Dharmesh Rajput – Page 3 – What Was Pebble Mill?

We are BBC Birmingham – Resources & Drama

This still is from a brochure produced when BBC Birmingham moved to the Mailbox, in 2004. The brochure was for staff and people elsewhere in the industry, promoting the services and departments within BBC Birmingham.

Post production took outside bookings at this time, from series like Fifth Gear, as well as internal bookings.

Drama, did not relocate to the Mailbox, due to insufficient space, the cost, and the inability to film scenes around the premises, and instead arranged accommodation for themselves at the University of Birmingham.

Thanks to Dharmesh Rajput for sharing the brochure, and keeping it safe for the last decade.

A-Z of BBC Birmingham

This A-Z Welcome pack was given to BBC staff transferring from Pebble Mill to the Mailbox in 2004. The pack included some discount vouchers for shops and restaurants in the Mailbox, as well a copy of the BBC Values, and this ‘Welcome’ message from Controller of English Regions, Andy Griffee.

The irony of the statement about striving to bring more and more production to the Mailbox will not be lost on stalwarts of BBC Birmingham.

Thanks to Dharmesh Rajput for sharing this pack, and keeping it safe over the past decade.

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

Jane Elledge: ‘It was utter bullsh*t at the time – anyone who argued against the move was labelled ‘negative’ and a troublemaker. We weren’t. We were just rightly arguing against what was obvious to most of us and has proven to be one of the most stupid things ever done by the BBC.’

Helen Chetwynd: ‘What a laugh! I particularly like the bit that says he believes that “key talent will increasingly look forward to coming here and working at the heart of a newly buzzing city centre building……” yeah, right’

Jane Green: ‘Agree with everyone here – the hard part was having to listen to the PR we knew to be false and that the move was the beginning of the end for BBC Birmingham. I still have my BBC drinks cup given in ‘celebration’ of the move too.’

Chris Camden: ‘Remember it well and so agree with Jane Elledge. As union reps we fought against the decision but no one in management would listen to us and had their own agenda. We all knew it was not the ‘centre’ of Birmingham and that it was an unsuitable building for television production. So very very sad. I still have the piece of mosaic from Pebble Mill wall, that we were all given.’

Herbie Donnelly: ‘They even piloted the One Show from the Mailbox, guess what? Yeah London knicked it.’

We are BBC Birmingham

This, We are BBC Birmingham brochure was given to members of staff moving from Pebble Mill to the new Mailbox building in summer/autumn 2004.

There are other sections which name some of the then current productions, both radio and television, but I will post those separately.

The leaflet highlights the work of internal departments like HR, Finance, Marketing, Talent Rights, Libraries and IT.

Thanks to Dharmesh Rajput for keeping the leaflet safe for the last decade, and for sharing it.

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

Andy Walters: ‘I remember those being taken. I am on the first B. We were assembled on the grass at the back of the building with the photographer on the roof.’

Jane Green: ‘I’m on a B too. I miss Pebble Mill’

Paul Hunt: ‘Am on the bottom of C having dashed back from a meeting at the Mailbox!’

Claire Bennett: ‘Eleven years? Did I miss all the big ten year anniversary celebrations there must have been for a decade of glory at the Mailbox then?’

Steve Peacock: ‘I think they threw that party in Bristol’

Guide to Your Payslip

This Guide to Your Payslip was published in 1987, but was still being issued to new staff many years later. The booklet seems more complex than the actual payslip itself, and I bet most staff never read it!

Thanks to Dharmesh Rajput for sharing this booklet, and for keeping his copy safe all these years.

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

Andy Bentley: ‘1987 was the year I started at Pebble Mill, I remember this but you are right I never read it.’

Lynn Cullimore: ‘I once tried to read it! Gave up. But my gut instinct always told me if the figures were wrong!’

Princess Anne at the Opening of Pebble Mill

This photo was taken on 10th November 1971, when Princess Anne officially opened BBC Pebble Mill. The man behind Princess Anne is almost certainly Mr Deighton, one of the managers at BBC Pebble Mill.

Thanks to Sue Sweet for sharing the photo. Sue was the receptionist at the opening of Pebble Mill, and previously worked at Broad Street in the Recorded Programmes library.

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

Sue Sweet: ‘After all these years names are a little foggy! He [Mr Deighton] was amongst the ranks of Phil Sidey, Mr McQueen etc. After the signing I had to run round the quadrangle, up the stairs and be ready to meet Princess Anne on 7th floor – couldn’t speak – not nerves – just out of breath!’

Dharmesh Rajput: ‘I was born in 1971! But I got to meet Princess Anne when she came to The Mailbox – can’t remember if it was an official opening or not. Was it in 2004.’

Pamela Renoata: ‘It was the official opening Dharmesh. I remember being nervous at meeting her and obsessing over the protocol of addressing her and whether to curtsey or not!’