21st Precinct
Drama
Drama
The Adventures of PC 49.
Join PC 49 on Heritage Radio Vault for British police adventures created by Alan Stranks. Brian Reece's radio constable brings personality as well as persistence to stories in which a street-level encounter can open onto a larger mystery. Discover the programme Crime, character and lighter moments share the microphone. The pleasure lies in following an approachable policeman through the clues, complications and people who turn everyday duty into detective entertainment.
OFFICIAL HERITAGE RADIO VAULT RECORDING
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The Adventures of PC 49: Programme Guide.
Police Constable Archibald Berkeley-Willoughby meets cases where a light touch does not remove the danger. PC 49 combines a recognisable police setting with comic timing and an investigator’s determination to understand what happened.
Broadcast history.
The BBC series ran from 1947 to 1953 on radio. The character later appeared in films and comics, but the original radio company has its own identity and credits.
Cast and creative team.
Brian Reece plays PC 49, with Joy Shelton as Joan Carr, Leslie Perrins as Chief Inspector Wilson and Eric Phillips as Sergeant Wright. Alan Stranks writes and Vernon Harris produces; guest characters change with each case.
Where to begin.
The Case of the Beginner's Luck · The Case Of The Green Golliwog
These available recordings offer an introduction to this collection. Their current publication dates are separate from historical broadcast dates.
An interesting detail.
The constable’s number is part of the character’s identity rather than an episode number. His elaborate personal name and everyday beat create a useful contrast between social formality and practical police work.
Listening appeal.
Try The Case of the Beginner’s Luck or another complete available case. Some historical catalogue language reflects the original period; it remains part of the preserved recording identity.
Collection and date notes.
HRV lists 11 public recordings. The eleven recordings are limited survivals, not the complete BBC run. Current podcast dates describe later archive publication, separately from original broadcast dates.
Sources.
Choose your next episode.
11 public recordings in this programme. Catalogue order is not a verified original broadcast chronology.
11 episodes available.
Questions about The Adventures of PC 49.
Does 49 mean that every recording is Episode 49?
It is the constable’s identifying number.
Is the radio cast interchangeable with the films?
The radio production has its own documented company.
