Planning – What Was Pebble Mill?

Elisabeth Seaborne

Elisabeth Seaborne, who worked in the Newsroom and in the Asian Unit, sadly died in January 2018.

Below are memories from those who worked with Elisabeth:

Diane Kemp: ‘I remember her from my days at Midlands Today. I always thought she was probably better read and more clued up than many of us (well certainly me). I also remember her telling me about working for Philip Donellan and Charles Parker. A direct link to two phenomenal documentary makers.
I’m sorry to hear she’s passed away.’

Carol Wilson: ‘When I knew her she was the camera diary supremo at Midlands Today. She seemed to know just about everyone. Sadly she became ill with MS and was incapacitated for most of her later years.’

Janet Collins: ‘Elisabeth also worked as Comms Clerk in the Planning Office’

Planning Department 1980

Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

Included in the photo are, left to right: Sue Robinson, Penny Brain, Bruce Martin.

This photo of the Planning Department at Pebble Mill dates from 1980, when Planning were on the 3rd floor. Sue Robinson went on to become a multicamera director on studio programmes like Pebble Mill at One. Bruce Martin was the manager of the department, which used to book studio, VT and outside broadcast crew. He always used to greet people with a ‘Hi, pal!’, whether you were male or female.

Sitting on Quad machines

Photos by Paul Scholes, no reproduction without permission.

2″ Quad machines were substantial enough to be sat on!

This is Sue Robinson sat on the Quad, with Mike Bloore to the right, and Nigel Evans foreground. The photo dates from 1980 or ’81, when Sue was working in the Planning Department.

The lower photo is of Trudy Stanton.

Planning Office

Photo from Sue Robinson, no reproduction without permission.

This photo of the Planning Office was taken in 1980. The Planning Office used to schedule VT and other technical staff to programmes.

Included in the photo are, left to right, back row: Bev Dartnall (who went on to be a drama series producer), David Robinson, Barbara Hynes, Margaret Barton, front row: Maria Hurley?, Lyn Rae (went on to be PA/PM), Janet Collins, Sue Robinson (became multi-camera director).

Thanks to Ian Rae for adding additional information.

The following comments were added on the Pebble Mill Facebook group:

Beverley Dartnall: ‘I worked in the planning office before joining Drama in 1982, As well as allocating cameramen and soundmen to programmes, they allocated what programmes went into Studio A. Janet allocated VT and TK staff. Comms were also allocated fom that office.’

Peter Poole: ‘I remember Kath Woolstan and Mandy Peissel from the Audio Unit office. They always did an excellent job and treated audio staff as people and not machines!’

Planning Office – photo by Ben Peissel

Photo by Ben Peissel, no reproduction without permission.

This photo is of the girls who worked in the Planning Office at BBC Pebble Mill, booking VT and other facilities.

The photo shows left to right: Kath Woolston, Margaret Barton, Mandy Holdcroft, ?, Janet Woodhouse, Helena Lyons, ?, Christine Grainger, Barnara Hynes.

If you can fill in the gaps, or add more information, please add a comment.