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The newspaper for retired BBC Pension Scheme members • August 2020 • Issue 4 PROSPERO

PENSION 20 years of .co.uk/sport SCHEME PAGE 8 | BACK AT THE BBC TO REPLACE TONY HALL AS DIRECTOR-GENERAL

The BBC Chairman, Sir David Clementi, sent the following email to all BBC staff on the day that Tim Davie’s appointment was announced:

am delighted to be able to let you His leadership and experience, both Tim during this time. There will be time know that the Board has this morning outside the BBC and within, will ensure later to reflect on Tony’s significant Iappointed Tim Davie as the BBC’s that we are well placed to meet the achievements as Director-General, not next Director-General, to succeed opportunities and challenges of the least his inspirational leadership during Tony Hall when he steps down from coming years. this recent period. , and the whole Board, the role later in the summer. Tim has an enthusiasm and energy for are grateful for all that he has done for us – and the efforts that everyone is The Board has conducted an independent reform, while holding dear to the core making during this unprecedented time. and highly competitive process and is mission of the BBC. He has demonstrated convinced that Tim will be an excellent himself to be a passionate defender of I am sure that you will join me in wishing successor to Tony. Tim is someone who our values. I know that he will be a Tim your warmest congratulations. proud ambassador for the magnificent brings together the commitment to work that you do each day. Best wishes, public service, commercial acumen and Tim Davie. editorial judgement that are all vital to Tony will continue as Director-General Sir David Clementi leading the BBC. until the end of August and handover to BBC Chairman

BBC INTRODUCES VOLUNTARY REDUNDANCY SCHEME

Director-General Tony Hall has announced a voluntary redundancy scheme across the UK Public Service as part of meeting the financial challenges facing the corporation.

ll UK-based Public Service There is, however, no guarantee of explained that the BBC was already The upshot is the corporation must save employees are to be given the voluntary redundancy as certain facing financial pressures – with 24% an extra £125 million this year and more Achance to express interest in parts of the corporation may have less to spend on UK public services next year too. taking voluntary redundancy. than if the licence fee had risen with skills shortages which prevent requests On the call to all staff, Tony Hall said: inflation over the last decade. Announcing the scheme, which launched being granted. ‘We know hard choices are necessary. on 18 June 2020, Tony Hall said the But this ‘register of interest’ will help the Add to this, a year of transition with no Over a third of our costs – across the tough financial environment faced since business identify possible opportunities government funding for licence fees for BBC – relate to our people. That’s why the start of the year had been made to do things differently in the future. people over 75 – and then the we’re introducing this voluntary even more challenging by the coronavirus crisis. redundancy programme.’ coronavirus pandemic. A calculator will be made available on Gateway so people can estimate what It’s hoped that the voluntary they might receive if they were to be redundancy programme will help offered voluntary redundancy. offset the possibility of compulsory redundancies in the future. The business says it is committed to carrying out the programme with There will be a six-week window where maximum fairness and transparency. anyone, of any grade in UK Public Service, can register their interest in Announcing the scheme on a Stay voluntary redundancy. Connected staff call, Tony Hall

2 Available throughout the UK to VOLUNTEER VISITING BBC pensioners over age 70 SCHEME PROSPERO Visitors are also Visitors carry ID cards Prospero is provided free of charge to retired Scheme BBC pensioners members or to their spouses and dependants. with them for your Prospero provides a source of news on former security colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension issues, plus classified adverts. It is available online at bbc.com/mypension

Would you welcome To advertise in Prospero, please enclose a cheque occasional contact with made payable to: BBC Central Directorate. Rate £6 former colleagues? We can also offer for 20 words. Please include your pension number support during in a covering letter. difficult times such as Please send your editorial contributions, Over 2,000 pensioners bereavement comments or feedback to: already use the scheme Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Meet at home for a chat or Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1FT somewhere public like a Email: [email protected] Please make sure that any digital pictures you send coffee shop EE S FF HO O P C are scanned at 300dpi. Please also note that the maximum word count for obituaries is 350 words. Operates from the Pension and Benefits Centre Contents

Want to know more about what the VVS has to offer? Back at the BBC 2-3 Call the pension service line on 029 2032 2811 or Tim Davie to replace Tony Hall as email [email protected] Director-General BBC introduces voluntary redundancy scheme Please note: in line with Government guidance, face-to-face visits by the Volunteer Visitors have been suspended. Mystery Sudoku However, our Visitors are still keeping in touch by telephone or via videocalls. If you haven’t received visits in the past but would welcome a friendly phone call, please send an email, quoting your BBC pension number, to [email protected] to opt in to receive a call or call Cheryl Miles on 0303 080 3558.

Letters 4-5 Mystery Sudoku L O S Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the letters ACILMORST in some order. I T R One row or column contains a five or more letter word, S A Memories 6-8 name or programme title with a BBC connection. HMS Dreadnought Solve the Sudoku to discover what or who it is and S M T HIndi TV send or email your answer to: The Editor, Prospero, www.bbc.co.uk/sport is 20 BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Central Square, L C S I Cardiff CF10 1FT by Monday, 7 September 2020.

The winner gets a £10 voucher. Many thanks to A O M Neil Somerville for providing this puzzle. L T The Sudoku winner in June 2020 Life after Auntie 9 WIN was Mrs MJ Bartlett who correctly C M L A fair few weddings and a funeral £10 identified the connection as ‘Last Word’. R O C

Obituaries 10-11 NICK GILBEY WINS THE SHIERS TRUST AWARD 2020 Odds & ends 12 Lord Reith looks back Nick Gilbey (pictured) ‘The idea of putting together a biography on Calling ham radio enthusiasts has been announced Peter Dimmock stretches back to my visit to Classifieds as the winner of the his home in 2012. I got the impression then, that Caption competition Shiers Trust Award Peter did regret not writing an autobiography. 2020, worth £4,000. Although there are many interviews on record, nobody has brought them all together,’ said Nick. The grant will enable Nick to expand the ‘Peter Dimmock was a colourful figure who did a Prospero August 2020 TV Outside Broadcast tremendous amount to gain a mass audience for The next issue of Prospero will appear History website with a special section on Peter the BBC,’ Nick added. in October 2020. The copy deadline Dimmock’s work at the BBC. is Monday, 7 September 2020. This year, because of the coronavirus crisis, As BBC Head of Outside Broadcasts, Dimmock the judging of the Shiers Trust Award was carried made his mark organising the coverage of the 1948 out online. The Award is funded by a bequest from London Olympics and went on to commentate on George Shiers, a distinguished US TV historian and and present the BBC Sports member of the , providing a Personality of the Year Award. grant towards work on any aspect of television history.

