Leicester: Tony Hancock archive to be made publicly available

The archive is being made public as fans prepare to celebrate Hancock's 100th birthday

A collection of items from 1950s comedian Tony Hancock's life and work is being handed over to a public archive.

Hancock was best known for his BBC radio and TV series Hancock's Half Hour.

The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society is handing its whole collection to De Montfort University (DMU) in Leicester.

It includes hundreds of items including photographs, clothing, audio and visual material and Mr Hancock's scripts.

The society, a member's organisation for fans of the late comic, formed in 1976, eight years after his death and has dedicated several decades to celebrating Hancock's career.

Its partnership with DMU comes as the society prepares to celebrate what would have been Hancock's 100th birthday on 12 May.

Hancock's Half Hour brought huge fame to the comedian and his script writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson

At the time of its inception, many of those interested in the society were hoping to find audio of old broadcasts that were no longer publicly available.

Tim Elms, 69, the society's secretary, said they had spent some time urging the BBC to make them available again in the earlier days.

After building an "extensive" collection, the organisation began looking for a more permanent home for it, and also one where it could be appreciated by others.

Mr Elms has acted as the group's archivist for several years

Mr Elms said: "When we have events, we take things out for display but obviously you can't take everything.

"Most of the time it's locked away so people don't get to see it and my view is that it's a bit of a crime really, this is wonderful stuff."

He said with the help of a society member, who also happened to work at DMU, the society managed to arrange handing over its collection to the university's professional archivists.

Hancock's trademark coat and hat are among the most precious things amongst the collection, Mr Elms said

While the collection will still belong to the the society, Mr Elms said it would be under the care of DMU "professionally organised and preserved".

The collection will join DMU's existing archival holdings including papers relating to Norman Wisdom and the archive of the Leicester Comedy Festival.

Among the most prized items in the collection are the trademark coat and hat Hancock wore in his TV shows, Mr Elms said.

He said: "We've got a whole range of things from his life. It's not just a comedy fan club, it's a social history.

"If you want an idea of what life was like in England in the 1950s, just look at Hancock's work."

A letter to a fan from Mr Hancock

DMU archivist Katharine Short said: "Special Collections is delighted to be working with the Tony Hancock Appreciation Society to help them in their work to secure the archives and legacy of this important comedian."

Classic episodes of Hancock's Half Hour are due to air on BBC 4 from 19:00 BST on 12 May while BBC Radio 4 Extra plans to air a number of "lost episodes" from 17:00 BST, as well as tributes.