Soho Bites 7: Miracle in Soho (1957)

11/20/19 • 40 min

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Episode seven is our God and religion special and we were joined by two fantastic guests. Firstly, Alex Hester sat down with us at St Anne’s Church on Dean St, to talk about his late father, the former rector of St Anne’s, Canon John Hester.

John was in post from 1963-75, so to be the vicar of Soho at this time and chaplain to over fifty strip-clubs must have been an unusual calling.

John Hester published his memoir in 1970. Here’s the suitably groovy cover plus some pictures of the Rev John Hester out and about on his rounds.

There’s currently one copy available online here. Snap it up!

The architects’ model of John Hester’s proposed glass-sided church

We also spoke to Rev Liz Clutterbuck of Emmanuel Church, Holloway about the Emeric Pressburger penned 1957 romantic tale, Miracle in Soho. Liz makes regular contributions to the Kermode & Mayo show on BBC Radio 5 Live and is a proud member of the Wittertainment Clergy Corner.

Promo produced by Talking Pictures TV for a recent screening of Miracle in Soho.

Buy Miracle in Soho on DVD here.

The originator of Soho Bites, Dr Jingan Young, has launched a new research project. Find out all about it on the Cities in Cinema website and follow the project on Twitter.

Thank you for listening.

We're now on YouTube

Email us at [email protected]

We'd love it if you left us a lovely REVIEW.

And if you'd like to help support the show we'd be very grateful.

Check out our spin-off series Mural Morsels

In fact, see all relevant links HERE

John was in post from 1963-75, so to be the vicar of Soho at this time and chaplain to over fifty strip-clubs must have been an unusual calling.

John Hester published his memoir in 1970. Here’s the suitably groovy cover plus some pictures of the Rev John Hester out and about on his rounds.

There’s currently one copy available online here. Snap it up!

The architects’ model of John Hester’s proposed glass-sided church

Promo produced by Talking Pictures TV for a recent screening of Miracle in Soho.

Buy Miracle in Soho on DVD here.

The originator of Soho Bites, Dr Jingan Young, has launched a new research project. Find out all about it on the Cities in Cinema website and follow the project on Twitter.

Thank you for listening.

We're now on YouTube

Email us at [email protected]

We'd love it if you left us a lovely REVIEW.

And if you'd like to help support the show we'd be very grateful.

Check out our spin-off series Mural Morsels

In fact, see all relevant links HERE

Previous Episode

Soho Bites 6: Expresso Bongo (1959)

Black coffee and cigarettes. Soho are synonymous. In this episode we talk to London tour guide, Nika Garrett about the 1950s coffee revolution and find out where she goes for the best Espresso Martini in town. HINT

Nika moved to London from Warsaw 10 years ago for love (that of a charming Irish man) and subsequently began a second love affair – with Soho. Nika loves coffee, art and history and runs walking tours on all of these subjects.

You can book a tour and find all her social media contacts at www.mylondonwalks.co.uk

And Sioned Wiliam joins us to discuss her favourite Soho film, Expresso Bongo from 1959. Starring Laurence Harvey, Sylvia Syms and a very young Harry Webb (AKA Cliff Richard) as Bert Rudge (AKA Bongo Herbert), it’s a satire on the entertainment industry and a kitsch classic.

Sioned is a writer & broadcaster. She is the former Controller of Comedy at ITV and currently the Commissioning Editor of Comedy at BBC Radio 4. You can follow her on Twitter at @sionedwiliam

Expresso Bongo trailer

Drink a flat white / espresso martini while listening to the Soho Bites specially curated coffee songs.

Watch Expresso Bongo at the BFI website HERE

The originator of Soho Bites, Dr Jingan Young, has launched a new research project. Find out all about it on the Cities in Cinema website and follow the project on Twitter.

Thank you for listening.

We're now on YouTube

Email us at [email protected]

We'd love it if you left us a lovely REVIEW.

And if you'd like to help support the show we'd be very grateful.

Check out our spin-off series Mural Morsels

In fact, see all relevant links HERE

Next Episode

Not an episode...

'tis the season of coughs & sneezes which has led to our December episode being postponed due to both our contributors being sick! Normal service will be resumed in the New Year.

Thank you for listening.

We're now on YouTube

Email us at [email protected]

We'd love it if you left us a lovely REVIEW.

And if you'd like to help support the show we'd be very grateful.

Check out our spin-off series Mural Morsels

In fact, see all relevant links HERE