PROSPERO AUGUST 2020 | 3 | LETTERS

BBC Four: its possible demise Pebble Mill at One on Ark Royal Tom Ross’s article in Prospero on the Pebble Mill OB from the Ark Royal and on older BBC viewers brought back memories for me. It is actually my picture in Prospero showing BBC pensioner John Hale recently wrote to the BBC Director-General, Tony Hall, the crew on the flight deck. expressing his concerns about the future of BBC Four. We have published I was the VT Editor in LMVT4 with my colleague Steve Preston. It was a great John’s letter here, as well as the reply he received from the D-G. programme, as the Navy are always very friendly. To get from the gangway up to the flight deck to our vehicles, we had to find our own way through the ship, I am disturbed to have read in the press recently that the BBC is considering which was practically deserted over the weekend when we started. scrapping the BBC Four television channel in order to recoup finances in the current difficult financial climate. It was easy to get disorientated as one grey corridor looked very much like another. I asked about us seeing secret stuff and the reply was ‘we have closed If true, I know I speak for the silent majority of older viewers of BBC output the doors to secret stuff and we don’t think you will be able to open them’. who view BBC Four as the most important BBC channel as it has suitable The Navy also showed us great hospitality. We were invited to the Officers' Mess programming for them. Its loss would be devastating for many of us, especially for drinks. There was no money involved but you had to fill in a small chit for your as BBC One has mutated into a network that contains very little of interest to drink order. 2/3rds Gin & Tonic seemed to work ok and was totally self-regulating. our age group these days. We used to enjoy many programmes on the BBC’s If you could no longer fill in the chit, they were unable to serve you a drink. prime channel over the years but things have changed over the past year or In the meantime, the riggers were drinking with the sailors. This was not a short two and this is all because the BBC has the notion that they must attract session and we later heard that there had been a competition. The sailors younger and BAME viewers who generally view and other similar claimed they could get to the top of the launch ramp pushing a piano quicker non-BBC outlets. However, it is doubtful that this strategy will work. than our riggers could pushing a camera dolly. Fortunately, so much drink had But, as a Public Service broadcasting organisation, the BBC should not be been taken that neither team made it to the top of the ramp. competing with these outlets: on the contrary, it should be providing content The next day, Steve and I were in need of strong coffee. Ark Royal was for minority groups, including the not-so-small group of retired people. steaming along well when Steve opened the door to empty the old dregs from BBC Four does this and does it well. the coffee machine. The wind was so strong that the door flew open with Steve Furthermore, the possible closing down of BBC Four would come just at the time exiting very quickly but luckily holding the door handle in one hand and the that the over-75s are once again being required to pay for their TV licence. coffee pot in the other. At that point, the lid of the pot disappeared across the flight deck just as a Harrier was about to take off. The Navy were not amused! Thus, we over-75s will be denied our favourite TV channel while at the same I can just imagine the headlines ‘BBC shoots down plane with coffee pot lid’. time having to pay the licence fee once again. (It is my view that it is the Just one of many happy OBs I was lucky to be a part of. government and not the BBC who should be paying for the free over-75s Ian Rutter TV licence as it was originally a government welfare payment brought in by the Labour Party in the year 2000 and nothing at all to do with the BBC. HAVING READ THE excellent article last month about HMS Ark Royal and But that is another story!) Pebble Mill, I was immediately transported back to the pre-record shoot with To scrap BBC Four, leaving alternative channels which contain few programmes Samantha Fox. liked by older people, brings into question whether it might even be time for older I was fortunate to be the cameraman people to consider no longer watching BBC TV or paying the licence fee at all. for this day out on the ship, filming her singing her hit single of the time I, and many others from the older generation, would be grateful to you (Touch Me) in various locations (and your successor) for reconsidering the potential loss of BBC Four around the ship. Roger Neal was to its countless extremely loyal viewers. the engineer recordist carrying the Yours sincerely, VPR 5 machine. Sadly, I cannot remember anyone else. John Hale Here are a couple of photos of us on board, including riding the THANK YOU FOR your letter. aircraft lift and in the bomb storage You’re right to highlight the great facility below decks, with some things BBC Four does. At the time naval friends. you wrote, we had not yet published I seem to remember we were given our Annual Plan, so there was very lunch in the Officers' Mess, which, little we were able to say publicly. being the son of a naval officer, was I’m writing now to make sure you equally as enjoyable. have a fuller response, and I hope you’ve now seen our confirmation James Day that – contrary to rumours you may have read in the press and seen online – we have no current plans to close it. History – we were there! The BBC’s Annual Plan for 2020-21, It was very pleasing to see the article about the British Entertainment History which we have just published, sets out Project (BEHP) in the last edition of Prospero (page 9). our specific aspirations for BBC Four for the year ahead: In the light of the fact that the article has generated a lot of interest, the BBC Pensioners’ Association (BBCPA) with the BEHP are keen to encourage all BBC ‘BBC Four will increase focus on bringing together collections of the most staff and ex staff to share their knowledge about their work experience in the BBC. distinctive content from the BBC’s rich archive. Arts will continue to be a centrepiece of BBC Four as we carry on showcasing Culture in Quarantine Many BBCPA members would have worked with the people mentioned in the through this period. Outside the UK, we are exploring potential commercial Prospero article, either in radio or television at the BBC. opportunities for BBC Four to become a new global subscription service that Many may remember hearing the smuggled tape of Harold Wilson angrily leaving takes our strengths in specialist factual to the world stage.’ the interview at Lime Grove with the phrase ‘…and I don’t want this tape spread all I’m delighted to say that BBC Two will also be showing the best of BBC Four’s round Lime Grove!’ History paints a different light on Mrs Thatcher when we hear originations, giving these programmes a bigger shop window. that she made the crew tea in the kitchen at No. 10 Downing Street.

I know you’ll understand from your time at the BBC that strategic discussions The BBCPA and the BEHP would like to ask all who worked at the BBC, in whatever are an internal matter, so I’m sorry I can’t answer all of your specific questions. role, to join us in what is a great opportunity for everyone to make a very real But I do appreciate you getting in touch to share your comments, and I hope contribution to such an important record in the history of broadcasting and film that I’ve been able to reassure you about the future of BBC Four. making. In the first instance let Sue Malden ([email protected]) know of something that you remember whilst at the BBC. BBCPA members can contact us Thanks for writing and I wish you continued enjoyment via the BBCPA website https://bbcpa.org.uk/contact/ in your retirement. Do look at the database (www.historyproject.org.uk) and see if there are names Best wishes, that you recognise. If you have any additional information about their careers do Tony Hall please let Sue Malden know. Albert Barber Chair, BBCPA

