Regional – Page 4 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Charlie Moody cameraman

Charlie Moody news cameraman died on Monday (3rd Dec 2018) after a long illness. Charlie started in Manchester in late 50s, moved to Birmingham in 1960,and started at BBC soon after in Broad St later working full time for Midlands Today retiring in 1993.

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

Pat Fenelon: ‘Charlie was one of two news crews working for BBC Midlands when I started at ITVCentral (1984/85) he was always a nice man and helpful when our paths crossed.’

Geoff Ward: ‘I remember Charlie really well. Top bloke and cameraman. I’ll always remember his advice. “Keep your head down, and keep sending in the bills”’

Steve Lee: ‘I am truly sad to hear this news about Charlie. Like his partner in crime Derek Johnson, he was a legend in Midlands broadcasting.’

Lisa Manning: ‘Charlie was the first cameraman I ever worked with; interviews and voxpops at the Bull Ring. I probably learnt more in that hour than in any other single hour at PM.’

David Nelson: ‘Charlie was one of the great cameramen unencumbered by sound. I spent countless hours in his company on filming assignments. He was a true gentleman, even when his car was back-ended by Tony Butler coming back from Ludlow to Birmingham! Nobody was hurt!’

Directing Midlands Today 1990

Photograph from Rosin Elder, no reproduction without permission

Female production team in the gallery of Midlands Today in 1990 at Pebble Mill. Left to right: Christine Palmer, vision mixer; Rosin Elder, director; Fiona Barton, PA; Maureen Carter Producer.

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

Richard Uridge: ‘They all look very worried. I was probably presenting that night!’

Jonathon Dick: ‘The VM is Christine Palmer, who went on in later years to become a senior production executive with the BBC OU Production Unit. The Sound Sup is Peter Poole, who was a regular on MTD.’

David Croxson: ‘What a fantastic front desk. There was a right to do and a hoo-hah recently on a friends Facebook when it was shared as a triumph that the whole of a regional news programmes’ production team turned out to be female. Someone else complained that they wouldn’t have shared a similar photo if it was all men.

Perhaps Midlands Today was years ahead of its time!!’

Stephen Neal: ‘Roisin and I worked together at Look East when we were both Regional Station Assistants (aka the best first job in regional TV)! The chap at the back is the sound sup for the show by the look of it.’

Chris Phipps – Namedropper!

Chris Phipps’s autobiography, Namedropper, is available on Amazon priced at £9.99. It includes Chris’s memories of Pebble Mill.

Midlands Today T-Shirt

Midlands Today T-shirt, circa 1980s. Thanks to Jane Partridge for sharing the photos, of husband Phil’s T-shirt. Impressive that it’s lasted so well, and been so well looked after.

News Team

Photos by Jane Partridge, no reproduction without permission

‘News Team’ T-shirt belonging to Phil Partridge.

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

Ian Collins: ‘It was an animated logo and a version of it was on the front of the building for a while.’

Stuart Gandy: ‘You are right Ian, it was on the front of the building as can be seen in the picture on this wikipedia page about Pebble Mill.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble_Mill_Studios. I think I remember it being animated when it appeared at the start of the programme. I’m sort of guessing late 80s.’

Camilla Fisher: ‘The logo was designed by Tony Fisher based on transport etc meeting in the middle (rather than something going down the drain).’