Pebble Mill Cameramen’s reunion Aug 2019. No reproduction without permission.
The photo includes: Dave Wilkins, Phil Wilson, Dave Ballantyne with Alan Duxbury in front, Bhasker Solanki, Doug Smith?, Bob Meikle, Robin Sunderland and John Couzens.
Keith Salmon held the reunion for Pebble Mill cameramen at The Kings Arms in Knowle in Aug 2019.
Photos by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission.
These photos are from a New Year’s Special, recorded at Pebble Mill in 1981 or 1982, in Studio A. For some reason the whole crew decided to dress up on this occasion. The show was recorded around Christmas,to go out on New Year’s Eve, around midnight.
Included are, Phil Thickett in the red striped bathing suit, Tony Wigley in the leopard print, Jim Gray as a clown, Keith Brook (Scouse) in the purple leopard print dress, and Nick Patten floor managing in the short blue jacket!
Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission
Left to right in this photo are cameramen: Alan Duxbury, Keith Schofield, Dave Wilkins (hiding by Keith’s arm), Bhasker Solanki, and Robin Sunderland. The photo is from the early 1980s, and is probably for Pebble Mill at One.
Thanks to Robin Sunderland for sharing the photo.
Copyright resides with the original holders no reproduction without permission
This was the presentation of the GTC’s (Guild of Television Camermen) TiCA (Television Cameraman’s Award) to the Pebble Mill camera department for Pebble Mill at One circa 1979.
The names are as follows:
Back (L to R): Doug Smith, Robin Sunderland, Bob Meikle, Don Cooper, Paul Woolston, Tony Wigley, Phil Wilson, Mike Solomons (GTC Chairman from Thames TV), Brian Cave, Jim Gray, Bob Hubbard, Chris Allen, not sure (perhaps Phil Sidey?), Jack Rooke, Keith Salmon, Dave Lawson, Dave Doogood, Dave Wilkins, Pete Edwards, Tim Konewko, Bhasker Solanki.
Kneeling down (L to R): Barrie Foster, Keith ‘Scouse’ Brook, Roger Mulliner, Dave Ballantyne, John Couzens, Eric Wise
(Thanks to James French for providing the names, Annie Gumbley Williams for sending me the photo and to Roger Mulliner for sharing it in the first place).
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Richard Stevenson: ‘That is an amazing picture! I have never seen so many cameramen in ties! Brilliant.’
Lynn Cullimore: ‘They all look so young and thats because they were – then. hah.’
Bob Bishop: ‘There are no women in the photograph, would that be the same today.’
Keith Brook (Scouse): ‘We were told to dress up by management. Bhaskar Solanki, far right (physically, not politically) went on to be a very, very successful news cameraman and is now a senior producer. Good for him!! I should also mention that I’m the only one wearing a waistcoat. Even then, standards were sloppy!!’
Photos by Bhasker Solanki, no reproduction without permission.
These photos are of a Royal Navy rescue helicopter appearing on Pebble Mill at One, and landing on the back lawn.
Thanks to Bhasker Solanki for sharing the photos.
The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:
Stuart Gandy: ‘Yes, I remember this, but this was not the only time we had aircraft at the mill. We also had a helicopter land on the font lawn, and the harrier on the club field, twice. These were the kind of big event things that put Pebble Mill and BBC Birmingham well and truly on the map.’
Jean Palmer: ‘It was all very exciting. The best was the harrier.’
David Gregory-Kumar: ‘The legend I was always told was it blew the garden shed clean over!’
Nick Owen: ‘My brother started playing Terry Barford in The Archers about 1979 – I think he did some publicity photos for his character being in the army arriving in a helicopter on the pebble mill lawn?’
Eurwyn Jones: ‘I remember them so well, the programmes were usually directed by John Smith.’
Stephen Adams: ‘I was a GPO apprentice based at Pebble Mill whilst all this was going on. I thought wow so this is what broadcasting is all about! Needless to say I changed careers into TV as soon as I could. Never looked back. Thank you PM!’
Richard Stevenson: ‘Before my time sadly, but I very much doubt it would be allowed these days. Believe Noel used to land at the club too?’
Gail Herbert: ‘Pebble Mill must have been the only office block where we would constantly have to say to people on the phone to hang on a minute ’cause there was a helicopter/plane/etc outside the window. Utter magic!’