Country Boy

1 9 6 7 (UK)
11 x 30 minute episodes
1 9 6 9 (UK)
12 x 30 minute episodes
1 9 7 0 (UK)
8 x 30 minute episodes

This Summer series from Southern Television debuted on the afternoon of Wednesday 5 July 1967 and was presented by Jack Hargreaves (from How! and Out of Town).

Hargreaves took 14-year-old London lad Dennis Golding (pictured at right) -who lived in a terraced council house near Shepherd’s Bush with his 13 brothers and sisters – into the country to teach him (and the young viewers at home) about the ways of the British countryside, assisted by Oliver “Ollie” Kite.

Dennis – known as “shrimp” because he was under 4′ 6″ – was introduced to a world totally strange to him where ponies were wild and dogs were trained to work. He was shown the skills of fishing and boating by his “two country uncles” and learned at first-hand the names and habits of birds, insects and flowers.

The 1969 series debuted on 30 June and aired on Monday afternoons. This time the series featured Mike Borne, a 13-year-old lad from London SW6 (pictured below) who stayed in the country with Hargreaves and learnt new lessons each week about the countryside.

Mike experienced horse riding, plaice fishing, bass fishing, shooting, whippet racing, donkey shows, cattle auctions, searching rock pools for whelks and winkles, shoeing horses, and much more.

Mike Borne returned for the short 1970 Summer series which aired on Tuesday afternoons between 7 July and 25 August.

Mike continued his crash-course about the countryside and the fun that could be had there, accompanied once again by his country “uncle”, Jack Hargreaves, often joined by naturalist Roy Harris.

Jack Hargreaves died on 15 March 1994.

Jack Hargreaves
Dennis Golding
Mike Borne
Oliver “Ollie” Kite
Roy Harris