Drama – Page 81 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Witchcraft – photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Witchcraft’ was a drama serial transmitted in 1992. It was produced at Pebble Mill in 1991 by Carol Parks, with Barry Hanson as exec producer. the script was written by Nigel Williams, and directed by Peter Sasdy. John Greening was the 1st AD, with Will Trotter as Location Manager. Jane Barton was the PA. Nigel Jones was the designer, with John Plush his assistant. John Kenway was the lighting cameraman, Herbie Donnelly the lighting gaffer and Tim Everett the sound recordist. John Rosser was the film editor.

The storyline features a film school teacher, Jamie, who chooses 17th-century witchcraft and adultery as the theme of his latest script. As shooting of the film begins, real-life events take on a menacing quality and events from the past seem to be being re-enacted in the present. Fact and fiction blur, and Jamie suffers a breakdown and becomes possessed by the Witchfinder.

The series starred Peter McEnery as Jamie Matheson, Alan Howard as Alan Oakfield, Lisa Harrow as Meg, Georgia Slowe as Judy, Judy Campbell as Juliet, Clive Wood as Rick, Dorian Healy as Derwent, Rosemary McHale as Ruth, Suzannah Lipscomb as Emma, and Kit Owen as Thomasina.

Save

On Her Majesty’s Service – Pilot

Copyright remains with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Photos from Gail Herbert. Gail was the PA on ‘On Her Majesty’s Service’.

‘On Her Majesty’s Service’ was a drama pilot made by John King’s department in 1988, which never went out. It depicted life in a British army camp during the era of National Service.

Tim Manning, who worked on the pilot added this information: “This was a comedy drama pilot about National Service, which starred Keith Barron. It was lovingly made, involving nearly everyone in John King’s LE team (script by members of it, too), but though a full pilot was commissioned, the series wasn’t. I can’t remember whether it coincided with a change of BBC1 Controller; and you have to bear in mind too that there was fierce competition from London departments for slots for this kind of thing.”

Some of the filming took place on the Severn Valley Railway, as shown in the photos.

Run for the Lifeboat – photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Run for the Lifeboat’ was a Screen Two drama produced at Pebble Mill and transmitted in 1988. Douglas Livingstone wrote and directed the film and Carol Parks was the producer.

The drama tells the story of Maggie, who moves from London to a small Welsh fishing village, with her son Terry. She meets and starts a relationship with Gareth Jones, a member of the local lifeboat crew, and they eventually marry.

Stacey Tendeter played the part of Maggie, David Burke played Gareth Jones, and I think Douglas Livingstone’s own son, Ross, played the part of Terry. The drama also featured Constance Chapman, John Pickard, Melanie Walters, Jeff Rawle, Tenniel Evans, and David Dietf.

John Kenway was the DOP, with Dave Evans assisting. Roger Slater was the sound mixer, with Tony Wass boom operator and Jimmy Monks, grips.

Save

Doctors, after the bombing – photos by Neil Roberts

Photos by Neil Roberts, no reproduction without permission.

‘Doctors’ was probably the last production to finish recording at Pebble Mill, and decided to go out with a bang rather than a whimper. Taking advantage of the fact that the building was going to be demolished they staged a bomb blast in the Riverside Surgery and Lether Bar, on the last day of shooting.

Neil Roberts, who still edits ‘Doctors’ from its new site at Birmingham University, took these photos after the last shoot. Neil was the last avid editor in Pebble Mill, fine cutting ‘Doctors’ – it must have felt like being on the Marie Celeste! Chris Rowlands performed the last online edit at Pebble Mill, onlining the ‘Doctors’ episode which Neil offlined, the following day in VTA.

Space Station Milton Keynes – photos by Willoughby Gullachsen

Photographs by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission

Photos by Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.

‘Space Station Milton Keynes’ was a Screen Two drama written and directed by Leslie Stewart. It went out in 1985. Colin Rogers was the producer, John Williams the DOP, and Steve Saunderson cameraman.

The drama tells the story of a young girl fostered in a magical city. It starred Penny Murray, Patricia Garwood, Peter Jonfield, Judy Gridley, Gian Sammarco, Nigel Baguley, and Robert Walker.

The first photo shows (l to r) Ian McNulty (grips), Leslie Stewart (writer/director), Steve Saunderson (camera), Colin Rogers (producer), John Williams (DOP). The second tracking shot photo, shows Leslie Stewart and Colin Rogers running, and Steve Saunderson on camera. The final photo includes John Cole (sound), Steve Saunderson (camera), with John Williams (DOP) foreground left, with probably Leslie Stewart and Colin Rogers (producer).

Save