Phil Sidey's leaving party
Photo from Paul Scholes, of Phil Sidey’s leaving party, in the Pebble Mill Foyer, Studio C, the home of ‘Pebble Mill at One’.
Phil Sidey was the head of centre from 1973 to 1983, when David Waine succeeded him.
Phil Sidey, born in 1926, died on the 15th October 1995 whilst walking in the Peak District, below is a quote from his obituary in the Independent, written by Leonard Miall:
‘As the Head of the BBC Network Production Centre at Birmingham, Phil Sidey was the man who converted Pebble Mill from a structural white elephant into a thriving source of daytime television. He was the first manager of Radio Leeds and played a leading role in establishing lively local broadcasting on a financial shoestring. He was a programme innovator with a spate of lively ideas and an abrasive tongue which tended to upset some of his colleagues. He was also an accomplished public speaker and a successful chairman of the Royal Television Society.’
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaries-phil-sidey-1579330.html
Please add a comment if you knew Phil Sidey and can add more information, or if you can identify people in the photo.
Phil Sidey was the man who made Pebble Mill and i hope will never be forgotten. I worked in the press office in those days…long time ago. I don’t think he gets the admiration he deserves.
Somewhat belatedly, I should like to record my appreciation of Phil – with whom I had some memorable dealings, when I was Manager (Finance) TV Programme Planning at TV Centre, Wood Lane, London, in the 1970s. Phil led a great team at Pebble Mill and I very nearly went to work with him, when London was re-organised and the Birmingham finance Post was to be filled. Alas, it didn’t come about, so my acquaintance with his example-led team was short-lived. He, Peter Cairns, John Jarvie et al will always have a fond place in my memory.
Tim Clyde (BBC 1968-78)