Photo by Robin Sunderland, no reproduction without permission
Pebble Mill at One researcher Wendy Leavesley (I think), pretending to be a camera operator, down by the brook in the grounds of Pebble Mill. The photo dates from the early 1980s.
Photos from Dawn and Kevin Hudson, no reproduction without permission
These photos show the crew and crafts people setting up for the shooting of the 1988 six part drama series: Sophia and Constance at the Black Country Museum. The series was recorded on the outside broadcast truck CM3.
Thanks for Dawn and Kevin Hudson for sharing the photos.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Albert Sheard: ‘Second photo, left to right Stan Morgan/ Kevin Lakin /Frank Crow in the cap / Dave Bushall aka Gonzo /Kevin Hudson / and Peter Potter kneeling. All great lads, 3 of them no longer with us.’
Tribute to Ed Doolan, who died this week, from the Birmingham Mail (Jan 16th 2018).
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/bbc-wm-legend-ed-doolan-14161903
Ed Doolan in his library at home in 2010
The following comment was posted on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Sue Welch: ‘Lovely tribute. When I passed the news on to my daughter, she replied that she had Ed to thank for tickets to see Fame. She had “destroyed Doolan” (still got the badge to,prove it) one Sunday with her her riddle “Why was Columbus’ crossing of the Atlantic so economical?” – because he got 2000 miles to the galleon.
I’ll get my coat……’
Photo by Graham Pettifer, no reproduction without permission
Gwen Arthy, Joyce Hawkins and Annie Doling, from costume and make-up, probably on location for Shakespeare or Bust, which was filmed to the canal between Birmingham and Stratford Upon Avon. Mike Williams was DOP, and it starred Brian Glover. Tara Prem was the script editor.
Photo by Rod Fawcett, no reproduction without permission
Co-presenters, Gyn Freeman and Nicky Steele in Area 2 of the Radio WM studio at Pebble Mill.
Thanks to Rod Fawcett for sharing the photo.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Gyn Freeman: Stuart Roper left, they brought Nicky to enable the station to still have a “double-header” – so I was the co-presenter of the show, as I was with Roper. Actually Nicky and I got on well together and the programme was popular but no way would either of these chaps let me drive the programme unless they took a break or I was doing the phone-in. Just to say that I am feeling just fine, but of course both Stuart and Nicky died so young. I did a double header on Radio 4 for a couple of series, the other presenter was Peter Purves, looking good and even older than me and the producer Peter Everett.’
Tim Manning: ‘If you look through the window, you’ll see that I was the producer, although not for the whole time that they worked together on air.’
Tim Beech: ‘Area 2. John Taynton always used that one for the shared evening show across the Midlands. Ed was always in 5, “driven” from Area 4. As was Tony Butler.’
Anthony Worrall: ‘I remember Nicky’s discos at Honiley Boot before his radio days!’
Gary Hudson: ‘I remember Nicky presenting gigs at Birmingham Town Hall in the 70s. He was already a star of BRMB, and – a day after the sad death of Ed Doolan – that’s a reminder that the commercial lot created all the major local radio personalities in those days – certainly in the West Midlands. Tony Butler was another contemporary, and of course Les Ross, who’d left Radio Birmingham for the glamour of the former Aston Hippodrome.’
Steve Jarvis: ‘I remember Nick when he was Nick Aire at Bishop Vesey School. He had the mot remarkable ten pin bowling style!’
Tim Beech: ‘Nicky of course sadly passed away many years ago – I just checked the date and it was 2001. Hard to believe it was that long ago.’
Chris Rolinson: ‘He was due to start at Saga in 2001, but he was already very ill and sadly died before we went on air.
He was slated to present the Saturday Afternoon show “The Saturday Alternative” from 2 till 6 and I had to sit in for him from launch.
It was very strange especially doing the first show that I knew a Midlands legend was due to present.
I hope I didn’t let him down…’