People of the Palace
150 Years

[Picture of Molly Brownless]

1946
Molly Brownless: First Female Camera Operator

In 1946 when the very first programme of the post war era was transmitted from Studio B in the Palace, Molly Brownless was operating one of the Emitron cameras and was the first woman to do so. She continued to be a camerawoman for two years before emigrating to Australia. Sadly Molly passed away recently at the age of 101.

The sign is one of a series installed to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of Alexandra Palace (1873).
The signs commemorate individuals who left their mark on the site.
Since part of the site was leased to the BBC in 1935, which built a broadcasting tower on the site Click for sign's details, the current sign commemorates the first woman to operate a television camera in the studios located on this site.

Molly Brownells (1920-2021) operated the Emitron camera in Studio B at the Alexandra Hotel studios, from the day they opened in 1946 for two years

The location of the sign was photographed on the same day (with the transmission tower in the background) Click for a larger image
as well as the main building of Alexandra Palace Click for a larger image.