Tony Inchley – What Was Pebble Mill?

Tony Inchley retirement invitation

Photo copyright resides with the original owner, no reproduction without permission.

Here is the invitation to the retirement ‘do’ of Radio WM Organiser, Tony Inchley.

Thanks to Pat de Whalley for sharing it.

Tony Inchley, Pat de Whalley, David Robey, Cathy Peloe

Photo from Pat de Whalley, no reproduction without permission.

From left to right: Tony Inchley, Managing Editor Radio WM; Pat de Whalley, presenter; David Robey, Managing Editor BBC London, Cathy Peloe.

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

Vicky King: ‘don’t know what this event is but remember interviewing candidates with Tony Inchley and David Robey – I was the HR Manager – in those days 3 or 4 of us sat in front of the poor candidates – and we had tea, coffee and biscuits delivered at intervals – how times have changed . . . . .’

Lawrie Bloomfield retirement invitation

Official invitation to Lawrie Bloomfield, Managing Editor of Radio Shropshire’s black tie, retirement party. The invitation was made to Tony Inchley, Managing Editor of BBC Radio WM, and presenter, Pat de Whalley.

Thanks to Pat de Whalley for sharing this invitation, and keeping it safe for the last twenty years.

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

Pete Simpkin: ‘I worked with Lawrie in the 60s when he was a freelance working for BBC South in Southampton. A real character and great personality.’

Tony Inchley’s Retirement Photo

The photo features, left to right: David Waine, Head of Building; Tony Inchley, Radio WM Manager; Pat De Whalley, Radio WM presenter. It was taken on the occasion of Tony’s retirement presentation.

Thanks to Pat De Whalley for sharing the photo.

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

Eric Smith: ‘Worked at Radio Stoke when Tony was News Editor there in 1979.
I remember a potteries union leader coming in and asking to see Tony, who was on holiday at the time.
He wouldn’t speak to any body else and came back with the story for our exclusive use when Tony returned.’

Tim Beech: ‘Tony gave me my first BBC job at WM in 1989. At the time the station was under threat of closure because of poor audience figures, but under Tony’s management the numbers were transformed. A quarter of a century on I’m a station manager myself and if I’m even half as good as Tony was I’d be completely thrilled. I learned so much and there probably wouldn’t have been a radio station post 1991 without him. I owe him a great deal and so does everyone who’s worked at WM since.’

Gregory M Hallsworth: ‘I think that must have been about 1995. LR could do with more radio people like Tony in charge these days!’

Maurice Blisson: ‘I worked with Tony at Radio Stoke and Radio WM. Great man.’

Jane McLean: ‘I still have my autograph book! And cut glass whisky glasses engraved with my name and dates of employment. All that’s missing is RIP. They’ve NEVER been out of the box!’

Donald Steel: ‘Tony Inchley was just brilliant and he was really great at telling you when he liked something you had done. And if you popped into his office to see him at the right time you got a gin and tonic.’

Jane Upston: ‘Maiden name Jane Morgan. I worked in the ‘Personnel’ Dept from 1984 to 1992. I left after maternity leave and I think Tony Inchley was still there then. I remember David Waine, Colin Adams, Jenny Brewer, Dawn Robertson and many others in the Network TV Department.’

Roland Allen: ‘My late Sister, Marion Allen was Senior Personnel Manager for the Midlands’ Local Radio stations and News around that time…’

Janet Bacon: ‘Worked with Marion Allen and then David Robey. Brilliant times at Pebble Mill, Tony’

Vicky King: ‘I was there 1987 to 1995 with Jane Morgan and Marion Allen – I remember Tony well – what great times we had at Pebble Mill’

Pat de Whalley – Brum Beat

This article about Radio WM DJ, Pat de Whalley, is from the Birmingham music magazine, Brum Beat. The magazine was started by band promoter and manager of Black Sabbath, Jim Simpson.

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

Gregory Hallsworth: ‘I moved across from CWR to work at Pebble Mill in Spring 1991, and the Sunday evening show was certainly on air then.’