4 Frigs, DOGS and scanners We had a great response to the letter The vehicle he used literally housed a scanner, so from John P Gilliver in the June issue of the name may have stuck in the early days of BBC Prospero, enquiring where the term Television (405 line) which was within the decade. ‘scanner’ came from. Here’s a selection There is a very informative page on the website of of answers… the Epsom & Ewell History Explorer which can be COVID-19 and BBC Club found at: https://eehe.org.uk/?p=28911 At the time of writing, there has been some easing The June edition of Prospero had of restrictions and pubs and restaurants are an article headed ‘Why ‘scanner’?’. Geoff Dawe beginning to reopen. Most BBC staff, however, are Reading it immediately reminded me of some very similar correspondence I REGARDING THE WORD ‘scanner’ to describe a still working from home and the travel advice still had with the Oxford English Dictionary mobile control room for Outside Broadcasts, I’ve remains as ‘stay home and avoid public transport’ in 1996. always understood the origin to go back to Baird and some local lockdowns are in place. and the early 1930s, and in particular to the vehicle Two years earlier, I had retired from used to televise the 1932 Epsom with Baird’s We are evaluating the changes and the BBC television engineering and joined 30-line system – which is generally acknowledged to Government’s advice every two weeks. Please do not a local Technical College as one of five be the first ever example of a television Outside travel to BBC Club sites or office without checking technicians, three of whom were in Broadcast. Note this was ‘live’ television, and not an the website first, where we will announce the their early twenties. Some 12 months after starting intermediate film technique such as Baird used for reopening. We look forward to welcoming you back my new job, I was building a temporary electronic the 240-line trial later at . as soon as it is safe and practically possible to do so. circuit in the college’s TV studio and referred to it, as I and BBC colleagues had done many times in Baird’s ‘camera’ for outside use consisted of a large In this unprecedented time, BBC Club would like to similar circumstances over the previous 30 odd rotating mechanical drum with 30 mirrors, rotating at thank all our fantastic members for their support. high speed, and was referred to as a scanner by Baird years, as a ‘frig’. The eyebrows of the young female As an independent, not-for-profit and unsubsidised for probably obvious reasons. Baird fitted the camera technician with me shot up and she told me in company, it is the support of our members that has (or ‘scanner’) into a caravan to make it ‘portable’, no uncertain terms that I must not use that word! kept us going and we now see the light at the end and a moveable mirror on a door enabled panning I later discovered that I was not alone among my of the pandemic tunnel. by swinging the door! At the time, ‘scanner’ was friends to be unaware that it should be considered then used to refer to not just the equipment within a somewhat risqué term. BBC Club Extra has continued throughout: the it, but the entire vehicle…and the name stuck. monthly competitions still proving popular and in When I checked the definition in various dictionaries, When more complicated OBs started being produced, anticipation of reopening, for the next couple of I was very upset to find none gave my definition, so I the official name was the Mobile Control Room months, we will be giving away vouchers for lunch was unable to demonstrate that I was justified in using (MCR), at least within the BBC, but one of Baird’s the term. My subsequent approach to the OED in the Club for two (including a bottle of wine) as legacies was that they were pretty universally resulted, as in John P Gilliver’s scanner article, in the competition prizes. The vouchers are valid for a always referred to as ‘the scanner’. need for more than one citation of a printed use of the year from date of issue so do email in your entry. word which I have been unable to satisfy. The OED The best reference I’ve been able to find is at Our Connect Clubs are also beginning to think suggested it may originate with the RAF which is http://mcr21.org.uk/historical-context/ with more about future events; indeed, the Photography Club certainly plausible. They have retained the paperwork detail, and even with a photograph of Baird’s held three very different ‘zoom’ seminars in July on file. Although I have heard the term used outside caravan at Epsom. covering everything from lighting to storage ! the BBC, I still await the evidence required to bring Television and Outside Broadcasts have come a Wine and Beer Society hosted a ‘lockdown the dictionary ‘up to date’. Any help would be much long way in less than 90 years! wines’ virtual tasting event in July also – how many appreciated, although the need to use the word is probably far less in this modern electronic world. Dave Heath members bought all six bottles to taste, we wonder! You can contact me at [email protected] THE QUESTION ABOUT the origin of the word The Golf Society hopes to recommence their Bob Oakley 'scanner' brought to mind the use of 'DOG' for the interrupted season in September and the Canal channel ident on most broadcasting services. Cruising Club has proved very popular indeed with I CANNOT CLAIM to have a definitive answer, but the members deciding on a ‘staycation’ this year. The first top corner insert that appeared was an R with name ‘scanner’ for an outside broadcast truck has a circle around it to denote an action replay on sports been in general use for as long as I can remember. Lottery news programmes in the 1960s, to tell the public what was The lottery Jackpot of £10,000 in June (the last In my case, this dates back to 1956 when I had an happening, as before the arrival of the video-disc month drawn at time of writing) was won by a eight-week vacation apprenticeship with the BBC. replay equipment this was not possible. A camera retired member (who wishes to be anonymous) I am fairly certain that the term was widespread pointed at a caption card was the source of the graphic. and indeed eight of the remaining 11 prizes were long before that. I have heard the theory that it may In the late 1970s, Research Department came up also won by retired staff members, so a big date right back to the very first television broadcast with a piece of equipment to generate the symbol congratulations to all of them! of the finish of the Derby in 1931, in which Baird and because of its use, a label appeared on the transmitted a very crude image to the BBC via GPO box saying ‘Action Replay Symbol Equipment’. Prospero lines and it was radiated from the Brookmans Park This name was almost adopted until someone Prospero Society outings are now unlikely to transmitter to ‘televisors’ in people’s homes. noticed the acronym and quickly changed it to recommence until January but in the meantime, The system he used consisted of a mirror drum ‘Digitally Originated Graphics’. can we repeat our request for your stories? which scanned the scene outside via a mirror affixed It would be great to hear your personal accounts The DOG is the common name used worldwide; can you to the rear door of the truck, with the light being of life during the coronavirus pandemic, including imagine what fun the original name could have been. picked up by three photo-electric cells. any moving stories or funny anecdotes. Have you If any of Prospero's readers are interested in the The following year, the signals were also transmitted by become adept at Skype or fed up with quizzes on history of BBC videotape, here’s a link to an telephone line to a cinema in central London, where a Zoom? Has your garden never had so much interesting website: http://www.vtoldboys.com synchronous mirror drum and three arc lamps attention or has this been a particularly difficult reconstructed a 30-line image onto the cinema screen. Stephen Newnham time? BBC Club will be compiling your stories as a record of these times. Please indicate whether you would be happy to share your story with others.

Ladies of the night Please note, correspondence is currently by post or email only as staff are continuing to work Delighted to see (Prospero, April 2020) a letter from and Dublin Road was right outside the bedroom from home. my old friend Brian Willis with memories of sleeping in window – the room itself was a sub-basement level, the ‘early shift bedroom’ at The Langham, and the with the ‘window’ being thick glass bricks at ceiling STAY SAFE AND HEATHY. ghostly noises. height inside, pavement height outside.

He will doubtless remember the similar bedroom at One could often hear some rather interesting 020 8752 6666 interchanges between the ladies and their customers… , Belfast, where one was also kept [email protected] awake by ladies in the night. but not very restful when the morning call was booked BBC Club Broadcast Centre, BC2 B3, for 05:00 ready for the early Control Room shift! Unfortunately, these were not ghosts, but ‘professional’ 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TP ladies, whose pitch on the corner of Ormeau Avenue Graeme Aldous

PROSPERO AUGUST 2020 | 5 | MEMORIES HMS DREADNOUGHT

Having read the article featured in the latest Prospero by Tom Ross, David Weir (pictured below) was inspired to write the behind-the-scenes story of another memorable Pebble Mill Outside Broadcast.

