The University of York has acquired a collection of handwritten joke books by the British comedy genius Eric Morecambe.
The collection dates back to the 1960s and 70s and includes classic one-liners such as, “I won’t believe in colour TV until I’ve seen it in black and white.”
The notebooks were reclaimed by the university during an auction in January and have been stored at the Borthwick Institute for Archives for the public to enjoy.
The auction sold up to 700 of Morecambe’s possessions and showbiz memorabilia, with the majority going into private hands.
It took place almost 10 months after the death of his widow, Joan, aged 97, and more than 40 years after the comedian died of a heart attack, at the age of 58 in 1984.
Robbie Williams revealed on Instagram that he had paid £20,000 for the Morecombe’s signature glasses and pipe during the sale.
The University acquired the notebooks, which contain jokes and ideas for the hit Morecambe and Wise TV show, with support from Friends of the Library and Archives and the Friends of the Nation’s Libraries.
The collection also includes two original pictures of Morecambe and Wise from their heyday in the 1970s.
Morecambe met his comedy partner Ernie Wise in 1940 at age 14, and despite a wartime separation, the pair formed an enduring double-act.
They spent many years touring theatres before breaking into TV, appearing on both the BBC and ITV.
The books, in Morecambe’s distinctive hand, contain material for the successful Morecambe and Wise 1977 Christmas BBC Special, which attracted 28 million viewers at a time when there were only three channels in the UK.
Some of the books show signs of having been stuffed into a suit pocket, offering insight into how the comedian worked on his jokes and speeches.
He would jot down and sketch out ideas on the go, repeatedly resisting them to make improvements.
Gary Brannan, keeper of archives and research collections at the Borthwick Institute for Archives at the University of York, said, “Eric’s clean humour was the pinnacle of British light entertainment and these joke books are more than just notes; they’re a window into the mind of a comedic master.
“You can really hear his voice as you read through the jokes he was working on in his books.
“We are incredibly proud to bring these notebooks to York” Brannan adds.
“They provide invaluable insight into the creation of British comedy gold and complement our existing collections, such as the archives of Frankie Howerd and Ernest Maxin.
“This acquisition solidifies the Borthwick as a leading resource for the study of British entertainment history.”
The notebooks have been catalogued and can be accessed in the public search room of the Borthwick Institute for Archives.
There’s more about the Borthwick Institute here.