“My dear school friend, Beverley, sadly lost her fight with cancer 5 years ago. She was my best friend in the 6th form and we spent many fun and happy hours together in the instrumental ensemble for the school plays and music productions, her on the clarinet and me on the flute. R.I.P. Bev xx”
(We were 16 on this photo)
Bev worked at Pebble Mill for many years, most of it in Drama. Before she left the BBC she was the series producer of the continuing drama, Doctors.
BBC Club cards were highly valued, they allowed you access to the BBC bar, with its competitively priced alcohol and food, and endless networking opportunities. The BBC bar in Birmingham was originally on the 2nd floor of the office block, and later moved to a small building across the Bourn brook from Pebble Mill, by the sports field.
Thanks to Keith Warrender for sharing his card.
Hear Chris Phipps reminiscing about BBC Pebble Mill in his new book on the Paul Franks Show on BBC WM. Friday January 25, 2019 4-40 available on catch-up! Here is the link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p06xfhm7
Chris also appeared on Nigel Williams Show on Jazz FM January 12, 2019.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Michael Fisher:
“Chris was my introduction to the Black Country around Dudley and Walsall. Interesting to hear him reminisce about Pebble Mill, the biggest BBC broadcasting centre outside London, capturing the Zeitgeist in music of the 70s and interviewing Black Sabbath 50 years on in Dublin after they first appeared at The Crown in Birmingham.”
Club Havana screen grab. Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Screening on Monday 11 Feb, 18.00 NFT2
Club Havana (BBC2 1975, Second City Firsts, Dir Pam Brighton, with Don Warrington, Mona Hammond, Julie Walters, Alfred Fagon. 35mins)
After twelve years apart, Mrs Jordan’s son (Warrington) arrives in Birmingham from Jamaica. Writer Barry Reckord returns to the theme of an inter-racial relationship, first explored in You in Your Small Corner, which causes conflict within a Jamaican family.
Introduction by season co-curator Lez Cooke, producer Tara Prem, script editor Peter Ansorge and actor Don Warrington (work permitting).
Here is the link to the ‘Forgotten Drama’ project website for more details:
https://forgottentelevisiondrama.wordpress.com/2019/01/10/forgotten-black-tv-drama-season-at-bfi-southbank-february-2019/
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Here are some excerpts from an article published in the Birmingham Mail on 26th Jan 2019, following the screening of the BBC documentary about the band Bros, When the Screaming Stops:
“Teenage twins Luke and Matt Goss were less than a month short of turning 20 years old when they arrived at BBC Pebble Mill by helicopter.
They were adorned with their trademark slicked back hair, fake tans, selfie-style poses and some very 80s’ clothing – the perfect pop package.
Their mission? To switch on Radio 1’s new FM signal in the Midlands in front of hundreds of screaming fans…….
Luke and Matt Goss were joined by fellow band member Craig Logan when they arrived at BBC Pebble Mill on Thursday, September 1, 1988….
Hundreds of young, screaming girls besieged Pebble Mill were the group was paying a flying visit by helicopter to officially inaugurate the new service.
Behind the scenes, twins Matt and Luke Goss said they had performed the switch on simply because they had been invited.”
The whole article can be read here:
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/nostalgia/bros-came-birmingham-fabulous-pictures-15692764
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Laura McNeill: ‘Brilliant picture, I remember their visit and being in the foyer to do something with them but then my memory fails me.’
Gordon Astley: I had just interviewed them upstairs at WM.’
Keith Butler: I remember it well, we also had Kylie Minogue at the Mill within a few weeks of this. Virtually no one was outside for her……… who’s the bigger star now, lol.’
Jean Palmer: ‘I remember that day very well. I was having an interview for a prop buyer when all you could hear where screaming girls and them going over and over their song. I didn’t get that job it was a fix.’
Simon Tooley: ‘I remember that day… doing a hand held camera at the railings to film the screaming fans. Unfortunately, only about 3 fans showed up, which I had to make look like a crowd!’
Gary Hudson: ‘There is a sequence in the documentary which I think shows this visit. Either that or the Pebble Mill backdrop is a CGI alternative to the pyros (for those who’ve seen the doco).’