Photo from Karen Lamb, no reproduction without permission.
The photo shows the Pebble Mill camera crews and dates from the early 1990s, probably from the leaving do of Robin Sunderland, and perhaps Dave Wilkins.
Included are:
Back row, Phil Wilson, Doug Smith, Noel Paley, James French, Adrian Kelly, Don Cooper, Dave Lawson (far left)
Middle row, Karen Lamb, Eric Wise, Dave Farline, Dave Wilkins, Dave Ballantyne,
Front row, Keith Salmon, Robin Sunderland, Andy Payne, John Moorcroft.
Photo by Neil Wigley, no reproduction without permission
I received the request below from Stephen Corcoran:
“In the April of 1988, a BBC TV drama serial was shown on BBC2 called Sophia and Constance. It was an adaption of Arnold Bennett’s The Old Wives’ Tale. It was filmed here in the Pebble Mill studios. I enjoyed the serial very much. It has never been shown again or released on DVD. Most people have forgotten about it. I strongly feel – that serial was very underrated and didn’t receive the attention it should done by the pubic. It was a brilliantly made classic serial by team at Pebble Mill. Well acted and filmed. Very good period details with lovely costumes too. A lot of work had go into at the time. I’m going to write to the BBC, to ask them if I could get hold of a copy of the serial on DVD. I would be willing to pay cost however much it costs. It would be like a dream come true, to see again this fine classical serial. Does anyone here have any suggestions of how to go about getting hold of a copy? Or perhaps someone has their own personal copy? Suggestions would be very much appreciated. Thank you.”
Stephen Corcoran
Here is the Radio Times entry for the first episode of the serial, courtesy of the BBC Genome project http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/67c54cef8e894232970de9ce3dec6641 . I love the fact that the elephant gets a credit:
Copyright resides with the original holders no reproduction without permission
This was the presentation of the GTC’s (Guild of Television Camermen) TiCA (Television Cameraman’s Award) to the Pebble Mill camera department for Pebble Mill at One circa 1979.
The names are as follows:
Back (L to R): Doug Smith, Robin Sunderland, Bob Meikle, Don Cooper, Paul Woolston, Tony Wigley, Phil Wilson, Mike Solomons (GTC Chairman from Thames TV), Brian Cave, Jim Gray, Bob Hubbard, Chris Allen, not sure (perhaps Phil Sidey?), Jack Rooke, Keith Salmon, Dave Lawson, Dave Doogood, Dave Wilkins, Pete Edwards, Tim Konewko, Bhasker Solanki.
Kneeling down (L to R): Barrie Foster, Keith ‘Scouse’ Brook, Roger Mulliner, Dave Ballantyne, John Couzens, Eric Wise
(Thanks to James French for providing the names, Annie Gumbley Williams for sending me the photo and to Roger Mulliner for sharing it in the first place).
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Richard Stevenson: ‘That is an amazing picture! I have never seen so many cameramen in ties! Brilliant.’
Lynn Cullimore: ‘They all look so young and thats because they were – then. hah.’
Bob Bishop: ‘There are no women in the photograph, would that be the same today.’
Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘We were told to dress up by management. Bhaskar Solanki, far right (physically, not politically) went on to be a very, very successful news cameraman and is now a senior producer. Good for him!! I should also mention that I’m the only one wearing a waistcoat. Even then, standards were sloppy!!’
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
Several Careful Owners was transmitted between 1996 and 2001 on BBC 2, and BBC Choice. There were several series of the motoring programme, which traced the previous owners of different individual iconic cars, to learn the history of particular vehicles.
Directors included Dennis Jarvis, Justine Linnane and Ed Taylor, with Richard Pearson being the series producer. The cars involved included a Rolls Royce, and Hillman Pullman, a Rover 3.5 Coupe, an Austin Healey Frogeye, a Gordon Keeble, and a Dodge Ambulance – all with interesting stories to tell.
Thanks to Ian Collins for making the titles grab available.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Robin Sunderland (cameraman): “Yes, remember doing a number of these. Very enjoyable. Remember one about a ford capri, which started it’s life as a police traffic car! Always loved the irony of it having ‘careful owners’ !!”
Andrew Chorlton (soundman): “I recorded most if not all of them. Robin Sunderland on camera too.”
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.
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.’