The weather had turned We did the live opening piece to camera, then Bob’s Early next morning – transmission day – we boarded mic also failed. I should at this point mention that the submarine at sea from a tender and joined two of the intended interviewees were Commander Jim Cleland, who had spent the night on board Johnny Clarke and Rear Admiral ‘Tubby’ Squires – sorting out the comms. Already things were different. a Royal Navy grande fromage of the highest order The weather had turned and there was a storm who had given us a lot of his time, not to mention brewing. On paper, the ‘live’ segments of the the permission to be there in the first place…the point programme were deliberately straightforward; KISS being that this was a big deal not only for us, but also (keep it simple, stupid) had long been my mantra. for the Navy as it was the first live broadcast in history from a nuclear submarine. It would have been a huge We just had three live one-plus-one interviews, an embarrassment for all concerned if it went wrong. opening piece and a closing from our presenter, Bob Hall, So, with just the first few minutes done, I had the together with live links into the pre-recorded VTs – prospect of praying that we could get through the it should have been easy. For anyone interested, remaining 40 minutes or so with just one very wet I was using a Glensound 6 channel mixer with but still working microphone and no back-up. 4 x ECM50 personal mics, an AKG 416 FX mic, (Roger recalls me saying to him over talkback that and a standby Electrovoice 635 hand-held stick mic. I 'was a bit worried'!) nd…cue the submarine.’ Electrovoice 635 saves the day With those words (surely one of the best ever For those who don't know, the Electrovoice 635 had Acues over talkback!), John Smith, the director, My mixing location was deep in a bit of a reputation to maintain. We knew it was began yet another ‘first’ for the Pebble Mill at One the bowels of the sub – not too waterproof as Roger had previously used one in a team with a live broadcast from a nuclear submarine, water tank to record an underwater drummer, also for HMS Dreadnought, near Faslane off the west coast of far away from the torpedo Pebble Mill – don’t ask! – whilst I clearly remember Scotland on 14 February 1980. launching position as it being told at Wood Norton that you could use this The submarine took its cue, broke through the surface microphone as a hammer and it would still just carry of the choppy Firth of Clyde and appeared in all its happens, should that have on working which, fortunately, it did. With me holding my breath, watching the minutes go by, it held out glory to the music of the opening title sequence. What become necessary! happened next, I will never forget. and worked faultlessly for the rest of the programme. (With hindsight, I should have planned to do the John Smith was an inspirational producer/director and My mixing location was deep in the bowels of the sub whole show like this anyway.) not exactly known for taking ‘No’ or ‘It can’t be done’ – not too far away from the torpedo launching position Nobody in the scanner back on the shore was aware for an answer. He was the driving force behind many as it happens, should that have become necessary! of how close the programme had come to being a of Pebble Mill’s ambitious live programmes – Roger, on the other hand, was on the top of the conning total disaster or indeed noticed anything untoward in particularly those involving the military. tower, braving the elements whilst sorting out the mics the sound coverage. The programme was a great On this occasion, I was the sound supervisor working for the contributors. Despite the weather worsening success, television history had been made, everybody alongside Roger Slater with cameraman John Couzens throughout the morning, the rehearsals had gone well. was happy, time to get off the sub and go for a drink and engineer Jim Cleland on board the submarine with But during the 30-minute line-up period before – or preferably, lots of drinks. Just one small problem our presenter, Bob Hall. The rest of the OB crew were on transmission, the weather really began to hit us hard. remaining – how do you get off a nuclear submarine the mainland in an OB/links truck on the Isle of Arran. One by one, drenched by the torrential rain and the at sea in the middle of a storm? Answer: you can’t. wind-blown surf from the sea, the mics started to go down. The FX mic was the first to go (that really didn’t matter too much) but then the personal mics began to ‘Prepare to surface and standby fail. As we went on air at 13:00hrs, I had two working to machine gun the survivors!’ mics left: Bob Hall’s personal mic and the standby mic.

Machine gun the survivors The previous day had gone very well. The weather had been kind to us whilst we pre-recorded items for the next day’s live broadcast. We interviewed various crew members, recorded Lyn Paul singing Rod Stewart’s ‘’ with the crew joining in on the chorus for good measure. We also filmed a mock battle sequence from the control room. I will always remember Commander Johnny Clarke giving the order: ‘Prepare to surface and standby to machine gun the survivors!’

He was joking of course. Probably. Also, who knew that a nuclear submarine on full power can aquaplane – well, it can and did, although we weren’t allowed to film it.

I have to admit we also pre-recorded the opening sequence of the show with the submarine breaking the surface – getting the timing right and not knowing exactly where it would surface was a bit too risky to do live. The cables from the mics and the camera were fed from the conning tower down through the hatch into the submarine. Stationed by the hatch at all times was a sailor with an axe. When we enquired what he was doing, we were told that in an extreme emergency, he would cut the cables, close the hatch, HMS Dreadnought. then the submarine would dive – with or without us!

6 The programme was a great success, television history had been made. HINDI TV It had turned into a full force 8 storm. There was no n August 1996, I was fortunate enough to be way the five of us could safely get off the boat. completely inadequate facilities. Our newsroom was selected (along with Paul Danahar) to go out to So, the submarine did what submarines do – we dived in one building, the studio in another and the link to India to get Hindi television off the ground, to about a hundred feet and made our way north I the satellite on the other side of town. under the editorship of the late Luke Albarin. under water until we eventually reached a sheltered Every day was a mad scramble to get the material cove on the Scottish west coast, where we were able So began the strangest year of my life. On the plus ready, drive over to the studio and then dash to the to disembark onto a Navy tender that had come out side, we had a range of excellent colleagues from link point. There were red lights to ignore and to meet us. Unfortunately though, this meant that we the World Service’s Hindi service to work with us. Indian traffic to survive. Somehow we did it; but we had to sail back through the storm in order to get Seema Chishti, Pervais Alam, Sanjeev Srivastava, were sometimes delayed. Nothing on earth can back to Arran, where our hotel was. The tender, being Vishun Shankar and Raman Nanda were fine make elephants, decked out for a wedding, move a Navy vessel, was not really designed for civilian journalists. And India had a thirst for reliable, out of the way or increase their leisurely pace. passengers. There was no shelter, no comfort and not accessible news. much to hold on to. We were on deck getting lashed But there, the good news ended. Paul, Luke and I by the wind, the rain and the sea as we slowly made had television experience (well, I had some!) but the our way back through the storm. I am notoriously not Every day was a mad scramble Hindi journalists came from radio. It was always a good sailor, but the weather was so extreme, so bad, going to be a huge leap to make this daily, half-hour to get the material ready, drive it was almost good. It was actually exciting, if a little television programme a success. Especially when frightening, and this kept the sea sickness away. Paul, Luke and I spoke no Hindi! over to the studio and then

