Jane Barton – What Was Pebble Mill?

Carol Parks

Photo by John Greening. Included, left to right: Belinda Cherrington, Carol Parks, Jane Barton

This poem was written by Make Up Designer, Gill Hughes, in response to the death, in Autumn 2021, of drama Producer, Carol Parks. Gill worked with Carol on many drama productions.

THE END

It doesn’t happen to us

Not our generation.

The Go-Getters

The Movers

The Shakers

The ones who were going to change the World

Not to us

The Hippies, The Long Hair

The Pill, Sex, Rock and Roll

That was us

Our journey is not yet done

The Script not yet finished

Girl Power, Emancipation

There are some paragraphs to unfold

Before the Full Stop

THE END

Gill Hughes, Make Up Designer

Cargo Kings script front pages

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Cargo Kings was one of a handful of live plays from Pebble Mill transmitted in March 1983. By this time it was very unusual to stage television drama live, because of its limitations, so these plays were quite a brave enterprise.

These script front pages show the cast and crew of the drama, as well as the rehearsal schedule and scene order.

Thanks to Philip Thickett, who was one of the cameramen, presumably on camera 5, from the notes on the script, for sharing it.

BORRIS, (scribbled on the script) for those who don’t know was the drama rehearsal room which was part of the garage and outside broadcast block at the back of BBC Pebble Mill.

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

Terry Powell: ‘Yet, another show I worked on. We really did do some fabulous programmes.’

Janice Rider: ‘Yes indeed we did Terry – that was quite a nerve-wracking experience as I remember but we were all relieved we managed to pull it off including quick changes . See they spelled my name wrong on the running order as usual!’

Terry Powell: ‘Yes, indeed. But we still had fun. We literally went from one show to another in those days. We must have been like race horses.’

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Drama Production Office – photo by John Greening

Belinda Cherrington, Carol Parks, Jane Barton

Photo by John Greening, no reproduction without permission.

The photo includes left to right: Belinda Cherrington (now an exec producer at Mentorn), producer Carol Parks, and production assistant Jane Barton. It was taken in one of the Drama production offices at BBC Pebble Mill.

The photo probably dates from around 1990.

Rachel and The Roarettes

‘Rachel and The Roarettes’ was a ‘Summer Season’ drama, produced at Pebble Mill and transmitted in 1985. It was written by Jude Alderson

Also starred Gary Oldman (his 1^st TV and his part was entirely cut), and Josie Lawrence (her 1^st TV). It was directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Roger Gregory. Carol Parks was the Production Associate and David Attwood the Production Manager. Phil Wilson was the camera supervisor, Roger Sutton the vision mixer, Jane Barton and Bobbie Chapman were the production assistants. Vivien Oldham was the make-up designer, Sally Engelbach the production designer and Kathryn Ayerst the costume designer and Tony Fisher the graphic designer.

The drama was recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill.

Photo includes,L to R: James Grout, Deborah Poplett, Linda Rolan

‘Rachel and the Roarettes’ was a rock musical….lesbian bikers in the present, highway women in the 17^th century, like you did in 1984!

Thanks to John Greening for much of the information and for making the photo available.

Survival of the Fittest – photo from John Greening

‘Survival of the Fittest’ was a 1990 Screen One drama, produced at Pebble Mill by Carol Parks, written by Julian Mitchell, and directed by Martyn Friend. John Greening was the production manager.

The drama starred Timothy West as Geoffrey Cowper, Jean Anderson as Molly Cowper, Nerys Hughes as Betty Trinder, Elizabeth Spriggs as Eileen Blackett, Timothy Davies as Chris Trinder and Joanna Brookes as June Trinder.

L to R: Martyn Friend (director), David Bell (focus puller, blue jacket), Ian McNulty (grip), Steve Saunderson (camera), Jane Barton (script supervisor).