John Lavalie at 20:36, 11 September 2019

2019-09-11T20:36:25Z

John Lavalie: Created page with "{{article | publication = Harrow Observer | file = 1975-01-17 Harrow Observer.jpg | px = 450 | height = | width = | date = 1975-01-17 | author = Jude Fahey | pages = 15 | la..."

2019-09-07T13:52:59Z

Created page with "{{article | publication = Harrow Observer | file = 1975-01-17 Harrow Observer.jpg | px = 450 | height = | width = | date = 1975-01-17 | author = Jude Fahey | pages = 15 | la..."

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{{article
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| date = 1975-01-17
| author = Jude Fahey
| pages = 15
| language = English
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WHEN DR. WHO decides to drop in on a children's party there has to be chaos. Especially when he brings along a couple of "things".

The "things' he took to the General Electric Co. research centre's party at North Wembley on Saturday were [[broadwcast:Revenge of the Cybermen|cybermen]] — machine-made men and it was difficult to know whether they were friend or foe. They seemed nice enough, but when these large metallic men were seen loping along a lonely corridor one couldn't be so certain.

The Hirst Research Centre at G.E.C. holds a party every year for children from homes around London and Middlesex and families of their own staff. This time 750 children turned up and their delight could not be questioned.

Just for Saturday the research centre became a labyrinth of corridors with science fiction street names, leading to sideshows and other surprises converted from laboratories.

Hopping from one game or amusement to another was fun enough, but when the new Dr. Who of television (Tom Baker) turned up about 3.30 p.m. he was mobbed. He was a pied piper, taking youngsters to tea, talking to them all the while, and signing autographs by the dozen.

His cyberman friends, however, were treated with caution. A few children shook hands with them, but most settled for a punch or a push to satisfy their curiosity. In fact, these creatures were pushed about so much and no doubt already hot in their silver rubber outfits -- that they had to wander outside for fresh air at least twice. It is to be hoped they were not seen by unsuspecting East Lane motorists.

The cybermen - actually G.E.C. men in B.B.C costumes are to appear in a future "Dr. Who" series.

Father Christmas, too, was there for afternoon tea. but he was hardly noticed among the fuss. He introduced himself, but could scarcely be heard above the noise and scramble among Dr. Who's admirers. Christmas was long ago, almost forgotten. Still, another celebrity is always welcome.

The party organisers tried in the first place to have one or two Wombles appear, but they were already committed and laws forbid any fake Wombles. Anyway the stir they might have caused would surely have been too much.

Most of the Hirst centre's laboratories were turned into fun places for the children at Saturday's party and the staff manning them enjoyed themselves as much as anyone. The science fiction theme was popular, with one room that blew up the world, and another in which children could play simple games against a computer.

Most intriguing was the mechanical ice-cream-making cow. Fed green crepe-paper grass by a smiling robot man, she wagged her tail as she chewed and gave milk for a pretend processing machine that made the ice cream.

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Dr. Who's party tricks - Revision history

John Lavalie at 20:36, 11 September 2019

John Lavalie: Created page with "{{article | publication = Harrow Observer | file = 1975-01-17 Harrow Observer.jpg | px = 450 | height = | width = | date = 1975-01-17 | author = Jude Fahey | pages = 15 | la..."