November 2014 – Page 2 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Children in Need 2000

These stills are from the regional Children in Need output from November 2000.

The still with Pudsey is the front page of the running order for the evening show. The second photo is of the Vision Gallery controlling Studio 1. Chris Harris is on racks. The third photo is of the floor in Studio 1, which was usually a radio studio, but could be converted to TV, and was so during any re-fitting of Studio A.

Thanks to Chris Harris for sharing the stills.

Birmingham Focus – Radio WM supplement

This Radio WM supplement in the Birmingham Focus newspaper of October 1991, features the station’s presenters, left to right: Jenny Wilkes, Gordon Astley, Paul Brighton; front row: Tony Butler, Ed Doolan, and Pat de Whalley.

Thanks to Pat de Whalley for sharing the paper.

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

Andy Walters: ‘Jen and Ed still work at WM. Paul is seriously ill after a stroke. I hear Tony isn’t too great either.’

Pete Simpkin: ‘I too am distressed to hear about Paul….we worked the old Wolverhampton studio together in the mid 80s when I was the producer there.’

Children in Need with Alan Towers

These stills are from Children in Need from the early 1980s. These would have been from the Midlands contribution into the national Children in Need show. The presenter was Alan Towers, who was one of the Midlands Today presenter. The first still shows the volunteers taking the pledges of money on the phones.

Thanks to Stuart Allen for sharing the photos.

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

Ann Gumbley Williams: ‘Worked with Alan as assistant on the very first Children in Need. I was in the Gallery on my own when London said they were coming to Birmingham in 30 seconds. Had to run around to the newsroom and grab Alan and all those involve. Just about got there in time! Such memories, the first one was so crazy and laid back and hairy! If you can be both.’

Gary Hudson: ‘I knew Alan before I worked for the BBC, and on my first day he took me to one side:”Staff job, eh? Find yourself an empty office on the fifth floor and stay there till you collect your pension.”
Variously called everything from Beckenbauer to Uncle Barmy, he was a great character, loyal friend and I miss him. His wicked sense of humour wasn’t confined to the infamous farewell speech. Who remembers the Christmas studio decorations sign-off? As I recall, it was something like: ‘Do you like our Christmas tree? The fairies put it up in the middle of the night. Thanks, boys!”

25 Years of Gardeners’ World – 4 Aug 1994

This titles grab is from the 25th Anniversary edition of Gardeners’ World. The special programme went out on 4th August 1994. The programme was produced by Keith Hayley, and exec produced by John King. It was presented by Geoff Hamilton. This was during the ten year period where Gardeners’ World was made by the independent production company: Catalyst, but it looks like this show was made in-house by BBC Pebble Mill.

Here is the link to the Radio Times listing for the show: http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/69dd0c60a4194396bc6f549e1d26aa5f.

Thanks to Ian Collins for making the still available.

Warren Clarke at the BBC Club

Thanks to Jan Poston for sharing this photo of her father, Ron Poston, with actor Warren Clarke, who died 12 Nov 2014. Ron was a doorman at the BBC Club at Pebble Mill. The Club was well frequented by BBC staff as well as actors, at lunchtimes and in the evenings. The photo was taken just before Pebble Mill closed in late 2004.

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

Mark Hellings: ‘Sad to hear of the death of Warren Clarke, but wow, the picture of Ron takes me right back to the liquid lunches over at the club – terrific picture!’

Andy Bentley: ‘I’ve poured Warren in to a few taxis when they were doing Dalziel and Pascoe. He always liked the end of run parties in the boardroom. Colin Buchanan would phone down to Reception and ask us to get a cab and give him a hand. Always great fun though.’

Karen White: ‘Ahhh Ron. Also a great gentleman’