The Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia

The above photo taken in September of 2004 by Broadcast Pioneers member Gerry Wilkinson is one of the impressions most people bring back after a visit to the United Kingdom (England, to us). It's what often is referred to as "postcard memories." However, for some Broadcast Pioneers members, it's a little different.

Gerry and his wife, Michele took their youngest daughter, Zara (then 19) to England for a year of study as an enchange student at the University of Sussex in the southern part of the country. While they were waiting at Philadelphia International Airport to board the British Airways flight, they got talking with another couple who were also transporting their daughter to the United Kingdom for college.

They conversed for 20 minutes or so until the flight boarded. Wilkinson, who at that time was doing consulting work for several area radio stations, mentioned to his wife that the guy had a pleasant voice. "There's a voice wasted by not being in broadcasting."

It wasn't until a couple years later, that the story was totally put together. It was Broadcast Pioneers member Jay Lloyd, his wife and daughter, Kathryn, who were returning for Kathryn's second year at the University of St. Andrews.

In fact, Jay recounts:

When my wife and I jetted off to St. Andrews in 2003 with our daughter, I gave little thought to Prince William. He was just going into his third year there. And Kate Middleton was not, as far as we knew, in the picture.

But when my daughter Kathryn later told me that she wound up in a “social setting” with the prince (that’s St. Andrews-speak for a pub), an ominous thought occurred to me, and so I offered some fatherly advice.

“Honey,” I said, “about the prince. I do not mind if you become friends, but please, no romantic relationship.” With eyeballs rolling she asked, “Why do you say that, Dad?”

“Because,” says I, “it is customary for the father of the bride to pay for the wedding. And at this stage in life, I’m not about to bankroll a royal wedding.”

But that's not the end of Broadcast Pioneers in England. While Jay's family went up to Scotland, the Wilkinsons rented a car and drove around. While staying in Bath, Gerry and family saw a big poster stuck to a fence. It was publicizing the "Eddie Cochran Festival" in Chippenham. about six miles away. Above the event, in even bigger and bolder letters was the name of the star of the festival, "Broadcast Pioneers member Charlie Gracie." Gerry had the hotel try to reach Charlie in Chippenham, but to no avail. The festival booked them in under an assumed name.

"We tried to reach Charlie but couldn't. We were only a half dozen miles away," said Gerry Wilkinson. "So we packed up the car and we were off to Stonehenge." What is interesting is that the Wilkinson family got to Stonehenge a few minutes after the Gracies left there. After all, Charlie had to leave to get back to Chippenham to perform that evening. They kept missing Charlie (or Charlie was running away from Gerry).

What happened to the two daughters? Jay says: "Kathryn is an administrator and educator at the Lower East Side Tenement Museum, 103 Orchard Street in New York City. It focuses on the immigrant experience in a part of New York where Five Points (Irish), Little Italy, Lower East Side (Jewish) and Chinatown, all meet." The museum's exhibits include restored apartments that depict the lives of immigrants who lived at nearby 97 Orchard Street between 1869 and 1935.

Gerry's daughter, Zara earned her MLIS from the University of Pittsburgh. She also holds an MA in English Literature from West Chester University and a BA in English Literature with a certificate in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from the University of Pittsburgh. She a reference and instruction librarian at Rutgers University-Camden and serves as liaison to the departments of English Literature, Art and Art History, and Philosophy and Religion. By the way, Zara is the proof reader of our monthly electronic newsletter.

FYI... Our Chairman of the Board Gerry Wilkinson says that the UK was the worse place he's ever driven. "They have the steering wheel in the position of the front passenger's seat and they all drive on the wrong side of the road," he said. Gerry, who has taken to the highways in more than a dozen countries, mentioned, "At least they spoke the same language - well, sort of." The craziest experience he ever had was in Romania (land of Count Dracula). He rented a car from a major company but it was obvious that the instruction booklet was translated by someone not well versed in English. Instead of saying to dim your high beams when an oncoming car is coming your direction, it said to turn youre headlights off! (Crash).

Oh yes. Gerry said that in Romania you are told to remove your windshield wipers from your vehicle at night so they don't get stolen off your car. And it worked. They were stolen from his hotel room!

The e-mail address of the Broadcast Pioneers of Philadelphia is pioneers@broadcastpioneers.com