Roger Sutton – What Was Pebble Mill?

Lincoln ‘Sam’ Shaw

The following is from Annie Gumbley-Williams:

I have received news from Simon Shaw of the recent passing of his father, Lincoln ‘Sam’ Shaw.
I remember Sam when I worked on Radio Birmingham & Midlands Today in the 1970s to 80s. The photograph is of Sam in 1972 when he was Regional News Editor. I worked also with his son Simon, at Pebble Mill, when he was still in education, he used to come into Radio Birmingham to answer the phones on our Saturday Sports programme. Simon is now Executive Producer on the Antiques Roadshow. There’s a lovely photo on of his mother & father’s wedding on the opening titles.
Simon has sent the following:-

Lincoln “Sam” Shaw is a legendary name in the annals of Pebble Mill and Broad Street BBC history. Sadly we have received news of his recent death at the age of 93. Lincoln passed away peacefully in Torbay Hospital on February 19th. Many will remember Lincoln, either from his work as news editor on Midlands Today in the 60’s and 70’s, or from his days as Managing Editor English Regional Television which saw him broaden his responsibility for 8 regions across the UK. Those with longer memories may also know he was part of the pioneering small team that made the first local radio experiment in the 1960s. His son Simon tells us that Lincoln and wife Patricia enjoyed a life changing experience when he moved to south Devon in the 1980s by going back to the shop floor working as a reporter for the newly launched Radio Devon. Work that saw him filing reports until recently which recognised as the BBCs longest serving reporter. Luckily he managed to combine his work with golfing on some of the countries finest courses where he was regularly seen playing in to his 90s. His fulfilling and rich life will be celebrated in a memorial in early April at Dartington Hall. For more details please contact lincolnsmemorial@yahoo.com

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

Roger Sutton: ‘Sam and I were members of the same golf club for a number of years but our paths never crossed at Pebble Mill. I have fond memories of our time on the course. A lovely man.’

David Shute: ‘A real gent and very agreeable colleague. Hope he’s having fun in the newsroom in the sky.’

Nanny – Goats and Tigers

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This is the cast and crew list, and scene breakdown for one of the episodes (Goats and Tigers) of the drama series, Nanny, starring Wendy Craig. The episode was transmitted in February 1981 on BBC1. It was a London production, hosted at Pebble Mill, and recorded in Studio A.

The pages have been shared by costume assistant, Rachel Selby. It is interesting to see her hand written notes on the sheets, and the crossing through, when the scene had been completed.

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

Lesley Weaver: ‘Wonderful time for me as a Make up lady and I was lucky enough to work on all three series.’

Susan Astle: ‘Wendy was such a great person, all us make up ladies loved working with her.’

Chris Rogers: ‘I loved this series it has never been repeated on other channels? Wendy Craig is fabulous.’

Raymond Lee: ‘Never worked directly on the series but remember vividly showing Wendy Craig how to use the canteen coffee/tea machine!!’

Keith Brook: ‘Oh, that brings back memories. What a wonderful series to work on.’

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A Sort of Innocence – James French

Behind the Scenes; A Sort of Innocence from pebblemill on Vimeo.

Video copyright, James French, no reproduction without permission.

James French has provided the following information about this behind the scenes footage which he recorded on location for A Sort of Innocence, known as ‘The Hereford Project’ at the time. The first sequence is by the river in Hereford and the other involves a low-loader being rigged at Chateau Impney in Droitwich Spa:

This was a two camera shoot using CM2 and I (James French) was second camera, Keith Salmon camera supervisor. The cameras were Philips LDK 514s with Angenieux lenses for the techie-types.

The Director was John Gorrie. You hear him but don’t see him in the first sequence. The 1st AD is Peter Rose, who went on to direct several soaps including Crossroads, Eastenders and Coronation Street. Main actor: Kenneth Cranham. Boy: Neil Jeffery, LD: Barry Chatfield, Sparks: Dave Walter, Sound: Tony Wass, Tim Everett.

It was 1986.

