Tag: Gail Herbert

Rose for Winter – photos by Gail Herbert

Photos copyright Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

‘Rose for Winter’ was a two part adaptation by Laurie Lee of his book of the same name, of his return to Andalusia in 1951 with his bride Cathy years after the Spanish Civil War.  It was produced at Pebble Mill by John King with narration by Laurie Lee.  It was transmitted on BBC 2, on 23 and 24 December 1989.

The two parter starred John Wild as Laurie Lee and Cordelia Roche as Cathy.

John Williams was the cameraman, assisted by Dave Evans, Richard Reynolds was the recordist, with Gail Herbert the PA.

Gardeners’ World – photos from Gail Herbert

Photos from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

These photos are of a location shoot for ‘Gardeners’ World’ in 1991, shortly before the series stopped being a BBC Pebble Mill production and became an independent production with Catalyst Television.

The first photo shows (left to right) Tony Wass (sound), Eric Wise (camera), Herbie Donnelly (sparks), Denis Jarvis (director).

The second photo shows (left to right) Tony Wass (sound), Eric Wise (camera), Karen Lamb (director), Gail Herbert (PA), Caroline Officer (researcher), Denis Jarvis (director).

The location was Keighley in North Yorkshire, and was I think about railway station gardens.  This station is on the Keighley and Worth Valley line, which is called ‘The Railway Children’ Line.

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning – photos from Gail Herbert

Photos from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

‘As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning’ was a 2 part recreation of Laurie Lee’s journey on foot across Spain in 1934, during the civil war.  It was produced at Pebble Mill by executive producer John King, written and narrated by Laurie Lee.  John Wild played the part of Laurie Lee.

The first episode, ‘From Home to Madrid’ was transmitted on 5/1/1987, with the second part ‘From Madrid to the South’, shown the following night.

The crew included cameraman John Williams, assistant Dave Evans, sound John Parker, lighting Roy Carn.  Gail Herbert was the production assistant.  David Attwood, who was then a production manager in the Drama Department, directed the dramatised sequences.  He later became a freelance drama director.

Chelsea Flower Show 1990 – photos by Gail Herbert


Photos by Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

In 1990 BBC Pebble Mill produced a Chelsea Special programme which went out on BBC 2 on the Wednesday night of Chelsea week, as well as a ‘Gardeners’ World’ from Chelsea on the Friday, presented by Geoff Hamilton.

The first photo shows presenter Anne Swithinbank, with cameraman Mike Shelton and director Nick Bamford; the second, director Annette Martin, with researcher Helen Faulkner, and presenter Geoff Hamilton; the third photo is of P.A. Jacqui Pratt, camerman Keith Froggatt and sound Alex Christison; the fourth photo is of presenter and garden designer David Stevens; photo five is of David Stevens with Mike Shelton and director Nick Patten; photo six is of researcher Helen Faulkner and Mike Shelton; photo seven is of David Stevens with Nick Patten.

Nick Patten was also shooting a gardening series called ‘Gardens by Design’ in 1990, presented by garden designer, David Stevens, and recorded some of the show at the Chelsea Flower Show.  These photos are a combination of the Chelsea coverage, and ‘Gardens by Design’.

John King with Award – photos from Gail Herbert


Photos from Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

Pebble Mill, Entertainment Executive Producer, John King, recorded  a dramatisation of author Laurie Lee’s book about his return to Andalusia with his bride after the Spanish Civil War in the mid 1930s.  It was written and narrated by Laurie Lee.  The two part drama was called  ‘A Rose for Winter’, and went out in 1989.

John King accepted this award from the Mayor of Almunecar, in Spain in November 1989, on behalf of Laurie Lee.  It was called ‘The Golden Avocado’!

The second photo shows John preparing for a radio interview in Spain around the same time, with fixer, Trini.

John King died in 1999.