Cecil Graves

Captain Sir Cecil George Graves

KCMG MC (4 March 1892 – 12 January 1957) was joint Director-General of the BBC with Robert Foot

from 26 January 1942 to 6 September 1943.

Early life

The son of Charles L. Graves and Alice Grey, the eldest sister of

Viscount Grey of Fallodon,^[1] Graves was educated at Gresham's School, Holt,^[2] (like his predecessor Reith) and then at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.^[1]

Career

Graves was a scout commissioned into the

Imperial General Staff from 1919 to 1925, when he left the British Army.^[1]

He joined the BBC as an administrator in 1926, was Assistant Director of Programmes from 1929 to 1932, then Empire Service Director, 1932–1935, Controller of Programmes, 1935–1938, Deputy Director-General, 1938–1942, and in 1942 succeeded Frederick Ogilvie (jointly with Robert Foot) as Director-General.^[1] Graves left the corporation in 1943 due to ill health, leaving Foot to be sole Director-General.^[3] Graves was also a member of the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Broadcasting Council of Scotland (now known as Audience Council Scotland).^[4]

Family

In 1921, Graves married Irene Helen Bagnell, a daughter of H. W. J. Bagnell, of the

Spitfire Squadron leader who took part in the battle of Malta in which he was awarded a DFC. He fought in the D Day invasion and took part in the first ever flight of operational jets. After the war he was a jet pilot for Rolls-Royce and then Westland of Yeovil. In 1949 Michael was killed aged 28 while test flying a Wyvern

.

Honours

Military Cross^[1]
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George, 1939^[1]
Grand Officer of the
Order of Orange Nassau, Netherlands^[1]

References

^
Who's Who & Who Was Who. A & C Black. 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2024. (Subscription or UK public library membership
required.)

^ I Will Plant Me a Tree: an Illustrated History of Gresham's School by S.G.G. Benson and Martin Crossley Evans (James & James, London, 2002)
^ "Key Facts: Director-Generals". BBC.
^ "Sir Cecil Graves and the B.B.C.: Early Service". The Herald. Glasgow. 14 January 1957.

Media offices
Preceded by Frederick Ogilvie 1938-1942	Joint Director-General of the BBC with Robert Foot 1942-1943	Succeeded by Robert Foot 1943-1944

[ww-1] 
Who's Who & Who Was Who. A & C Black. 2007. Retrieved 11 April 2024. (Subscription or UK public library membership
required.)

[2] I Will Plant Me a Tree: an Illustrated History of Gresham's School by S.G.G. Benson and Martin Crossley Evans (James & James, London, 2002)

[3] "Key Facts: Director-Generals". BBC.

[4] "Sir Cecil Graves and the B.B.C.: Early Service". The Herald. Glasgow. 14 January 1957.

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