No sooner than we had got there and started dash to the link point. looking for studios, local recruits and sets, It turned out that as we had than one of the biggest news events burst upon us. By the end of the year, we had managed to make dived to avoid the storm, we On 12 November, a Saudi 747 collided with an something of a media splash. Sanjeev was a superb Illusion 76 of Kazakhstan Airlines, coming down interviewer and within months, he was sitting had lost all radio contact with in a village some 100km from Delhi. The mid-air opposite key politicians, surrounded by other Indian crash left 359 dead. Like good troopers, we left our journalists, hungry to see what he would get from our colleagues and they had no hotels and went into the BBC Delhi Bureau, where the encounter. idea where we were or really the phones were ringing off the hook. Both our Sadly, just as our year’s contracts were up, the TV correspondents happened to be away and within channel to which we were contracted, folded. what was happening. minutes, we were on the air. I led the Six and Nine Attempts to negotiate an alternative home for Hindi before Paul (who had been despatched with a film TV came to nought. But there is a happy ending. I crew to the village) took over. Together, we were on Return to shore am told that Hindi TV was resurrected and Indian the air for more than 24 hours. The journey took four to five hours and when we did friends tell me it now has a fine reputation for the eventually reach Arran late in the evening, we were all That was just the start. We soon learned that we kind of news the BBC can be proud of. tired and exhausted, having been battered by the were seriously outgunned. Murdoch had got there Martin Plaut elements for so long. But as we reached the mooring, between our contract being negotiated and our we were relieved and very pleased to be met by arrival. He had seen the Indian Prime Minister and some friendly, familiar faces: John Burkill (VT), smoothed things for his Star empire. We were left Mark Kershaw (vision mixer), Jane Mclean (PA) and trying to compete with just one camera crew and Linda Webster (make-up) had stayed behind all that time to help get us and our equipment off the boat, for which we were extremely grateful.

It turned out that as we had dived to avoid the storm, we had lost all radio contact with our colleagues and they had no idea where we were or really what was happening. They had been quite worried on our behalf but had eventually been contacted by the Navy to be told that we were on our way back. So they had just patiently waited by the quayside for our return. That’s what you call a good team.

We had many other adventures working at Pebble Mill particularly on the PM@1 programme – it had a very wide brief. I always thought of it as the adult version of , which it was really. And looking back, although we might not have fully appreciated it at the time, we were extremely lucky to work on such a wide ranging, exciting show. What other programme would ever contemplate doing a live OB from a nuclear submarine, or from a Class A high-security prison for that matter, but that’s another story…

With thanks to Roger Slater for his help in writing this article.

David Weir

BBC Hindi TV team at ANI offices in Delhi, 1997.

PROSPERO AUGUST 2020 | 7 | MEMORIES www.bbc.co.uk/sport is 20

Few sports fans in the UK go long without checking the BBC’s sports website. Charles Runcie, part of the launch team, says Happy Birthday to a service that scrambled to life in July 2000 but now has an audience of over 20 million unique users a week.

etting your sports news these days is a bewildering business. There are websites, Ginnumerable social media platforms and mobile alerts. It is instant, noisy, and tailored to your lifestyle. In a single generation, sports fans have gone from being fed sports news when ‘they’ decided – unless you patiently waited for those ‘300’ pages to s-l-o-w-l-y change – to people demanding when, where and how you want it delivered. www.bbc.co.uk/sport has straddled both these eras.

Launched on 3 July 2000, it was the final piece of a broadcasting jigsaw that by the end of 1997 had seen the BBC establish rolling news and sports channels on TV and radio, then the BBC News website. Sport still remained a muddle, though, with multiple attempts to establish a proper online presence in the late 90s by various bits of the Corporation. The News website did some sports headline news, BBC Sport itself had launched a football-only website in August 1999, Making the site look like a part of BBC Sport to our while even BBC Worldwide had in on the act, with audience was critical, and my role was to embed our ‘beebsport’ tried as a commercial venture. radio and TV content and staff into it.

By early 2000, and with dotcom fever at its height, There was initial suspicion from some diehards – incoming Director-General and the new ‘no one will ever want to watch sport on the internet Director of BBC Sport, , decided to act. when they can see it on TV’ – but progress was made. They wanted to see the editorial values and technology of the BBC News site combined with the trusted brand and multimedia content of BBC Sport to become a trusted, world-beating sports website. ...no one will ever want to watch Chosen to establish it was Pete Clifton, the News website’s UK Editor. sport on the internet when they Things moved on apace, as Andrew Benson remembers. ‘It’s still the most exhilarating time of my career,’ can see it on TV ‘When the BBC regained Formula 1 rights, I worked he recalls. ‘We did a lot of planning, then I was asked to closely with BBC F1 editor Mark Wilkin to really get see the DG. He asked how much budget I needed, so I things joined up editorially. As we started broadcasting gave him a vague figure. ‘Fine, here you are, now get on The ‘’ quiz section developed by in 2009, we’d created a blueprint for the way the with it. I want it launched as soon as possible.’ I’m not sure the TV team in appealed to many, while whole of BBC Sport would work in the future.’ Indeed, it would happen that quickly these days! I squirrelled familiar TV pundits like Alan Hansen, the physical move of BBC Sport to their new hi-tech myself away in the Design Building, a mis-named dismal and provided colour and opinions. HQ in 2011 led to that blueprint of an outpost of TV Centre, to recruit a great sports team. ’s football statistician, Albert Sewell, integrated operation across TV, radio and its I’m proud to see that many of them like Phil McNulty and guru, expanding digital services being realised. and Tom Fordyce are still working there now.’ , both wrote hugely popular columns Finally, the 2012 London Olympics saw the BBC as UK answering arcane sporting queries from fans, which rights holders promise its audience that ‘you’ll never Existing BBC text staff moved over, plus several eventually became a best-selling book. miss a moment’. experienced faces from traditional print media were hired. Andrew Benson was one. ‘I was the Grand Prix Journalism was at its core, however, and the Sports ‘I was in London when we won the bid,’ remembers editor of Autosport and had also worked on Formula 1 Department was blessed with many for whom written Olympics editor Claire Stocks. ‘From then, I worked for at the same time, so it felt like time journalism was their background. ‘I remember jumping on it more and more, getting all the sports on to spread my wings,’ he recalls. ‘It sounded a great at the chance to write for what I knew would be a site board and following the journeys of future stars opportunity, a little like stepping into the future. with global reach,’ recalls Iain Carter, and ex-agency like and Jade Jones online. The internet had been around for a few years but reporter turned radio journalist. ‘I was covering , Come Games-time, having news and live action didn’t play anything like as important and central a and one of my earliest pieces was an imaginary account from every team and every sport in one place was an part in life as it does now.’ Benson is now the BBC’s of playing Bjorn Borg. I cannot recall who outward symbol of the transition of BBC Sport into a chief F1 writer, working across all sports platforms. won, but it was the first time I realised that through genuine 21st century multimedia operation.’ writing, I could get the sort of buzz that was a natural The website’s ‘look and feel’ was news developer In 2020, www.bbc.co.uk/sport celebrates 20 years as by-product of broadcasting.’ It’s become a vital part James Howard’s job. ‘It was all a bit of a blur. easily the most popular sports website in the UK. With designing, integrating and recruitment, we did of his current role of Golf Correspondent. ‘My columns It has a weekly audience of more than 20 million unique not have that much time to do new things, and with a often spark plenty of comments from around the browsers, most accessing it via their mobiles these design staff of only five, our content management world, not all of them complimentary, but it shows the days compared to desktop computers back in 2000. system was heavy on hand-crafted graphics. It was a huge appetite for coverage and views of that sport.’ Its original sports editor, Ben Gallop, remembers that fantastic system however, and our writing staff When the website started, it was mainly text-based, original pioneering spirit back in 2000 with warmth. worked to editorial guidelines that had already been with a few clips from Radio 5 Live or TV News. Getting ‘The bosses gave us the space to develop the kinds of established by Ceefax. I was pleasantly surprised how rights to use audio and video footage were a battle to approaches that I can now see were to become the quickly it took off.’ begin with, but things improved over the years. watchwords of the digital revolution.’ Clifton remembers that it was not all hard work. Ceefax was integrated, and the service constantly Two decades later, Gallop is now Head of BBC Radio ‘We built a great team spirit in those early pioneering shifted and reinvented itself as technology developed. Sport + Digital and realises its immense value to the days. After long hours at work, we would settle back Some major developments then forced huge change. Department. ‘To be there at the start of something brand and have a few beers and matches in my office. Firstly, the arrival of the smartphone in 2008 enabled new, building a service that’s still thriving two decades Good times.’ a huge expansion of video clips and live streaming. on, you know it doesn’t get much better than that.’

