Ray Holman – Costume Designer

Pickwick Papers, photo by Neil Wigley

Pickwick Papers, photo by Neil Wigley

'All Creatures Great and Small', photo by Maggie Thomas

‘All Creatures Great and Small’, photo by Maggie Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I came to Pebble Mill and ‘trailed’ in costume at weekends on Occupation Democrat, I was still in college in 1984 (Joyce Hawkins took me on) and then I went filming on Pickwick Papers and saw the whole programme through the studio shoot too as a dresser.
I returned to Pebble Mill after working at BBC Wales as a Costume Design Assistant, I came to do All Creatures but then became staff and worked on Parnell, Broke and then designed Specials and The Real McCoy, I stayed for 5 years working on things like A Year in Provence and Skallagrigg. I left in the first round of redundancies in 1993 and went freelance as a costume designer.
My website has my credits

http://www.costume-designer.co.uk/

I did some studio work on and off while I was staff at Pebble Mill but a lot of the programmes I worked on filmed away from Birmingham for long periods of time. I loved my time there and made many lovely friends including Beverley Dartnall who we lost recently. I’m still in touch with some lovely people from costume, it was a great productive and artistic time and always a big learning curve.

I hope that makes some sense. Lots of people will not remember me as I spent a lot of time out of the building, but I just wanted you to know I mentioned PM in my article.

Best Wishes.
Ray.

[This is the link to the article in The Independent, which Ray mentions above, where he talks about his work as costume designer on Wolf Hall, Broadchurch and Dr Who: http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/behindthescenes-with-the-costume-makers-for-wolf-hall-broadchurch-and-doctor-who-9981200.html]

Ray Holman, photo copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

Ray Holman, photo copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

The World of James Herriot – exhibition

Photos copyright of ‘The World of James Herriot’, no reproduction without permission.

‘The World of James Herriot’ in Thirsk in North Yorkshire celebrates the life of ‘James Herriot’ (James Alfred Wight).  It is currently staging a special exhibition about ‘All Creatures Great and Small’.  The series was filmed on location in Askrigg in the Yorkshire Dales, with the interiors recorded in Pebble Mill’s Studio A.

Several months ago the organiser of the exhibition asked permission to use some of the ‘All Creatures’ photos posted on this website – which the takers of those photos were happy to agree to.  Tim Savage had taken photos of the Studio sets, and Maggie Thomas of the locations.  Several people who worked on the series are also quoted in the exhibition, including make-up designer, Maggie Thomas and  sound technician, Paul Balmer.

The organiser of special exhibition sent me these photos of the display, and you can see Paul and Maggie’s contributions on one of the boards.