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Freda Lingstrom, 1893-1989

Main details

Main details for this item.
Reference number
1996/4962
Name
Freda Violet Lingstrom
Preferred name
Freda Lingstrom
Born
1893
Collection
Object type
  • Person
Completeness
36%
  • Biography

    AttributeValue
    Biography
    Freda Lingstrom studied at the Central School of Arts and Crafts and also at Heatherleys. She was an artist, author and illustrator.

    She was later commissioned by the Norwegian and Swedish governments to do drawings to promote English travel to those countries. Murals by her appear in the offices of the Norwegian State Railway in London.

    She designed posters and booklet covers for the LNER and was known for her landscape paintings.

    Freda Lingstrom was a leading figure in children's television in Britain. Her first novel The Seventh Sister was published in 1938.
    Between 1945 and 1949 Lingstrom worked on the editorial team of the children's periodical Junior. George Orwell and Maria Bird were among its contributors.

    She then became Assistant Head of BBC Schools Broadcasting, and created the storytelling programme Listen With Mother in 1950. In July 1950 she created Andy Pandy (BBC 1950-59 & 1970) at the behest of Mary Adams, working with Maria Bird under the name Westerham Arts Films.

    Lingstrom was appointed Head of BBC Children's Television in 1951. Her most noticeable contribution was Watch With Mother, built around Andy Pandy and another Lingstrom/Bird production The Flower Pot Men (BBC 1952-54).

    Lingstrom fought to make BBC executives see Children's as a valid department deserving time, money and personnel. She disliked Americanised fare, and refused to show imported Western series and disliked Enid Blyton stories. She signed Harry Corbett's Sooty, for SS Saturday Special (BBC 1952-54) and, also Crackerjack (BBC 1955-84). She was awarded the OBE in 1955.

    In 1956 Lingstrom was succeeded as Head of Children's Television, but continued to write children's books based on her television series and also art criticism, with The Seeing Eye published in 1960. Westerham produced another puppet series for Watch With Mother, Bizzy Lizzy (BBC 1967). Lingstrom died in 1989.
    Place of birth
    Chelsea, London, United Kingdom
    Education
    Central School of Arts and Crafts,
    Heatherleys,
    Employment
    Designed posters for the Underground Group, 1923-1933
    Role
    Artist,