Fundraising drive to preserve the collection of comedy writing giants

A fundraising campaign has been launched to secure the archive of Ray Galton and Alan Simpson - the scriptwriting duo behind Steptoe and Son and Hancock’s Half Hour, who are credited with inventing the British sitcom.

The University of York has already acquired part of the pair’s archive but wants to raise  £30,000 to ensure that some of the material currently on loaned to the university, isn’t sold into private hands, splitting up the collection.

Treasures at risk include the script for The Blood Donor an episode of Hancock first broadcast in 1961, which remains one of the best-known sitcom episodes ever broadcast in the UK.

Gary Brannan, from the university’s Borthwick Institute for Archives, said: ‘This archive is so significant because Galton and Simpson invented modern British comedy as we know it, with their wit and humour leaving a profound and lasting imprint on the shows we watch today. 

‘Writing in the early 50s they would empty pubs as people rushed home to watch their shows. Real-world or situation comedy simply didn’t exist before them.;

Items already secured by the archive includes rare early drafts for some of the biggest moments in British comedy; unmade films for Tony Hancock; Harold Steptoe’s scarf from Steptoe and Son; and scripts for shows unseen for over 60 years. 

If the fundraising drive is successful, the archive will be theme biggest philanthropically funded acquisition in the university’s history. 

The institution is aiming to create a ‘nationally-significant archive of British popular entertainment’ and also has as a sizeable archive from  comedy legends including Frankie Howerd, Ernest Maxin, and Eric Morecambe.

Tessa le Bars on behalf of the Galton and Simpson estates, said: ‘After 50 plus years of working with Ray and Alan, from office junior at Associated London Scripts through to being their personal and business manager, it is fantastic to see the hard work put in by their estates and the Borthwick Institute nearing completion.

‘The installation of the Galton and Simpson archive at the University of York, comprising their complete script library and my supporting paperwork, will be a historic moment for comedy in the UK and abroad.

‘It will provide an invaluable record of their life and works from the moment they first met at Milford Sanatorium [while both were recovering from TB] and used their enjoyment of American radio shows to prompt them into writing their own material and start a journey that saw them develop into the godfathers of British Sitcom.

‘Ray and Alan would be delighted that their legacy will be secured to provide valuable materials to inspire future generations of scriptwriters, and for fans to enjoy.'

 Brannan added: ‘It would be a huge privilege to secure the complete Galton and Simpson’s archive at York for everyone in the city to use and enjoy. Alongside other archives in our care, this collection is a huge new source for research into comedy and what makes us laugh. 

‘Any help that fans of the lads can provide with our fundraising would be hugely appreciated  - our generous donors have helped us enormously, and we don’t have any dedicated funding we can use. Every little helps to save this for the nation.’

The archive project is being supported by former BBC director-general Greg Dyke, who said: ‘Galton and Simpson were the outstanding British television comedy writers of the 20th century, and their work has had a profound influence on generations of comedians and comedy writers ever since. I am proud to support this project with both my money and time.’

You can donate via https://yustart.hubbub.net/p/galtonandsimpson/ 

Published: 21 May 2025