November 2015 – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Fred Hammond – Gosta Green Commissioner

Photo by Jim Gregory, no reproduction without permission.

The photo is of Fred Hammond, the Commissioner at the BBC Birmingham studios in Gosta Green, which pre-dated the Pebble Mill building. It was taken at the front of Gosta Green looking across to what was then Gosta Tech Students Union (now part of Aston University), circa mid 1960s.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Paul Hunt: ‘He so reminds me of the commissioners that used to man the doors of BH in London when I joined in 1985. They all knew you on first name terms and on special days they would proudly wear their white gloves under their epaulettes.’

Gordon Astley: ‘I remember him. I was there in 1969.’

Gail Everett: ‘I remember Fred very well, first person I met at BBC. He had a daughter who also worked at Pebble Mill but can’t remember her name.’

Janet Collins: ‘His daughter Olivia also worked at Pebble Mill.’

How to Get on TV

This press cutting from the Birmingham Evening Mail dates from July 31st 1998. It features two shows from BBC Birmingham – Cafe 21, and the Really Useful Show. Cafe 21, was an Asian youth series, which discussed issues affecting young British Asians. The Really Useful Show was a BBC1 Daytime consumer affairs series.

Thanks to Dharmesh Rajput for sharing the cutting.

Gordon Astley mug

Here, thanks to Andy Walters is a Radio WM mug featuring presenter Gordon Astley. It is still in daily use at the Mailbox, and is somewhat strangely sponsored by MEB (Midlands Electricity Board). Apparently Radio WM had a whole load of different branded merchandise, which was given away in competitions.

Midlands Today from the Conservatory

Photo by Philip Morgan, no reproduction without permission

In the final weeks of Pebble Mill in autumn 2004, different areas of the building were decommissioned at different times, as technical equipment was transferred to the Mailbox. I suspect that Studio B, the Midlands Today studio must have been decommissioned, leaving the regional news programme temporarily homeless, and having to find a short-term location – the Pebble Mill Conservatory. Hence the need for the notice, asking for quiet!

The Conservatory was originally built for Good Morning with Anne and Nick in 1992.

Thanks to Andy Walters for photographing the sign, and to Philip Morgan for photographing much of the Pebble Mill building, including the Conservatory.