The broadcasting world and the Bradford community are mourning the loss of one of the country's oldest and most dedicated hospital radio presenters. Patrick Murphy, aged 95 from Odsal, passed away on Saturday, December 27, 2025. He was still delighting patients with his music shows on St Luke's Sound just two years prior.
A Late-Blooming Passion for Broadcasting
Patrick's remarkable radio journey began unusually late in life. After retiring in 1995, he found himself growing restless. It was a newspaper advertisement in the Telegraph and Argus that changed everything. At the age of 82, he successfully applied to become a volunteer DJ at St Luke's Hospital radio station, joining St Luke's Sound in 2012 simply because he was "bored with retirement."
His love for music was lifelong, tracing back to listening to Radio Luxembourg as a young man and weekend ballroom dancing with his wife Doris in the 1960s. He once quipped that the repetitive playlists at the dance hall inspired his DJ ambitions: "If I can't change the music, I might as well start DJ-ing."
Spreading Joy Through the Airwaves
Patrick became a fixture at the station, broadcasting every Wednesday and Thursday morning. His mission was simple: to bring smiles to the faces of hospital patients. His signature tune was 'Oldest Swinger in Town' by Frank Cromit, a fitting anthem for a presenter who believed spinning records kept him young.
He amassed a colossal personal music collection of between 20,000 and 30,000 CDs and thousands of records, which filled a room in his Odsal home. His playlists featured favourites like Bill Haley and His Comets' 'Rock Around the Clock' and Neil Diamond, all chosen to "get people's toes tapping."
Patrick continued his broadcasts throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, reassured by safety protocols. He viewed hospital radio as an essential service, stating: "For two mornings a week, I am pleasing people and bringing them joy... There's been too much misery recently in the world."
A Legacy of Kindness and Dedication
Originally from County Kildare, Ireland, Patrick moved to London in 1945 before settling in Bradford in 1951 to work in engineering. He met his wife Doris at the city's Gaiety Club, and they had one daughter, Michelle, now 52. Doris sadly died of tuberculosis in 1994.
Tributes have poured in from his hospital colleagues. Clare Bancroft, head of volunteering at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, remembered him as "an amazing person... kind, caring and such good fun."
David Rathmell, chairperson for St Luke's Sound, said: "He was 93 years old when illness finally forced him to leave the studio, which broke all our hearts... I feel privileged to have known Patrick." He confirmed that Patrick's photograph will remain permanently on the studio wall.
Patrick Murphy's funeral will be held at St Joseph's Church on Pakington Street, Bradford, on Monday, January 26, at 10am. The legacy of this extraordinary volunteer, who found his calling in his ninth decade and dedicated over twelve years to cheering others, will resonate throughout Bradford for years to come.