8 | LIFE AFTER AUNTIE A FAIR FEW WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL

Roger Ordish was inspired by Walter Acosta’s article in the last issue of Prospero (‘There’s life after the Beeb’) to share how he moved from being a producer in Light Entertainment to his own one-person video production company – which included being a wedding videographer.

wife Susie would have to come as my assistant and My former work colleagues considered it rather infra-dig, that I should take on so lowly a task but in that we would require a sleeping car on the train in truth, it required more skill than anything I had done both directions and a hotel in Fort William for three before. In that job, you are the news reporter and the nights. I said, too honestly perhaps, that I was sure cameraman, everything is going to happen only once, she could find somebody in Glasgow to do the job but you must not get in anybody’s way. You need to but she said, no, she wanted me to do it. I did not be in the middle of everything, while at the same time meet the groom, who was working in the USA at the trying to be invisible. It was hard work but rewarding, time. We made all our arrangements and I sent her an if you got it right. estimate of the cost. She did not blink. Memorable moments A few days before the great event, the bride-to-be There were some memorable moments: a groom so called me to say that a disaster had occurred. Alan had overcome with emotion that he could not manage the suffered a attack and was in intensive care in a words of the vows, despite the alarmed looks from New hospital. ‘However,’ she said, ‘he is the bride, trying to calm him through his sobs. determined to go ahead with the wedding and on his first-class flight to Scotland, he will be accompanied all There was a vicar, who fluffed one of the prayers, the way by his heart surgeon.’ turned to the camera and said, ‘You’ll be able to edit that out.’ I, of course, left it in. When I met Alan on day one of the events, he looked rom Richmond, I would sometimes travel in to One customer called to ask if I covered funerals. He had more suited to a funeral than a wedding. He was as grey work with a friend from our road, who worked recently lost his young wife tragically through cancer. as concrete. But he made it through the three days, Fin the ‘city’. He hated his job and could not wait The funeral was a splendid affair with a procession which included golf, shooting, riding, a lavish meal for it to finish. On good days, I could not wait to get through Billingshurst in Sussex led by the widower in each evening with an ever-open bar tab and there to work at the Television Centre. a veiled topper, ahead of four black horses, adorned was something else: oh, yes, the marriage ceremony. It saddens me when I hear comparatively young people with plumes of matching feathers and drawing a looking forward to or choosing early retirement. glass-sided hearse. A couple of years later, the same The last thing I wanted to do was retire. man rang me and asked if I remembered him. Of course The groom looked more suited I did, I assured him. ‘Well, I’m getting married in June,’ When I left the BBC after 33 years’ continual service, he said, ‘and you did such a lovely job on Julie’s funeral to a funeral than a wedding. I tried for a while to find freelance work in television. that we’d like you to film our wedding.’ So I did. I was not successful. He was as grey as concrete. The dreariest part of the wedding videographer’s job With part of my retirement settlement, I bought is the speeches. The father of the bride can often be A few weeks later, the new bride came to visit me for one of the latest professional video cameras and a the worst, particularly if he is a put-upon man. He sees a preview of the wedding video. She saw my wife state-of-the-art video editing programme. Not being his speech as an opportunity to have his say without Susie’s bronze sculpture of my head and was very a naturally technical person, I also paid for a course interruption for the first time in his life. My record for impressed by it. ‘Could you do one of Alan?’ she of instruction and founded ‘Heavenly Productions’ the longest father-of-the bride speech was 42 minutes. asked. Just the casting of a bronze head costs nearly as a limited company. My tape ran out during his oration and I had hurriedly £4,000, but that was not a problem. Operating from our newly bought house in Lewes, to replace it but, if anyone was still awake watching ‘But, if I have one of him, I suppose he’ll want one of Sussex, I advertised myself as: ‘ex-BBC television the final cut, I don’t think they would have noticed the me,’ she added. director provides broadcast-quality video at gap, as he droned on and on. remarkably low prices’. There was a brilliantly funny American rabbi, a bit like So, Susie got a commission to do the two real bronze portrait heads. In the end, her bill for the sculptures I created a website and joined a local business Jackie Mason, who officiated at a lavish Jewish wedding was bigger than my bill for the video. networking group, who met for breakfast every I filmed. ‘And now we come to the vows,’ he announced Monday at 7.30 a.m. Odd jobs started to trickle in and to the happy couple. ‘Affirmative answers would Jane and Alan had been living together for 15 years eventually, the company was earning me an extra be preferred.’ before that magnificent Scottish wedding but for £20,000 to add to my reasonably comfortable BBC At another expensive affair in the Brighton Grand Hotel some reason, we kept in touch with them and pension. I was in the luxurious position of being an (of Mrs Thatcher fame), the Best Man said rather discovered that, after less than two years, Alan had entrepreneur, which I enjoyed enormously, without indelicately in his speech, ‘I’ll keep my speech short, started an affair with someone having to keep the wolf from the door. because I know Ryan can’t wait to get Sharon’s and Jane had chucked him out. knickers off...’ The Best Man was interrupted by a cry I made several training videos for a highly successful ‘What happened to his bronze from the bride just along the table from him, ‘I ain't security firm, Sabrewatch, whose clients included head?’ I asked. got none on!’ Such lovely people. Selfridges and Marks & Spencer, and secured a regular ‘I use it as a doorstop,’ job updating the videos showing in the visitor centre Grand affairs replied Jane. in a wonderful park called Wakehurst Place in Sussex, The grandest wedding I shot took place in what was which belongs to Kew Gardens and is their country described as ‘Scotland’s finest hotel’, the Inverlochy Roger Ordish’s recently arm. I even made a television commercial with the Castle in Fort William. ‘£650 for one room for one published book, ‘If I Remember disappointingly low budget of £1,000. night’ says the advertisement. Rightly’, is available on Amazon (RRP £9.99). I soon learned that, if I wanted to increase my Jane, the bride-to-be, contacted me and we met for ISBN-13: 978-1913425111 turnover, I should also offer myself as a wedding coffee in Selfridges. She was planning to get married videographer. I advertised in wedding magazines and that June, she explained. She and her fiancé had websites. Eventually, I landed quite a few wedding booked the entire hotel for three days of celebration bookings: ‘Have your wedding videoed by ex-BBC and she wanted me to cover the whole event. I said television director’. that I would love to do the job, but added that my

