September 2011 – Page 6 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Merrick Simmonds, Film Editor – photo by Peter Poole

Photo by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

This photo shows Merrick editing in one of the film editing rooms. Before PSC (portable single camera) most location programmes were shot on film. Pebble Mill had several film editing rooms. Editors often worked late into the night to meet transmission times.

News was shot on reversal film and processed in Pebble Mill’s film processing unit. I think it took about an hour to process the film. Then it was edited and sometimes a voice over added. This made getting a story to air very slow.

Merrick latter became a director for Midlands Today. After that he directed ‘Pebble Mill At One’ and many other network programmes, including ‘Good Morning with Anne and Nick’.

Peter Poole

Pebble Mill Film Editors – photos by Jim Gregory

Photos by Jim Gregory, no reproduction without permission.

The photos feature some of the Film Editors from BBC Pebble Mill, including: Beverly Mills and Dawn Mears, Alan Barnby, John Rosser, John Bland, Oliver White, Greg Miller, Peter Gower and Lynn Hawkins. They were taken in 2004 by Jim Gregory, at one of the editors’ annual get togethers.

Rachel and The Roarettes

‘Rachel and The Roarettes’ was a ‘Summer Season’ drama, produced at Pebble Mill and transmitted in 1985. It was written by Jude Alderson

Also starred Gary Oldman (his 1^st TV and his part was entirely cut), and Josie Lawrence (her 1^st TV). It was directed by Rob Walker, and produced by Roger Gregory. Carol Parks was the Production Associate and David Attwood the Production Manager. Phil Wilson was the camera supervisor, Roger Sutton the vision mixer, Jane Barton and Bobbie Chapman were the production assistants. Vivien Oldham was the make-up designer, Sally Engelbach the production designer and Kathryn Ayerst the costume designer and Tony Fisher the graphic designer.

The drama was recorded in Studio A at Pebble Mill.

Photo includes,L to R: James Grout, Deborah Poplett, Linda Rolan

‘Rachel and the Roarettes’ was a rock musical….lesbian bikers in the present, highway women in the 17^th century, like you did in 1984!

Thanks to John Greening for much of the information and for making the photo available.

Pebble Mill, Eastenders Special – Claire Hobbs

The photo is from a Special, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of ‘Eastenders’. I think it went out in 1995 and was a Pebble Mill Special (they dropped the ‘at One’ bit when they moved it to midday! That year we also did Specials with David Attenborough, to celebrate his 60th and his latest ‘Life’ series ‘Living Planet’, and with Vera Lynn for the 60th anniversary of WWII. All produced by Helena Taylor and AP’d by me.

The photo features Pebble Millers (left to right) me, Anya Francis, Melissa Feather (behind Ethel), Nick Harris, Helena Taylor and also Julia Smith the creator of the show (behind Alan Titchmarsh’s left shoulder).

We also got the casts of Corrie, Home & Away and Neighbours to record tributes to them too!

Claire Hobbs

Drama director John Greening, added the following Eastenders cast information:

‘Having directed over 150 eps of the show I think you’ll find thats the legendary June Brown (Dot)behind Titchy…I think the woman on the far right near Bill Treacher is actress Louise Jameson who played Rosa Di Marco.Also there are Lucy Speed, Wendy Richard, Anna Wing, Gretchen Franklin and Tommy Eytle.’ I’m working on the others!