‘Paul Balmer on the ‘Pebble Mill at One’ Set – with cameraman Howard Dartnall and Link 125 camera, taken around 1983′
Note all the joins in the set! The daily design budget was probably a couple of hundred quid! The floor was also full of joins so the Vinten pedestals would jolt as they crossed these giving the familiar ‘Pebble Mill Bump!’ to any tracking shots.
(Paul Balmer http://www.musiconearth.co.uk/ http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Balmer)
Untitled from pebblemill on Vimeo.
This clip of writer Alan Plater talking about ‘Land of Green Ginger’ is taken from David Rose’s ‘My Journey Together’ lecture. The copyright remains David Rose’s.
The Play for Today ‘Land of Green Ginger’ was transmitted in 1973. It follows a young woman, Sally, played by Gwen Taylor, as she returns to her home town of Hull for the weekend. She and Mike, her trawlerman boyfriend, played by John Flanagan, have to make decisions about their future. However he is reluctant to give up the dangerous life of a fisherman, and she wants to pursue her career in London. The drama also featured Jean Heywood as Mrs Brown, Michael Elwyn as Reynolds and Ivy Cawood as Mrs Thurlow.
The drama was produced by David Rose and directed by Brian Parker. Mike Williams was the DOP, and the film was edited by Henry Fowler.
Alan Plater on English Regions Drama Pebble Mill from pebblemill on Vimeo.
This clip is of the Hull based writer Alan Plater talking in 2008 about the English Regions Drama Department at BBC Pebble Mill. It was recorded by David Rose for his ‘My Journey Together’ lecture, and David has kindly given his permission for it to be used on this website. Alan sadly died on 25 June 2010.
Alan Plater
Photos copyright of Brian Johnson, taken in 1973. Most of the photos are of the Comms Centre, with two probably being of Studio B Vision and Studio B Sound.
The Communications Centre was situated immediately above the Foyer with large windows facing on to Pebble Mill Road.
In brief it was the technical hub of the building and the liaison point with British Telecom, responsible for routing all the internal vision and sound circuits between the Studios, VTR, Telecine and the various external TV and Radio Networks. BBC 1 and BBC 2 passed through the Communications Centre from London and were routed to our own regional transmitters and one to Manchester for further distribution northwards.
It was also a reception point for Radio and Television Outside Broadcasts via our own Radio Links or B.T. and for incoming contribution circuits from the North and East that were either required in Birmingham or routed through to Bristol or London.
Photograph copyright of Willoughby Gullachsen, no reproduction without permission.
The photograph features, left to right, William Hartley 1st A.D., David Rudkin, writer and director, and Al Barnett, costume.
‘White Lady’ was written and directed by David Rudkin, it told the story of a divorcee: Gil, who struggles to bring up his two daughters on his own. However hard he tries he cannot escape the all encompassing power of the White Lady, a symbol of the chemicals used in British food production.
The film was produced at Pebble Mill by Carol Parks and featured: Cornelius Garrett, Sophie Thompson, Jessica Martin and Meg Wynn Owen.