Downright Homespun Radio Company
broadcasting live from the Grand Old Eastgate Theatre in downtown Peebles, Scotland
What is the DHRC?
In the dark winter of 1896 shepherds from the Manor Valley followed a bright star to the nearby and vaguely fictional town of Peebles. There they found a young engineer building a radio transmitter in the steeple of the Old Parish Church.
Inspired by the shepherds’ rustic music and sharp local humour, the first Amerrycana Christmas was born and broadcast to the world.
The Downright Homespun Radio Company has grown from these humble beginnings to a global media phenomenon.
Amerrycana Christmas 2023
As a light sleet blew across the shop doorways of Peebles High Street an overcoated detective stepped out of a doorway and crossed the street. He was watched by two gentlemen from their usual table upstairs in the Tweedy Tearoom, somehow also overlooking Tweed Green. Dulcet tones croon from the radio. It’s Christmas in the Auld Toon, and everywhere.
Our annual DHRC Amerrycana Christmas played to packed houses last year. If you missed it, or would love to see it again, here it is in glorious technicolour!
Autumn Special Edition
On Friday September 29th 2023 we performed a one-off special fund-raiser show for the Eastgate Theatre! We raised nearly £4000 through ticket sales and a Grand Prize Draw.
If you missed the show, here’s a video of it. If you enjoy the video, please consider making a donation to the Eastgate Theatre as a “thank you”.
DHRC Creative Fund
All profits raised from our award-winning radio shows go to our DHRC Creative Fund.
The Fund awards grants annually to young people in our local area of Tweeddale in the Scottish Borders to pursue their artistic dreams.
This year’s funding round closed on May 31st. Click the button to find out how to apply in the future.
Gallery
Our staff photographer Anthony has been capturing DHRC shows since 1911.
Take a look at our photos from across the years..
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Bobby Barr Case Files
High above Peebles High Street in the attic rooms of the old Veitch’s building are the offices of Bobby Barr, private detective.
If you need someone to dig up the dirt, call in to the offices of Bobby Barr.
Hit the button to visit the Bobby Barr archive, or click on a case file below.
Click a case file below to read more
View Of The Bridge
Down there off the High Street and overlooking Tweed Green is the Tweedy Tearoom. Peebles’ original and best cafe serves industrial strength tea and no-nonsense rock buns that take no prisoners as they move through your system.
Mrs Tweedy’s weekly diary is required reading in Peebles and here we publish highlights from the past 75 years.
Hit the button to visit the Tweedy Tearoom page or click on a diary entry below.
Click a diary entry below to read more
Letter To America
Our DHRC shows wouldn’t be complete without reports from our Food and Drink correspondent Chick Fowl
Originally from Kansas in the United States of America, Chick arrived in Peebles after a mix-up with immigration officials at Edinburgh Airport, and has been with us ever since.
You can catch some of Chick’s unforgettable reports from past shows on our Watch and Listen pages, or read some of Chick’s insights and reflections right here on his Letter To America blog page.
Click one of Chick’s blog entries below to read more..
Merchandise
Over the years the DHRC has offered a wide range of company-branded souvenir items.
Currently on sale are our ever-popular DHRC porcelain mugs. For more information about these, head to our merchandise page by clicking the button.
DHRC logo mug, £9