Blog – Page 331 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Radio Birmingham, Pete Simpkin – photo from Annie Gumbley

Photo from Annie Gumbley, no reproduction without permission.

This photo shows producer and presenter, Pete Simpkin ready for action in the Radio Birmingham radio studio!

Pete adds the following information about the photo:

“This was in the late 70s and the studio was built to meet the demands for more production space as Radio birmingham continued to grow. I presented the Mid morning Show from here.

The studio was constructed in what was the Education producer’s Office…… It was equipped with some ex-Midland Region equipment due to the cunning of the then Engineer in Charge the late Stuart Miller and had the latest……for the time…..TV studio style C29 microphones. Famous people who squeezed into the studio with me included Roy Hudd, Cliff Richard, Johnny Nash and Minister of Droughts and Floods Birmingham MP Dennis Howell. Pat Mellor did the first Yoga by radio in here and I actually fell asleep during a live Yoga relaxation broadcast being awoken by a kick from Pat. Many journalists put together their ‘packages’ here in the days before the news operation moved totally to the Local Newsroom.”

The Clothes Show, Thailand – photos by Andy Frizzell

Photos by Andy Frizzell, no reproduction without permission.

The photos are of a ‘Clothes Show’ shoot in Thailand.

Crew were Clare Stride Producer/Director, Cameraman was Eric Wise, Sound was John Gilbert and myself (Andy), Lighting. Jeff Banks was the presenter but I can’t remember for the life of me who the PA was (there must have been one surely). We travelled mostly in the north of Thailand to Chang Mai, Chang Rai, the Burmese border region and of course Bangkok. The girls in costume were from the hill tribes and were dressed to attract prospective husbands I seem to recall. Can’t find any more pictures at the moment, still sifting but there must be more of that trip. Part of the trip involved the work of Oxfam trading where fair trade for goods was being setup in small communities. A young Caroline Lucas joined us in her role as press officer for Oxfam. (She is now the only Green party MP in the house of Commons)

Andy Frizzell

Dubbing Theatre – photos by Peter Poole

Photos by Peter Poole, no reproduction without permission.

The Dubbing Theatre Gets Computer Automation.

The Neve mixing desk replaced the original BBC Type D mixer. This was a major upgrade in technology and enabled more complex mixes to be done. The Neve desk featured “Flying Faders”. When the fader was moved its position was stored in the computer. This data was then used to control the servo motor and move the fader. The other photos show the Perfectone Rapimag Sepmag bays and the “Grams” sub mixer area. The assistant dubbing mixer operates the grams sub mixer and plays discs, tapes and CDs to add to the final mix.

Rose for Winter – photos by Gail Herbert

Photos copyright Gail Herbert, no reproduction without permission.

‘Rose for Winter’ was a two part adaptation by Laurie Lee of his book of the same name, of his return to Andalusia in 1951 with his bride Cathy years after the Spanish Civil War. It was produced at Pebble Mill by John King with narration by Laurie Lee. It was transmitted on BBC 2, on 23 and 24 December 1989.

The two parter starred John Wild as Laurie Lee and Cordelia Roche as Cathy.

John Williams was the cameraman, assisted by Dave Evans, Richard Reynolds was the recordist, with Gail Herbert the PA.

Ed Doolan – Radio WM photo card

Ed Doolan

Thanks to Stuart Gandy for making this Radio WM photo card of Ed Doolan available.

Ed Doolan was born in Sydney, Australia, and spent ten years working as a school teacher, before taking up broadcasting, originally in German. He started with Radio WM at BBC Pebble Mill in 1982, and began his consumer show in 1988. He was awarded an MBE in 1998, and was the first person to be awarded Honorary Degrees by Birmingham City University, University of Birmingham and Aston University!

Andrew Langstone makes the following comment about working for Radio WM:

“I did some stints of work experience during university vacations with BBC Radio WM (as it was then) assisting on the mid-morning ‘206 Team’ with Gyn Freeman and Stuart Roper. Production team was Phil Horner, and Bill Morris who went on to big things at Broadcasting House in London – I think he’s now left the BBC and is involved in the opening of The Olympics next year. The 206 team shared an office with Ed and also Malc and Rosie of ‘The Barmaids Arms’! Happy memories indeed!”

Tim Manning makes the following comment:

“I was Ed’s first producer when he joined BBC Radio WM from BRMB. It was an important and slightly nervous moment for the then senior management (Manager John Pickles and Programme Organiser Jeremy Robinson) as it was important both for the future of the re-launched station and morale that Ed’s show worked. Some longer-term members of staff weren’t entirely comfortable about his high-profile arrival from commercial radio and the new emphasis on personalities. Ed was nervous too, as moving was a risk for him and he needed to convince an audience which wasn’t just Birmingham, but we spent a few weeks before he went live settling ourselves in and recording some shows, and when he did hit the airwaves, we had a great time. I moved on to very different things, but the years have since proved that Radio WM turned out to be the perfect home for Ed.”