Bucknell, Robert Barraby

▪ 2004

“Barry” 

      British television-show host (b. Jan. 26, 1912, London, Eng.—d. Feb. 21, 2003, St. Mawes, Cornwall, Eng.), inspired do-it-yourself fans with his popular home-renovation shows in the 1950s and '60s. Bucknell was invited to appear on the BBC television program About the Home (1956–57), on which he gave advice about small household projects to the host, Joan Gilbert. His popularity on that show led to his own live show, Do It Yourself, in 1958 and to a still more popular show, Bucknell's House, in 1962. In the latter show Bucknell renovated a derelict Victorian house over 39 weeks. At about the same time, Bucknell designed a family sailing dinghy for the Daily Mirror newspaper; more than 90,000 Mirror dinghies were sold.

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