John Abbott – What Was Pebble Mill?

Kiki Dee on Showaddywaddy Show

Photos by cameraman, Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission

These photos are of Kiki Dee appearing on the Showaddywaddy show from Christmas 1980.

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

Colin Fearnley: She was a guest on “Showaddywaddy Show” recorded in the 1980’s, the camera is an EMI 2001 which would correspond with that period and it looks like whoever is sitting bottom right of the camera is wearing one of the silly hats the crew and the audience were given. I was on racks and I think John Abbott lit it. Found in my 1980 diary, recorded in Studio A, Sunday 30th November and Monday 1st December. Kiki Dee inserts recorded on the Sunday, then live audience in for the Monday night. My hours 1030-2215 both days. John Kimberley on colour match And Peter Wood-Fisher on lighting desk (Q-File). The reason I remember it so well was that I had just escaped a very long course at Wood Norton!

Vanity Fair location, Sidmouth

Photos by Chris Glover, no reproduction without permission. These photos are from the 1987 drama serial, Vanity Fair. They were taken in Sidmouth, which was standing in for Brighton. In the second photo is ‘Amelia’ (Rebecca Saire) (L) talking to ‘Dobbin’ (Simon Dormandy). Chris’s wife Wendy Bradfield made this and other costumes for Rebecca.

The following comment was left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Dave Bushell: ‘On the recce the director and EM (John Abbott) had identified a stretch of concrete hard standing where the beach met the promenade on which to lay a camera track. When we arrived the day before the shoot it had disappeared under heavy shingle. John then organised a caterpillar tracked bulldozer to travel overnight along the road from Exeter. The noise as it came along the prom in the early hours of the morning woke the whole seafront.’

Gardeners’ World September 1987

Thanks to Stuart Allen for making these screen grabs available.

These stills are from Gardeners’ World transmitted on 9th September 1987. This was when the Friday night gardening series was still being made as an outside broadcast. I think it was usually shot on two cameras and used a system called editech to assemble the programme as the recording went along, rolling back to last edit and picking up from there.

Jean Laughton was a renowned production assistant, who was working more as a researcher than a PA. She compiled a very comprehensive set of card notes which included all the programme details, along with which plants were included in which episode.

Denis Gartside was a larger than life director. I worked with him on Gardeners’ World in 1989. I remember driving with him to location, he used to steer with his knees and stop with the handbrake!

Al Barnett’s retirement party

Photo by Peter Church, no reproduction without permission. Peter Church was the partner of senior dresser, Colin Bailey, for many years.

The photo is probably of Al Barnett’s (Costume department) retirement party.

Senior dresser, Colin Bailey, sadly died in 2005.

Thanks to Colin’s partner, Peter, for sharing the photo.

Bob Jacobs (drama dept), second from the left.

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

Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘It’s John Abbott in the suit foreground. Harvey Frost is behind Gwen. I think it’s Yvonne O’Malley hiding behind John’s right shoulder, our left.’

Susan Astle: ‘Gwen Arthy.Joyce Hawkins John Linlair at the front. Jane Wellsley behind Colin.’

Kate Hawkins: ‘And that’s me bottom left hand corner…checked jacket. I was ‘Senior Personnel Officer’ to Programme Services. Harvey Frost is behind Joyce & John.’

Liz Cox: ‘Karen Bevins is in black behind Gwen’

Break time on CMCR9

This photo is of break time on the outside broadcast scanner, CMCR9 – Pebble Mill’s first CM1.

The liquid refreshment seems to be beer, as opposed to tea!

Sitting on the stool is Engineering Manager, Bob Chaplin. Bottom left may be Steve Searley. Sitting on the ground, possibly John Allinson. The other man may be Peter Hodges.

Thanks to Janet Collins, John Duckmanton and Jane Maclean for identifying the heads!