From the roar of Luftwaffe air raids on London to the industrious hush of the British Museum Reading Room, the BBC’s sound effects archive contains a sonic history of the past century.

Access the BBC Sound Archive here

Now 16,000 clips are being released free of charge to the public as part of a project aimed at helping dementia patients to reminisce about the past.

The treasure trove of sounds has been compiled by BBC staff since the 1940s as a resource for radio dramas, documentaries and comedy shows.

Some were specially created by the sound effects department, including a clip of four batter puddings being thrown, which is thought to have appeared in The Goon Show.

Others were recorded during historic, never-to-be-repeated moments. These include a 1940 air raid on [ . . . ]

Continue Reading: Sounds of a century could help dementia sufferers | News | The Times