Bill Bohanna

Dawn Wigley (Robertson)

Dawn Wigley (Robertson), a member of Pebble Mill’s Drama Department for many years, died on Saturday 3rd December 2016, following a brave battle in recent years, against serious health problems.

Dawn, then Production Manager, met Tony Wigley on an OB drama shoot in the North East. They married and settled in Cleeve Prior, Worcs.

Dawn moved to Birmingham Drama as a Production Manager, later becoming Drama Organiser.
Tony predeceased her in Autumn 2015.

The cremation will be private, but a reception for former colleagues will take place at the King’s Arms in Cleeve Prior on a date to be announced.

(Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for sharing this news about Dawn.)

Tony Wigley, photo from Bill Bohanna, no reproduction without permission.

BBC Birmingham remembers Pebble Mill heritage

BBC Birmingham at the Mailbox is remembering its heritage by naming some of its meeting rooms after famous Pebble Mill programmes.

The programmes being honoured include:

Pebble Mill at One

Good Morning with Anne and Nick

Howards’ Way

Tom Coyne

If you have any logos or photos of these programmes, which might be suitable to decorate the walls of the meeting rooms, then please get in touch. Vanessa

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

Cast and crew on Howards’ Way

Midlands Today presenters, Tom Coyne, back row, right.

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The following additional suggestions were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Helena Morrisey: ‘What about all the fine radio output too…? R3’s The Music Machine was a groundbreaking programme and produced at Pebble Mill.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘Not forgetting the popular local music show ‘Look Hear’. It was a big production for a local programme.’

Julie Hill: ‘Yes and what about Angels, Saturday Night at the Mill, The Clothes Show, Gardeners World, Ebony.’

Jane Clement: ‘If they name any more rooms, I would suggest The Archers. And Donny MacLeod.’

Jane Ward: ‘Midlands Radio Orchestra?’

Sue Welch: ‘Only TV? How about all the Radio 2 output and Radios 3 &4, not to mention 5?’

Bill Bohanna: ‘”Gangsters”, “Boys from the Black Stuff”, “All Creatures Great and Small” more to follow’

Mike Hayes: ‘Do not forget David Steel & Michael Hancock…’

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Arthur Haywood

Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

This photo is from a rock and roll party, held at Juliet Deane’s, (from Film Unit) house. It is of film sparks, Arthur Haywood.

Thanks to Peter Poole for sharing the photo, and to Bill Bohanna, Maggie Humphries and Jane Mclean for identifying Arthur!

Photograph by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

This photo is of Bill Bohanna, who was the manager of Film Unit at Pebble Mill. The photo probably dates from the late 1970s.

Film Unit – photos from Maggie Humphries & Juliet Dean

Photos from Maggie Humphries & Juliet Dean.

These photos include stills of the Film Unit Office, featuring Bill Bohanna (Manager Film), Maggie Humphries & Diane Welch, Juliet Dean.

Photos of the crews include:

– Cameraman Mike Willie, and assistant Keith Froggatt and others, by the pond

– Keith Froggatt on the camera crane

– Cameramen Nigel Davey and Keith Froggatt

– John Couzens doing a tracking shot from a wheelchair

– John Parker and Roger Waldron recording 3 Minute Heroes

– Cameraman Eric Wise (below the cross)

– John Couzens, Eric Wise, Andy Payne and Tim Green, filming by a road

The Film Unit was a busy office on the 1st floor at the back of Pebble Mill. All the allocation of film camera crews was done from the Office, as well as the ordering of specialist film equipment. The Film Unit also organised the film editors, allocating editors to programmes, including news, dramas and documentaries. Most filmed programmes were shot on 16mm film. Shooting and editing on film were replaced in the late 1980s and 1990s by single camera video recording on beta and then digibeta, and the editing equipment changed from steenbecks to Avid.

Maggie Humphries & Diane Welch