Photos by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission
These photos by cameraman Bhasker Solanki are from a Showaddywaddy performance at BBC Pebble Mill.
The camera operator in the lower photo is the late Bob Hubbard, and seated next to him is Robin Sunderland, also a camera operator, probably then an assistant.
Robin has kept the hat safe all these years, and here he is with it in 2021.
Bob Hubbard on an EMI 2001 camera. Photo by Robin Sunderland, no reproduction without permission. The photo probably dates from the early 1980s.
Copyright resides with the original holders no reproduction without permission
This was the presentation of the GTC’s (Guild of Television Camermen) TiCA (Television Cameraman’s Award) to the Pebble Mill camera department for Pebble Mill at One circa 1979.
The names are as follows:
Back (L to R): Doug Smith, Robin Sunderland, Bob Meikle, Don Cooper, Paul Woolston, Tony Wigley, Phil Wilson, Mike Solomons (GTC Chairman from Thames TV), Brian Cave, Jim Gray, Bob Hubbard, Chris Allen, not sure (perhaps Phil Sidey?), Jack Rooke, Keith Salmon, Dave Lawson, Dave Doogood, Dave Wilkins, Pete Edwards, Tim Konewko, Bhasker Solanki.
Kneeling down (L to R): Barrie Foster, Keith ‘Scouse’ Brook, Roger Mulliner, Dave Ballantyne, John Couzens, Eric Wise
(Thanks to James French for providing the names, Annie Gumbley Williams for sending me the photo and to Roger Mulliner for sharing it in the first place).
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Richard Stevenson: ‘That is an amazing picture! I have never seen so many cameramen in ties! Brilliant.’
Lynn Cullimore: ‘They all look so young and thats because they were – then. hah.’
Bob Bishop: ‘There are no women in the photograph, would that be the same today.’
Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘We were told to dress up by management. Bhaskar Solanki, far right (physically, not politically) went on to be a very, very successful news cameraman and is now a senior producer. Good for him!! I should also mention that I’m the only one wearing a waistcoat. Even then, standards were sloppy!!’
Photo by John Abbott, no reproduction without permission.
This photo dates from the 1970s, and shows Bob Hubbard (senior cameraman) and the vision crew, (Ian Dewar on the left) from the outside broadcast truck, CMCR9. The scanner was built in 1969, and was Pebble Mill’s first CM1, later becoming Manchester’s, North 3.
The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:
Dave Bushell: ‘Back in the days of the Ventile jacket – not a Berghaus in sight’
Copyright resides with the original holder, probably Willoughby Gullachsen; no reproduction without permission. Thanks to Janice Rider for making the photographs available.
‘Cargo Kings’ was a live play produced at Pebble Mill in 1983 in Studio A, when Robin Midgley was Head of Drama.
The BFI Database describes the storyline thus:
‘Roger Savage, an anthropologist, visits at remote island, where the natives, Mambu, Baku and Abode learn about an obscure cargo cult from him. Soon they are in London putting Savages ideas into practice.’ http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/161953
The script was written by Stephen Davies, directed by Donald McWhinnie, Dawn Robertson was the production associate, with Will Hartley the production manager. Roger Gregory was the script editor. Ian Ashurst was the production designer, with Janice Rider the costume designer and Carol Ganniclifft the make up designer. Bob Hubbard was the camera supervisor, lighting was by Barry Hill, and Annette Martin was the vision mixer.
The play starred Jeffrey Kissoon as Baku, Norman Beaton as Mambu, Michael Cochrane as Roger Savage, Christopher Asante as Obode and Ray Smith as Chief Inspector Beltrap.