Building – Page 98 – What Was Pebble Mill?

Prince Charles’ visit to Pebble Mill

Prince Charles visited Pebble Mill at some point in the mid 1980s. Here are a couple of memories from staff who remember the visit.

Tracy Crump, ‘I remember Charles coming. I worked in the kitchens. Eileen Bywater was my boss. I remember having to make chilled watercress soup.’

Marie Phillips, ‘I remember Prince Charles coming to Pebble Mill. Staff were gathered in the Foyer and a voice piped up – “Did yer use yer soap Sir?” A startled Prince said “Er, yes I did”. “Oh good, cos I’ve got it” replied Joycie Kite, who many will remember as a real character among Pebble Mill’s own Band of Cleaners before Contractors came in.’

Pebble Mill Reunion 2010

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Thanks to Jane Mclean for making the photo available.

The photo was taken at Keith Salmon’s get together at the Saracen’s in 2010.

Included are: John Smith, John Endall, Yvonne Ackrill, Keith Ackrill, Jim Dumighan, Roy Ronnie, Margaret & Brian Barton, Gordon White, Keith Salmon, John Kimberley, Dave Ballantyne, Toby Horwood, Bob Jacobs, Wilf Welch, Tony Wolfe, James French, John Couzens, behind Jane Mclean (front with orange juice), Kath Woolston, John Abbott. Simon Evans wearing shades at back and Eric Wise standing in the front between Dave Ballantyne and Bob Jacobs. It might be Keith Bullock behind Margaret Barton, Dave Doogood behind Bob Jacobs and Mark Kershaw between Wilf Welch and Tony Wolfe. Probably Phil Wilson behind Kath Woolston. Simon Albu on left in front of John Smith.

Thanks to Dave Bushell, Jayne Savage, Janet Collins, Yvonne Ackrill and Jane Mclean for identifying everyone.

Princess Diana – Children in Need

Thanks to Marie Phillips for making the photo available.

The photo is of Princess Diana, at a Children in Need charity event, meeting CIN co-ordinator, Marie Phillips.

Marie remembers, ‘It was 31st October 1995. Princess Diana was Patron of the Foundation for Conductive Education, based in Cannon Hill Park. Children in Need regularly gave them funding to help with their unique and important work with children with celebral palsy. She came to officially open Phase One of the project. She was delightful and chatted for what seemed ages and I always remember the bright clear blue of her eyes. A day I will never forget.’

Radio Studio 5

Photos by Philip Morgan, no reproduction without permission.

These photos are of the cubicle in Studio 5, one of the network radio studios at Pebble Mill. They were taken by Philip on the viewing day before the auction to sell off the equipment from Pebble Mill that wasn’t being taken to the Mailbox.

Kathryn Shuttlecock adds the following information: ‘This was our main GP (General Purpose) studio and was used for most of our Radio 2 specialist music shows as well as plenty of live broadcasts such as Late Night Currie with the dear Edwina. This got a bit hairy in the later days as the desk was really on the way out and many a time an SM could be seen taking bits of the desk to pieces live on air to try and keep the thing running! Emergency calls to London to say we might actually fall of air were not unknown! The last time this studio was used was when we had actually moved to (and were broadcasting from) the Mailbox. I used the desk and the ISDN lines in there to do a live link up to Late Night Currie for Halloween when we had ghost hunters and psychics trying to work out if all the ghostly tales of the Mill were true. I had just enough bits of kit and cables to run from Studio 5 into Studio 3 where we had set up for the evening. By that time Pebble Mill was a spooky place to be regardless of any ghoulish happenings and the ghost hunting team were so fascinated they returned a few weeks later to do a full overnight ghost watch! This was probably the last thing to happen on site before the doors were closed to us for good.’

Steve Peacock adds the following: ‘It was also the studio for many fairly hairy live Farming Todays after the move from London and before we fell victim to a plague of Boyle and started pre-recording. 14 minutes live can be a tricky number for the numerately challenged.’

Lunchtime in the Pebble Mill Club

The photo shows VT Editor, Mike Bloore, PA, Jane McLean, and VT Editor, Brian Watkiss, in the Pebble Mill Club.

By how young they all look, it probably dates from the early 1980s. Looks like a typical lunchtime!

Thanks to Jane, for making the photo available.