July 2011 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Geoff Hamilton’s funeral service sheet

Thanks to Gail Herbert for making Geoff Hamilton’s funeral service sheet available.

Gardening presenter and journalist,Geoff Hamilton was born in 1936 in East London. He was a twin. His love of gardening developed early, and he worked on practical gardening magazines as a journalist before beginning his television career. After working for Anglia Television, he joined the ‘Gardeners’ World’ team in 1979. The series was based at his home, Barnsdale, in Rutland, from 1985. His five acre garden was divided into a number of small plots, mimicking suburban gardens.

Geoff presented a number of gardening series, besides ‘Gardeners’ World’, including: The Cottage Garden, The Paradise Garden, The Ornamental Kitchen Garden, The Elizabethan Kitchen Garden, and Old Garden, New Gardener.

He died of a heart attack on 4 August 1996, whilst taking part in a charity bike race.

I worked as a researcher on ‘Gardeners’ World’ in 1990/1, and remember filming at Barnsdale. Geoff had two cats, named after directors on ‘Gardeners’ World’, one was named ‘Denis’, after Denis Gartside, but I can’t remember the name of the second one. Geoff’s downstairs loo was also a fascinating place to visit – the walls were covered with press cuttings about ‘Gardeners’ World’, and you could spend quite a while reading the walls happily!

A Pint with Old Friends – Reunion 3 Aug Balsall Common

Keith Salmon has organised the following:

Do you fancy a pint with OLD friends (or even a cup of coffee) ?

Wednesday 3rd August 2011 from 1200 onwards.
Ye Olde Saracens Head, Balsall Common, West Midlands, CV7 7AS
Love to see you, all ex Pebble Mill workers and work shy welcome.

Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for making the letting us know about this.

Pebble Mill Reunion – 6 Sept MAC

A Pebble Mill reunion is being arranged by the BBC Club – although you don’t need to be a member to come along. Details as follows:

.Tuesday, 6th September, The Midlands Arts Centre, Cannon Hill Park.

· Free car park, entrance opposite the newly refurbished Edgbaston Cricket ground.

· Number 45 and 47 buses to/from town, every 10 minutes.

. 12:00 to 22:00ish.

· Bar, ours until 17:30, thereafter open to the public as well; food available in restaurant all day.

· Tuesday Tunes on the terrace (or bar, if wet) in the evening.

Hope you can come along, and meet up with friends from Pebble Mill!

Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for making the information available.

Steve Woodhall – Radio WM photocard

Steve Woodhall was the drive time presenter Radio WM at Pebble Mill in the 1980’s. You’ll see from his information card that he was also a keen gardener, organist and technical wizard – a man of many talents. Steve worked for BBC television news in London before moving to Radio WM. He later helped set up BBC CWR in Coventry.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making the photocard available.

This is History Gran – photo from John Greening

‘This is History Gran’ was written by Robert Holman and produced at Pebble Mill in 1986. It was set in the 1930’s and present day and starred Paul Jesson, Liz Bradley, Gina McKee, Martin Walker, Mark Rylance and Peter Howell.

Sarah Pia Anderson the director, Carol Parks the producer, Sue Bennett-Urwin 1st assistant director, Bill Hartley the production manager, John Greening the assistant floor manager. John Kenway was the director of photography.

The story involves Lord Edward Langbaurgh making a shocking discovery whilst walking in the grounds of his country home. The discover affects the Chapman family in a nearby town. Christopher Chapman decides to investigate.