Lancaster calls Lancaster, St. George's Quay, Lancaster

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iBase ID

228316

Reference identifier

NLA23012009002

Title

Lancaster calls Lancaster, St. George's Quay, Lancaster

Place

Lancaster

Personal names

Stephen Eckard

General notes

"Eckard permits himself a moment's sentiment on the steps of the old Customs House. Here were checked-in rich cargoes from the West Indies and his own New England, during Lancaster's commercial heyday. Though few of the trans-Atlantic ships were over 100 tons (one as low as 26 tons), loss was more usually from French privateers than from storm hazards. William Stout, Quaker tradesman at the turn of the 17th-18th centuries records in his diary: ".....if a merchant here made an adventure in three ships, if but one came in safe he was no loser..... and in the main it could not be computed than above one in five miscarried". Grass grows in the cracks in the stonework of the steps now. The Customs House is let to the local Operatic and Dramatic Society."
From a single request originating from station WTAG, Worcester, Massachusetts., has grown a long series of town to town broadcasts in the North Amercian service of the BBC. The most recent programme was made in Lancaster, England for Lancaster, Massachusetts by Stephen Eckhard, Amercian-born producer of the BBC. The progamme was broad cast in non-advertising time.

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