Judith Markall – What Was Pebble Mill?

List of Pebble Mill programmes

Photo by Ben Peissel, no reproduction without permission

This a list of factual television programmes, described as ‘current’, was produced before the closure of Pebble Mill, around 2004. The list is included in a document housed in the BBC Archives in Caversham.

BBC One:

Points of View, Animal Sanctuary

BBC Two:

Gardeners’ World, Gardeners’ World Specials, Gardeners’ World Live, RHS Tatton, Gardener of the Year, Small Town Gardens, Rachel’s Country Garden [I don’t think this series was actually made], Million Pound Property Challenge, SAS Survival Secrets, Big Dreams – The Secrets of Asian Success, How I made My Property Millions

BBC Three:

The Brief: India and Pakistan, Greatest Eunuch Show, Black Beauty

BBC One Daytime:

Countryfile, Call My Bluff, To Buy or Not to Buy, Trading Up, Big Strong Boys, Sunday Garden, Trading Up in the Sun

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

Caroline Feldon Parsons: ‘I worked on 10 of those programmes! And don’t forget all the Radio programmes that were also being currently made …’

Simon Vaughan: ‘Pebble Mill was an amazing production centre – why on earth decommission it and pull it down, such an absolute waste. Just like TVC, their like will never be seen again.’

Carole Lowe: ‘Miss Pebble Mill a great building I worked on Anne and Nick and other programmes. Sad loss to BIRMINGHAM.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘Proper broadcasting centre.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘..and of course all the Radio…Live music , recorded music, Radio 2, Radio 3, amazing amount of Radio 4 ….drama, features, documentaries, the Archers and all the Local Radio as well!’

Judith Markall: ‘A sin to knock the building down!’

Pot Black – Barry Hill’s retirement

This clipping is from the March 1984 edition of the Pebble Mill News.

The photo shows TM Barry Hill being presented with a replica version of the Pot Black trophy, from the popular snooker tournament, by Alan Weeks, on the occasion of his retirement. Barry, who had been a BBC employee for 43 years, worked on the series since it began in 1969.

Thanks for Robin Sunderland for making the Pebble Mill News available.

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

Peter Trevena: ‘I did 4 pot blacks with Barry fun times.’

Gordon Astley: ‘I was in sound on the first Pot Black. My first proper job after training!’

Judith Markall: ‘I remember him well – a lovely man.’

Lynn Cullimore: ‘Yes I remember working with Barry. Always professional and nice to work with.’

Official Opening – free lunch

This memo was sent to staff at BBC Pebble Mill in autumn 1971. All staff, including artists and freelancers who were working on the day of the Official Opening of Pebble Mill on 10th November 1971, were to be given a free lunch, including a glass of wine, to celebrate the occasion. For their free ticket, staff just had to fill in the slip at the bottom of the memo. The Broadcasting Centre was opened by Princess Anne.

(It’s noticeable from the memo how official abbreviated job titles were habitually used, you don’t see that today).

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

Judith Markall: ‘I remember this and my mom Elsie Brown was in the line up to be introduced to Princess Anne. I have the photo somewhere that was in the Birmingham Mail.’

Dancing at the BBC Club

Photos by Karen Bond, no reproduction without permission.

These photos of dancing in the BBC Pebble Mill Club date from the early 1990s. They mostly feature Pebble Mill series editor, Steve Weddle, taking to the dance floor, amongst others!

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

Marie Phillips: ‘Funny you posted this today. We were lunching with friends today at The Boot in Lapworth and in walked Steph Silk who I have bumped into twice in a week after 25 years. She was meeting former Pebble Millers, including Jenny Brewer and ….. Steve Weddle also 25 years on. Great to see everyone and share a few laughs. Steve was excited about his recently published book – available on Amazon! It must be part of the aging process but nobody looks any different as the years roll by.’

Judith Markall: ‘Remember dances in Studio 9 at Carpenter Road!’

Bridget Vaughan: ‘Tall girl could be Bev Dartnall, bless her.’

Janet Collins: ‘Sure it’s Bev and is the other person Julie Knee?’

Steve Weddle: ‘What is he like? Don’t answer that! And yes, that could be Bev – she was always full of fun and frolics, god bless her.’

Jenny Brewer talks about her BBC career

Jenny Brewer talks about her career at BBC Pebble Mill from pebblemill on Vimeo.

Specially recorded interview with Jenny Brewer talking about her career at the BBC. Jenny began working as a secretary in the late 1960s, and ended up as a commissioning manager in the late 1990s. Much of Jenny’s production work was in the English Regions Drama Department, headed up by David Rose in the 1970s.

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

Jean Palmer: ‘I worked for Jenny when she was a commissioning manager up in the posh offices in the fifth floor.’

Gordon Astley: ‘..I think I remember Jenny in the BBC Club’s production of “A Funny Thing Happened……” I had just joined the BBC !!!’

Judith Markall: ‘I remember Jenny and she mentions Eric Holmes! I was his Secretary and I couldn’t have worked for a nice man!!!!!! Much remembered.’