July 2018 – What Was Pebble Mill?

John Taynton compliments slip

It’s amazing what can turn up in a charity shop. Luke Earle found this comp slip, which looks like it is from Radio WM presenter, John Taynton to someone called Roy who presumably won a competition, on a shelf in a Belper charity shop. I wonder how it got there?

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

Gyn Freeman: ‘That is so good ….. but yes it would have been a book with an interview, but some review copy and Roy, won it …… so good to hear it was in a Charity shop though ….’

RHS Tatton Park Flower Show

Screen grabs from the RHS Tatton Park Flower Show, in Knutsford, Cheshire. The flower show began in July 1999, with annual coverage by the BBC starting within a year or two.

I was the series producer of the two BBC2 programmes from Tatton Park in 2004. I can’t remember if these photos are from this year or not.

Thanks to editor, Ian Collins for sharing these grabs.

Vanessa Jackson

Keen Types

Screen grabs shared by Stuart Allen, of the 1984 regional show, Keen Types, presented by Don Maclean. The series featured different enthusiasts from around the region.

Gillian Lynne taking a crew warm up

Director and choreographer, Gillian Lynne, who died at the beginning of July 2018, taking a warm up with the crew.

This is from the production The Various Ends of Mrs F’s Friends, transmitted in December 1981.

Included in the photo are, Gillian Lynne, floor Assistant, Mick Murphy next to Gillian, then Pete Edwards, Jack Rooke, Phil Wilson, Keith Schofield, Phil Thickett, Robin Sunderland, Andy Miekle and Keith Froggatt, Jess Bhatti (studio attendant) in the background.

Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing the photo.

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

Mick Murphy: ‘Studio A, ‘The Various Ends Of Mrs F’s Friends’. Scenic services had laid a chequered floor canvas which was creased. Gillian had the idea to get the studio crew in a line to shuffle it smooth…in a dance style routine of course. I was her assistant floor manager, marking time. She was a lovely person. Great picture, happy times.’

Karen Bevins: ‘I was Costume Assistant on it & Al Barnett was Costume Designer ‘

Kate Rolfe: ‘I was the assistant on this production and we finished making it in July 1981 when I went on maternity leave. It was her first telly and she was great fun to work with’

Mahendra Kaul obituary

The article above is from the Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/nri/other-news/veteran-nri-broadcaster-mahendra-kaul-dies/articleshow/64947726.cms

Mahendra Kaul was one of two producer/presenters who worked in the Immigrants’ Programme Unit at Carpenter Road, and later at Pebble Mill in Birmingham.

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

Dharmesh Rajput: ‘He was a pioneer in South Asian broadcasting in the UK – many of us who worked in the Asian Programmes Unit probably owe our careers to him and the teams behind those early Asian programmes such as Apna Hi Ghar Samajiye (Make Yourself At Home or Think Of This As Your Home) and Nayi Zindagi Naya Jeevan (New Life, New Life). I remember these programmes as staple viewing on Sunday mornings while eating breakfast in the 70s and 80s.’

Ian Collins: ‘I can remember having to edit Urdu under Mahendra’s direction. Whether any of the edits made sense I will never know but he was always happy with the end result.’