The grip’s name was Ron Fleet, and I think the cable basher is rigger, Barry but can’t remember his surname.

behind the scenes on A Sort of Innocence

EM: Dave Robinson, Spark: Roger Hynes (can’t remember the other guy), Director: John Gorrie seen sitting on the kerb in the early panning shot, Engineer: Peter Eggleston, Vision Mixer: Roger Sutton, Rigger: George Stephenson, Editor: Mike Bloore.

Here is the Radio Times entry from the first episode courtesy of the BBC Genome project:

A six-part serial by ALICK ROWE Episode 1 starring
Kenneth Cranham Cheryl Campbell Michael Byrne
Introducing Neil Jeffery Elizabeth Fellowes seems well suited to life in a small cathedral town. Her husband, Mark, teaches at the cathedral school where her son, Tim, is a chorister. Unknown to the family, boardroom battles are taking place elsewhere. These are to have a dramatic effect on their future lives together.
Music composed by RICHARD HARVEY Script editor JENNY SHERIDAN Designers
MYLES LANG. AMANDA ATKINSON Producer RUTH BOSWELL Director JOHN GORRIE

genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/56046536e8054c6fb2167b2d10c5920f

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

Diana Lester: ‘Thanks James, I cannot believe that was over 30 years ago. …lovely to see faces from the past, many who unfortunately are no longer with us ….and we all look so young !!’

Karen Lamb: ‘Hearing Keith’s voice again was so special saying “don’t point it at the sun” such wonderful memories working on crew 5.’

Dawn/Kevin Hudson: ‘Great memories,the grip was Ronnie Fleet, and the fella brushing the path was affectionately known as Gonzo.’

Richard Stevenson: ‘Great clip. Is Tim booming wearing a tie?! Those were the days.’

A Funny Thing Happened – David Shute

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

This photo was taken just a short time before we moved shop to Pebble Mill – late 1960s/1970.

Some of the under-dressed cast of A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum. Top left the amazing Jenny Brewer, next to her Olive McCosh (I hope that’s right ) bottom Left, Sandy Sutton wife of the redoubtable vision-mixer Roger Sutton. This was BBC AmDram Society and producer David Shute caused quite a stir when he insisted that all the ladies auditioned in bikinis! The amazing cast won a rare 5 star rating from the Birmingham Post & Mail’s theatre critic. We had to re-stage the show some months later for a second week’s run. What a hoot!

David Shute

Going for a Song – Sue Robinson

Sue Johnston – Autocue, Jane Mclean, Dave Brazier, Sue Robinson

Claire Hobbs, Jane Mclean, Kate Southcott (now Hillman)

Roger Sutton, Sue Robinson, Jane Mclean, Claire Hobbs

Gallery A lighting – Mark Smithers, Dave Ashton, Ian Cull, Pete Eggleston, John Cooke

Photos from Sue Robinson, no reproduction without permission.

These photos are from the daytime antiques quiz show: ‘Going for a Song’. The show was recorded in Studio A. Claire Hobbs was the series producer, Sue Robinson the studio director, Kate Southcott (now Hillman) was an assistant producer on the series and Jane Mclean was the gallery production assistant. Dave Brazier was the floor manager, and Roger Sutton, the vision mixer.

The photos date from Christmas 1998, the show was presented by Michael Parkinson and Penny Smith, with Eric Knowles as the antiques’ expert.

This was Jane Mclean’s last ever programme before leaving the BBC.

The following information was added via the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Stuart Gandy: ‘Also note that by that date this was the new digital widescreen refurbished Studio A, you can tell that by the purple colour scheme as well. It went into use in the spring of 1998 and as we all know only lasted 3 years until its closure as a fully fledged studio in 2001.’

Mike Workman: ‘Yes, the equipment was either left to rot or sent down to London, why didn’t Midlands Today get dibs on any of it?! Interestingly enough though, does that purple colour scheme not remind anybody of the Mailbox, look the Mill was forward thinking, even predicted how its sucessor would look!’