April 2018 – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Tom’s Midnight Garden

These photos are from the serialisation of Tom’s Midnight Garden by Philippa Pearce. I think this is from the three part adaptation which was transmitted in January 1974 on BBC 1.

The photographs were originally shared on the Pebble Mill Engineers Facebook group.

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Tim Dann: ‘If memory serves me correctly…I was the Design assistant…Location was I think, ‘Abbotswood’ in the Cotswolds near Stowe on the Wold. It was used primarily for its wonderful gardens. With no interiors used. Make-Up assistant was Carol Churchill…(known at PM as Carol Ganniclifft)…& the Director was Dorothea Brooking…..Memory has now ‘crashed!’..I seem to remember there was a lot of messing about in boats!

Saturday Night at the Mill

Photos by Robin Sunderland, no reproduction without permission

These photos are from Saturday Night at the Mill, an entertainment magazine show, from the foyer studio. It was transmitted between 1976-81. Roy Ronnie was the producer, and Roy Norton the director. Bob Langley, Donny MacLeod and Kenny Ball and his Jazzmen welcomed a variety of guests. The cameramen in the second photo are Phil Wilson and Doug Smith.

Thanks to cameraman Robin Sunderland for taking and sharing the photos.

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

Annie Gumbley: ‘I was Roy Ronnie’s Secretary & had my training for PA from Liz Silver who worked on the series. Keith Ackrill and Tricia Sadiq (Mifflin) were part of the team too. I did about about 4 or 5 series to the finish. What memories.’

Julie Hill: ‘I remember Saturday Night at The Mill! Penny Arcatinis and I were entrusted with serving the wine to the general public.’

Chris Rogers: ‘A fab show used to watch it all the time great guests, and presenters.’

Pebble Mill at One compilation

Thanks to Roy Thompson for finding this compilation video of Pebble Mill at One, and sharing it.

Election night 2001 Studio C gallery

Stuart Gandy and Keith Knowles on Election night in 2001, in Studio C gallery, in the early hours waiting for the results to come in. In the first photo you can see the names of the locations of the various OBs on the monitors.

These photos were originally posted on Pebble Mill Engineers Facebook group.

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

Stuart Gandy: ‘I remember the night well. The console in front of us with all the switches on was a special bit of kit (known as Robespierre – and I can’t remember why) that was only fetched out on election nights, that provided extra comms between the regions. It had to be connected back to comms centre with a lot of cabling a few days prior, which took quite a bit of planning and effort, but Pebble Mill was a regional election hub, so needed to communicate with a lot of places.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘I presented two General Election results Radio programmes on WM along with some local council ones and really enjoyed the through the night experience….. total exhaustion afterwards! Ten pm till 6 am the next morning was some ‘on air’ stint!!’

Andy Walters: ‘I was at the ICC that night Engineering for Radio WM. I remember it being a very late (or early morning) finish.’

The Afternoon Play – Coming Up For Air

This screen grab is from The Afternoon Play, Coming Up For Air, it was transmitted on 28th Jan 2003.

Here is the entry from the Radio Times for the drama, courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

A strange occurrence befalls grieving husband Tom Rourke in Spain.
Written by Matthew Parkhill ; Producer Carson Black ; Director Dominic Keavey

Contributors:

Written By: Matthew Parkhill
Producer: Carson Black
Director: Dominic Keavey
Tom Rourke: Jeremy Sheffield
Iris Rourke: June Whitfield
Sarah: Mandana Jones
Maisey Rourke: Isabella Melling
Jack Rourke: Bruno Melling
Kay Caroline: Lee Johnson

http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3e0f449297a04046a97252ba13ec3090

The play was edited by Neil Roberts.

Thanks to VT editor Ian Collins for making the still available.