PROSPERO AUGUST 2020 | 9 | OBITUARIES

‘a performance of Bruckner’s 9th Symphony recorded long conversation, she gave him one of her books – Derek Leonard Kibble in the cavernous acoustic of Cathedral. A Guide for Budding Artists – and urged him to take art Retired BBC staff member I’m listening to it now and it’s marvellous!’ seriously. The outcome was that Alec became a Derek Kibble passed away Don won several prizes for his sound, including two talented artist specialising in landscapes and portraits. peacefully at home on Monday Diapaisons d’Or and the Gramophone Magazine An exhibition of his work was held in Newport, 8 June 2020. He was 91. engineering prize for his recording of the Dutilleux , where he lived, in 2019. Born in the town of Symphonies with Yan Pascal Tortelier. When I first Alec Robson died 6 May 2020, aged 88. Cinderford in the Forest of met him, we were listening to some choral music. Jim Dumighan and Dick Bentley Dean and educated at East I mentioned I had another recording which I preferred. Dean Grammar School, where He asked why. I replied that the sound was somehow he became the Head Boy, softer, more mystical. ‘That,’ said Don, ‘is what I do.’ he was recognised as Stephen Rinker, who took over from Don when he Memories of academically gifted. retired, says, ‘If anyone deserved a PhD in music Anthony Minty He wanted to study English at university and, after balancing, it would be Don. There wasn’t much he I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of my National Service (in the Army education corps), was didn’t know or hadn’t done. I think it’s widely old friend and former flatmate,Anthony (Ron) Minty. accepted by the University of London. acknowledged the part he played as we moved the He passed away aged 76 on Easter Saturday. After graduating, Derek’s early jobs included working orchestra into the digital age.’ He was a professional engineer, tackling all aspects in for a television insurance company, translating for the Everyone who has contacted me following Don’s a proper and precise manner. UN in Geneva and freelance journalism. His journalistic death has commented on his extraordinary legacy aspirations ended when an article about research in so many wonderful archive recordings of the Ron and I met up at Wood Norton Training School near linking smoking to cancer was rejected. Disappointed, BBC Philharmonic. Evesham. We had the joint misfortune to accept a lift he sought temporary work and heard a store required to the BBC Club in Evesham. We found out en-route Don had Parkinson’s Disease and died at home in staff. On his way to apply, he noticed an that our driver wanted us as witnesses. Apparently, April, aged 82. Stephen noted that ‘the orchestra was advertisement for scene shifters at BBC television. another trainee had travelled from Wood Norton to the This sounded more interesting (and lucrative) than unbelievably close to Don’s heart and he gave it his Club in 1 min 50 seconds in his Rover 90. The guy we shop work so he applied, beginning a 30-year career! heart and soul.’ accepted a lift from had an elderly Jaguar and was He became a vision mixer and ultimately a floor Even when becoming increasingly unwell, Don never miffed… need I say more. The result was an overturned manager at Television Centre and Alexandra Palace, lost his passion for music and took every opportunity Jag in someone’s garden, with petrol flowing working on Open University productions and current to listen to his beloved BBC Phil whenever they were everywhere. Ron was unconscious and half out of the rear door, I dragged him clear and raised the alarm. affairs, news and science programmes. He also worked on Radio 3. in light entertainment and children’s television, Annabel Sutton Brian Laborde, another passenger, was thrown clear particularly Blue Peter, Dr Who, and as was myself. The driver was running up and down the Morecambe and Wise Show. the road like a scared rabbit. Ron came off worst and spent several days in hospital with back injuries. While growing up in the ‘60s, I remember eagerly Midlands technical watching the credits at the end of shows to see if his He will be missed by all who knew him or worked with name appeared. A treasured Christmas present was manager who enjoyed him. He was in poor health for several years prior to always a Blue Peter annual signed by Val, John and his death. Peter, sometimes accompanied by a signed a 37-year career with James photograph of a pop idol (usually for my sister). the BBC Derek retired from the BBC in 1984, returning to Had his wife not spotted Cinderford, his hometown, to care for his elderly an advert in a national Renowned Wood mother. He remained here for the rest of his life. newspaper, Alec Robson Derek was kind, caring, and extremely generous. always said he would have Norton trainer and He was determined (sometimes even stubborn), but missed out on a career acoustics’ expert utterly selfless, desiring so little that it was virtually in the BBC that lasted impossible to buy gifts for him! He was very intelligent 37 years. Michael Talbot Smith spent most of his childhood in and kept well informed until his death. A true gentleman As television expanded Melton Mowbray. After who will be sadly missed, he leaves a nephew (Andrew), into the Midlands in the National Service in the RAF many friends and countless fond memories. 1950s, the BBC sought to and a physics degree from recruit technical staff. Alec Jon Preece University, was amongst the first he taught at Farnham intake of young technicians to join up at Birmingham Grammar School. He loved in 1955. Remembering the work but the prospect Born in Newcastle, he began an apprenticeship with of years of staffroom chat Don Hartridge Vickers Armstrong but pulled out to accept another prompted him to look for apprenticeship, this time with the RAF to study another job. Don joined the BBC in electronics. Having signed up for five years, he was In 1956 he joined ETD Wood Norton as an assistant 1959 where he trained as posted to Germany to work on radar installations. a sound engineer, lecturer. In his own words, ‘the job turned out to be cutting vinyl discs and At BBC Midlands, he showed a natural aptitude for better than I’d ever hoped.’ camerawork and was quickly elevated to senior editing tapes in more Michael’s combination of wit, wisdom, fun, gravitas cameraman, the very first in the region. Unfortunately, than 40 languages. and expertise, coupled with his ability to simplify He worked with the health issues forced him to quit cameras and he complexity and appreciate others’ learning difficulties Northern Light transferred to being a technical manager. made him a firm favourite with generations of trainees Orchestra before moving When the new Broadcast Centre (known later as and peers. to Manchester in 1972 Pebble Mill) opened in 1971, there was a need for staff Michael was an acknowledged expert on acoustics, as senior sound with lighting experience. It was the ideal opportunity microphones and everything to do with sound and supervisor with the BBC for the talented Geordie, who later lit many of the studios. Over the years, he developed a near Philharmonic Orchestra. dramas produced in Birmingham, including the first legendary network of mutually supporting audiophiles Don engineered many thousands of hours of recorded Poldark series in the late 70s, as well as many one-off in the BBC and beyond. Deservedly promoted several and live music including