Janice Rider – Page 12 – What Was Pebble Mill?

The Clothes Show

‘The Clothes Show’ ran from 1986-2000. It was a spin off from fashion items on ‘Pebble Mill at One’. Roger Casstles was the executive producer. Jeff Banks and Selina Scott were the original presenters. The fashion magazine show mixed catwalk with high street items. The show became very popular for its stylish visuals, and use of digital video effects. It was transmitted on Sunday afternoons.

In 1989 The Clothes Show Live exhibition at the NEC was launched, which is still an annual event, and The Clothes Show magazine started a little later.

The following comments were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook Group:

Ruth Kiosses: “I was on the show dressed in an Edwardian evening gown at the Barbican centre January 1989. A year later I was working at pebble mill and bombing around in the clothes show ‘wagon’ the large box van with CS logo on. I remember a very funny journey thrapsing down to Oxford but that’s another story! ”

Hilary Anne Hughes: “I remember trying to get some mens ties to stay put while they shot underwater. We wired the ties in the end then they could be shaped but stayed in place.”

Ruth Kiosses: “There was a Vivienne Westwood corseted evening gown that arrived in huge box. The dress was so enormous with layers of net the model could hardly walk in it! It looked amazing but totally impractical for anyone who wanted to do anything other than stand still!”

Becky Land: “Finding a sofa covered in recucled fleece then hauling it up a hill in Snowdonia so models could drape themselves over it. Surreal.”

Janice Rider: “Took Selina Scott shopping for the rock ‘n roll edition . She had a wonderful flat overlooking Hyde Park . She and Jeff joined in with a rock ‘n roll dance club for the shoot – very amusing.”

Jane Green: “I was the runner on the first ever Clothes Show Bride of the Year – a Mrs Elizabeth Barnes. Mad, mad few days but fabulous programme. Years later was director. Usually worked with Jeff who wandered off a lot during filming to use phoneboxes to make business calls while crew were waiting and public held back by security to get the shot. I’d have to go find him. I worked with Viv Westwood, Naomi Campbell, Philip Treacey and more. Hardest job I ever had.”

Fair Game publicity brochure

Thanks to Janice Rider for making this publicity brochure of the drama: ‘Fair Game’, available.

The BFI database includes this synopsis of ‘Fair Game’: “It is 1970, there is World Cup and General Election fever. Marco, a wealthy Italian has come to England to discover his true identity. Carl, a student is torn between canvassing for the Labour party, watching the World Cup or going on a walking holiday with his girlfriend Ellie. Their paths cross in Preston library and the three take an epic journey across the Pennines.” http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/title/495778

The drama was transmitted in 1994, Michael Wearing was the executive producer; Carol Parks, the producer; Alan Dosser, the director; Beverley Dartnall was the production associate; William Hartley was the 1st AD; John Greening and Alastair Duncan were the production managers; Janice Rider was the costume designer, and Steve Saunderson the cameraman.

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England’s Greens and Peasant Land – press cutting

This cutting is probably a Radio Times listing. It dates from January 1982 and gives a synopsis and cast list for the Play for Today: ‘England’s Greens and Peasant Land’, which was produced by John Norton at Pebble Mill. It was Yorkshire’s take on a Watergate like scandal, where a dirty battle is played out in the local government elections over whether the motorway extension goes through the golf course, or the allotments!

John Kenway was the cameraman, with John Parker on sound, Chris Rowlands: film editor, Ian Ashurst: designer, Jim Hill: director, Janice Rider was the costume designer.

Thanks to Janice Rider for making the cutting available.

England’s Greens and Peasant Land

Photo copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission.

These publicity shots of the 1982 Play for Today: ‘England’s Greens and Peasant Land’ were probably taken by Willoughby Gullachsen. The drama was transmitted on 5th January 1982. Set in South Yorkshire during local government elections, a motorway is planned, and the route will either go through the golf course or the allotments! Yorkshire’s version of the ‘Watergate’ scandal.

The cameraman was John Kenway, sound: John Parker, film editor: Chris Rowlands, costume designer: Janice Rider, production designer: Ian Ashurst, producer: John Norton, director: Jim Hill.

Thanks to costume designer, Janice Rider for making these photographs available.

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England’s Greens and Peasant Land

Photos by Janice Rider, no reproduction without permission.

‘England’s Greens and Peasant Land’ was a 1982 Play for Today about the local government elections, written by Rita May. It was set in South Yorkshire. A motorway extension is going to be built, and the route will either go through the golf course or the allotments – a Yorkshire interpretation of ‘Watergate’.

The director was Jim Hill; the producer, John Norton; the designer, Ian Ashurst; the film editor, Chris Rowlands; cameraman, John Kenway; sound, John Parker; costumer, Janice Rider.

The cast included Ron Delta as Ron, Maggie Lane as Mavis, Geoffrey Andrews as Horace, Teddy Turner as Old Tom, Peter Martin as Sid, Johnny Leeze as Jim, Bill Lund as Les, Dickie Arnold as Joe, Anthony Addams as Lol, Joe Belcher as Arthur, Peter Russell as George, Sean Glenn as Frank, Mary Wray as Eileen, Rita May as Pat, Ted Beyer as the barman, Marlene Jarvis as the barmaid, Tom Harrison as Sam.

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