Personnel Team

copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

These photographs of the personnel team at Pebble Mill were given to Rani Randhawa in 1985, when she left the BBC after a one year placement, to go to university.

34 years since Torvill and Dean’s Gold Medal

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission

With the opening of the 2018 Winter Olympics today, it is 34 years since the Pebble Mill crew brought Torvill and Dean’s Gold Medal winning performance of Bolero to millions of viewers. The action was caught on Eric Wise’s single camera, when the Yugoslav pictures proved disappointing. Besides Eric, the team included Roger Guest on sound; Bill Youel, vision recording; and John Allinson, Engineering Manager.

The article above is from the internal BBC newsletter, Midlands News from March 1984. It gives the audience for the broadcast as 17.5 million, whilst the BBC today was listing it as 24 million.

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

Marie Phillips: ‘I remember this. I had tickets for their Show that night and was able to get them signed. I asked if they would be performing Bolero and Christopher Dean said “You will have to wait and see !” and of course, they did – wonderful.’

James Lund: ‘”Bad luck had led to disappointing coverage from the Yugoslav’s six rink-side cameras” – seems a strange way to describe things. Is it put diplomatically? Does anyone have further details? I assume the Pebble Mill camera was only for UK viewers, and not fed back to host broadcaster, JRT.’

Becky Harris

Photo of Becky Harris circa 1985. Thanks to Rani Randhawa for sharing the photo.

Becky Harris sadly died in December 2017, aged 83.

Becky joined the BBC when she was only 14, and worked for the Corporation for over 40 years. Even after she retired, she went back to work for the BBC part time! She worked in different departments over the years, starting in the post room at Carpenter Road, and including working for a Miss Bastipol (sp?) in Personnel, who was apparently very strict. She also worked in the Cash Office at Pebble Mill, as a clerk in Personnel, as secretary to the canteen manager, who I think was Stephen Davies, and for Children in Need. She was never reluctant to pick up new skills – Rani Randhawa in personnel ‘got her on the computer’. Becky knew everyone, and loved working for the Corporation, she would go to work even when she was ill, and regarded the BBC as her second home. She was particularly proud when photographed for the local paper with Ross King, to celebrate her service of 40 years.

Thanks to her daughter, Mandy Scholes, for sharing Becky’s story. Mandy herself worked for the BBC, because of Becky, who introduced her to the right people!

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

Rani Randhawa: ‘Kind, hard-working and a very funny lady – I worked with her for many many years and what she didn’t know about filing – wasn’t worth knowing.’

Marie Phillips: ‘Becky was quite simply not A Gem but THE GEM and a friend. She was unusual in loving filing and establishing systems. An absolute Master of the filing cabinet ! My Children in Need paperwork was immaculate in her hands;. she could lay her hands immediately on what was wanted. Becky and I had such fun. A loyal BBC stalwart dearly loved and missed.’

Stephen Davies: ‘I’ll remember Becky for the enormous pride and pleasure she took from her work, which she did brilliantly; and for being a wonderful friend and colleague to everyone she worked with at Pebble Mill.’

Personnel reunion

Photo from Jane Upston, no reproduction without permission

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Staff from Personnel at Pebble Mill had a reunion in July 2017 – and here they are under the gazebo at the Tally Ho in Birmingham. Gilly Groom (was Sellars) first left. Going round the back row, next to Gilly Groom is Diane Verney, Stephen Davies. Lynda Perrin and Heather Jones. Front row is Jane Upston, Kate Hawkins, Rani Randhawa, ?, then Marie Phillips.

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

Jonathan Dick: ‘Ah – the golden age when you had your own personnel officer, based in the same building as you! Nowadays ‘HR’ is a call-centre somewhere or other.’

Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘I’m afraid personnel caused more problems than they solved. They had grown so large without any increase in staff numbers that they needed problems to justify their existence. Luckily for us, we were able to bypass most of their inane decisions.’

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Andy Payne filming on the roof

Photo by Andy Stowe, no reproduction without permission

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This photo shows cameraman, Andy Payne, filming the arrival of a harrier jump-jet at BBC Pebble Mill, from the roof of the building, for Pebble Mill at One. Andy’s great friend, Andy Stowe, was allowed up onto the roof by Security to take photos. They were accompanied by two sappers in case of any security issues!

Thanks to Andy Stowe for sharing the photo.

Andy Payne sadly died in the summer of 2016, he was a great cameraman, and a great bloke, and is sadly missed.

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

Pete Simpkin: ‘I recall no-one had told us at Local Radio that this was about to happen and as the noise got louder and louder we had to cut a live interview we were doing and play records until the dratted thing had landed!’

Julie Hill: ‘I remember it well. I was one of many “trapped” in the Pebble Mill Club (not that we minded of course) and watched it take off vertically on playing field. The whole building shook, the noise was incredible but awesome sight! There were often amazing other stunts too – who remembers the parachutists who landed all over the Bristol Road ha ha!!’

Philip Morgan: ‘I seem to recall leaning out of a fifth floor window to watch it land. What a way to spend lunchtime.’

Marie Phillips: ‘I remember that so well. I worked in Personnel on the sixth floor at the time and we watched the Harrier approach and then land. It was awesome and I can only describe the noise as making all my insides rattle !!’

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