Photos – Page 249 – What Was Pebble Mill?

‘Yorkie’ – Radio Birmingham, by Pete Simpkin

Here’s someone else you may recall from the Radio Birmingham days……’Yorkie’ (Peter York) was a regular presenter of many programmes especially the old 5am show which I often followed at 7am. He was also a speedway announcer and reporter and still appears at the remaining tracks around the UK. We shared the dubious honour of covering the first night of nude bathing sessions at the old Handsworth baths……he had been comissioned to ‘cover’ it for the breakfast ‘Heart of the Nation’ News programme but as the organisers would only allow him in if he too appeared ‘au naturel’ he refused to go unless I (as presenter) accompanied him in a similar fashion. Unfortunately no photographs were allowed but we still have the tape!

Pete Simpkin

Frances Coverdale – Radio Birmingham

Thanks to Annie Gumbley-Williams for making the photo available.

Frances Coverdale was a BBC East Midlands reporter 1977-80, before joining the BBC national news, first as a reporter and then as a presenter. She also presented Radio 4’s PM programme. She is currently involved in media training, of people whose jobs require them to be interviewed on camera etc.

I understand that Frances Coverdale was a news presenter at BBC Pebble Mill on Radio Birmingham in the 1970s.

The following comments and information have been added by former colleagues:

Hedli Nik: She was a news reader and the then editor of The Archers. William Smethurst, called a PC in The Archers James Coverdale in her honour! I know this because reader, I married him!

Michael Fisher: Frances was a news producer (i.e. reporter/newsreader/producer) with BBC Radio Birmingham when I joined as a News Trainee in 1975. She was the only female reporter and Pete Simpkin might recall that management had to get special arrangements made for her by the RN when she went to do a programme about HMS Birmingham. She drove a flashy convertible sports car. She also took me out on my first murder story: a man’s body found in a coal bunker. She was given the role of presenting the breakfast programme ‘Heart of the Nation’ (possibly along with David Lloyd if memory serves me correctly). Her skills were recognised and she was taken on by Midlands Today, I think, before moving up the ladder to London. She should be credited with being one of the first female reporters to make the breakthrough on national tv in what was still in the late 1970s a very male-dominated newsroom environment. Thanks for all youe help, Frances. in taking a new lad under your wing and showing him how to report.

Pete Simpkin: We were indeed very proud to see her reading the BBC National News on TV for a short time………..she was the second person from BBC Pebble Mill to achieve this, the other being the late Barry Lankester.

Jo Dewar: When I was an News Transmission Assistant on ‘Midlands Today’ I used to sit inbetween Frances Coverdale and Tom Coyne. It was the first time the programme had 2 presenters and autocue … interesting!

Geoff Hamilton’s funeral service sheet

Thanks to Gail Herbert for making Geoff Hamilton’s funeral service sheet available.

Gardening presenter and journalist,Geoff Hamilton was born in 1936 in East London. He was a twin. His love of gardening developed early, and he worked on practical gardening magazines as a journalist before beginning his television career. After working for Anglia Television, he joined the ‘Gardeners’ World’ team in 1979. The series was based at his home, Barnsdale, in Rutland, from 1985. His five acre garden was divided into a number of small plots, mimicking suburban gardens.

Geoff presented a number of gardening series, besides ‘Gardeners’ World’, including: The Cottage Garden, The Paradise Garden, The Ornamental Kitchen Garden, The Elizabethan Kitchen Garden, and Old Garden, New Gardener.

He died of a heart attack on 4 August 1996, whilst taking part in a charity bike race.

I worked as a researcher on ‘Gardeners’ World’ in 1990/1, and remember filming at Barnsdale. Geoff had two cats, named after directors on ‘Gardeners’ World’, one was named ‘Denis’, after Denis Gartside, but I can’t remember the name of the second one. Geoff’s downstairs loo was also a fascinating place to visit – the walls were covered with press cuttings about ‘Gardeners’ World’, and you could spend quite a while reading the walls happily!

Steve Woodhall – Radio WM photocard

Steve Woodhall was the drive time presenter Radio WM at Pebble Mill in the 1980’s. You’ll see from his information card that he was also a keen gardener, organist and technical wizard – a man of many talents. Steve worked for BBC television news in London before moving to Radio WM. He later helped set up BBC CWR in Coventry.

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making the photocard available.

This is History Gran – photo from John Greening

‘This is History Gran’ was written by Robert Holman and produced at Pebble Mill in 1986. It was set in the 1930’s and present day and starred Paul Jesson, Liz Bradley, Gina McKee, Martin Walker, Mark Rylance and Peter Howell.

Sarah Pia Anderson the director, Carol Parks the producer, Sue Bennett-Urwin 1st assistant director, Bill Hartley the production manager, John Greening the assistant floor manager. John Kenway was the director of photography.

The story involves Lord Edward Langbaurgh making a shocking discovery whilst walking in the grounds of his country home. The discover affects the Chapman family in a nearby town. Christopher Chapman decides to investigate.