Former Radio and TV production assistant, Caroline Feldon (now Parsons) was going through some of her old BBC stuff and came across the stopwatch which she used during her Radio 3 and TV gallery days. It still works and as you can see has the official number on the back. Solid and reassuring!
Copyright Caroline Feldon, no reproduction without permission
These photos have been shared by cameraman, Alec Robson’s son Michael. They look like they were taken during a television drama training exercise, probably during the 1960s.
Alec is on the left in the first photo.
Derek Price thinks that the second photo includes, left to right – Derek Price, Tony Wigley, possibly Tony Rayner, Alec Robson, and possibly Peter Booth.
Radio Birmingham and Radio WM presenter and producer Pete Simpkin sadly died on 29th June 2020.
Pete Simpkin
The following comments were shared on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Gyn Freeman: He really was Radio Birmingham then newbies arrived with “ideas” change of name for the station and other changes. He was loved by his listeners and years after I found him being kind and help elderly residents – so a real Brummy a decent chap.
Clive Payne: I knew Pete when I joined WM in 1989. In those days the BBC invested heavily in training people and Pete did a lot of that as well as being a highly acclaimed and established producer and presenter too. He taught me everything I knew and it is down to him that I have the radio career that I have today. Without him, I know it would not have happened. I grew up in Shirley; Pete lived there with his wife Pat, so I used to see them around anyway. Pete and I used to come home together on the 49 bus sometimes and used to put the world to rights. He taught us all on our course about the ‘red light rule’ i.e. not entering a studio with a red light glowing, an ethos I am a stickler with today. On the odd occasion where people have come into my studio through a read light – they have had a reality check from me not to do it again! Pete taught me to edit on quarter inch tape, like we all did in those days and how to research an item and importantly not to over -research it. He also taught me how to deliver speech on air and the importance of articulation and comprehension. Speech based radio is still by far my favourite form. I am glad that I and other like me knew him not only as a colleague but a friend too and received the value of his many years of experience and training. My career and I are far better off with it.
Here are a couple of phots of presenter Bob Langley, with the late, great Jack Charlton. The show was Bob Langley’s Walks in the Lakes, from 1983.
Copyright, Jane McLean, no reproduction without permission
Copyright Jane McLean, no reproduction without permission