raised in Scotland, and attended Somerville College, where she completed an English degree.

BBC career In 1929, Somerville was named Director of School Broadcasting, a position which she held until 1947. Somerville worked hard to ensure that BBC school broadcasting was held to high academic standards and was seen as a legitimate enterprise, fighting against skeptics who considered radio to be good for entertainment only.

In 1935, she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in recognition of her efforts. and The New York Times. A forty-minute commemorative programme was broadcast by the BBC Home Service on 31 May 1964.