orchestra, chamber groups, plays. The simplicity of his style and his mastery of , he retired in October 1988 as a training manager. choirs, wind bands – and numerous notable recordings environment, together with his calmness in all Retirement was the start of a long and busy second with Chandos Records. situations, stamped a hallmark on his work. career. Michael trained for ITN, continued writing Don was responsible for several innovations, including Always an active sportsman, Alec was a passionate audio textbooks, ran an acoustic consultancy business his famous portable recording trolley with which he football fan. His lifelong love affair with Newcastle and chaired the Midland’s branch of the Institute of recorded the orchestra in many notable venues, United never faltered. Physics, where he worked on the promotion of physics from New York’s Carnegie Hall to the Sahara Desert. His interest and considerable ability in drawing and in schools. Brian Pidgeon, then producer with the Philharmonic, sketching took an unexpected turn in the mid 1970s, Throughout his life, Michael was above all a devoted recalled that Don engineered the first CD issued when he met the American artist Nancy Kominski, a family man, with wife Pauline and sons Nigel and with the BBC Music Magazine. It was, he writes, guest on the Pebble Mill at One programme. During a Gavin. Pauline died unexpectedly in 2002, after which 10 he travelled extensively, visiting his sons in Hungary Ralph was a generous mentor to other colleagues, and the north of the UK. He continued to enjoy village especially those new to broadcasting. He was good Award-winning life in Wick, Pershore, where he lived for more than company and an engaging raconteur. Rooted in his 50 years. Christian faith, he nevertheless delighted in engaging make-up artist Pam Meager trained In recent times, Michael became increasingly frail and with the ideas and beliefs of others. and worked in the BBC in May 2018, he contentedly moved to a care home in Later, Ralph was keen to move into television. make-up department Lockerbie, to be near doctor-son Gavin. He worked mainly on Songs of Praise and Everyman. in the 1950s before Before he left the BBC in 1991 to start Forge Sadly, in late April he succumbed to COVID-19. He was leaving to join ATV, Productions, Ralph had begun to produce Five to buried on 20 May, a beautiful spring afternoon, in where she worked with Eleven for BBC1, in which leading actors shared Wick churchyard, alongside his beloved Pauline. internationally renowned their favourite readings. Contributors included Village friends and BBC chums lined the route as the entertainers on live cortege drove slowly by. A fitting tribute to a 91-year- Kenneth Brannagh, Joanna Lumley and in 1987, broadcasts from old gentleman who was loved, admired and respected Laurence Olivier. The . by many. Ralph spent recent years in nursing homes in In 1963, Pam returned to the BBC. Having retrained Kevern Oliver West Sussex. His reflective funeral on 24 June was according to BBC policy, she rapidly gained promotion, arranged by three of his children – Ralph, Antonia generously demonstrating and sharing her abundant and John. Their brother Dominic passed away in 2016, skills on many productions, a fact acknowledged and Educational trailblazer a year after their mother Maureen. It is hoped to hold respected by all those who worked with her. a memorial service for Ralph later. Some earlier programmes which go to her credit were who made a huge impact Geoff Marshall-Taylor produced at , then later at the newly on the teaching of RE built BBC TV Centre. They include: Not Only But Also, The Year Of The Sex Olympics, The Six Wives of Ralph Rolls, who died Henry VIII, A Picture of Katherine Mansfield and Emma. on 14 June, aged 88, Light entertainment was a trailblazer in Pam was a fearless pioneer of all new make-up educational broadcasting. producer & director techniques, including prosthetics, which inevitably led, was a in 1976, to her receiving a BAFTA Craft Award for the He joined the BBC in 1966 Patrick Taggart producer and director of highly acclaimed production, I Claudius. from Merchant Taylors’ countless television She travelled extensively with her teams on often School, Crosby, where he programmes both in South huge and challenging assignments, including taught Religious Australia and in . The Voyage of Charles Darwin, Casanova, The Borgias, Education. Ralph became Crime and Punishment, Dr Fischer of Geneva, Hamlet a much respected and The oldest of four, Patrick and Domby and Sons. When she was not involved admired colleague in BBC was born in Adelaide to with filming, she managed and ran make-up training School Radio, devising Molly and Jack Taggart. courses at Elstree Studios. and producing many Encouraged by Jack who innovative series. loved acting, Patrick Despite retiring from BBC TV in 1985, Pam continued became a child actor to work as a freelance designer on Little Dorrit, For example, in 1975 Ralph interviewed Mother Teresa in radio plays and Space Precinct and Mr Pye, and was awarded a in Guildford Cathedral with an audience of over 1,000 further BAFTA for the feature film, The Adventures of amateur theatre. local students. Baron Munchausen. When television started up in South Australia, His mother once tuned in to hear him broadcasting. Pam’s sister, Sue Alvarez, recollects her visit to teenager Patrick was ready to choose a career. He ‘The harp was wonderful!’ she said afterwards. He was Sydney, Australia in 1998 where she lectured to great joined Channel 9 in Adelaide in 1959, trying his hand a touch miffed, as that was the interlude music acclaim on Special Effects and Prosthetic Make-up at floor managing and studio camerawork before between programmes! Techniques at The Three Arts’ School, and tutored at becoming a director and producer of light an International Conference in Hobart Tasmania. Ralph made a huge impact nationally on the entertainment shows. teaching of RE, through programmes about Pam had an innate instinct for assessing both the Eleven years later, he moved to England with his wife but also through the other religions actor and the character that they were to portray, Jeannette and children Brendan and Rachel. established in the UK. One trailblazing programme and her artistry and expertise then conveyed this on was ’s Square Mile, in which Ralph described Working for BBC North in Leeds, he directed news, the screen. She is remembered with huge affection the life of four minority religious communities in just then local documentaries including Wonderful Amy and respect by all who trained under or worked one square mile of Coventry. Schools could buy a about Amy Johnson, the first woman aviator to fly alongside her. BBC filmstrip to project, whilst using the radio from England to Australia. She is mourned by daughter Sarah Burns and programme as a soundtrack. This combination was In 1974, Patrick and family relocated to Southampton step-daughter Kate Rapley and family. called ‘radiovision’. where he produced and directed many local light Elizabeth Rowell & Maggie Partington Smith In the Search for Meaning series for Sixth Formers, entertainment shows and documentaries for BBC Ralph devised many stimulating encounters with South. He won an RTS award for his eight series of writers such as RS Thomas and Jack Clemo. His Hey look… That’s Me! starring Chris Harris. John Snoad, structural memorable interview with Spike Milligan was featured Patrick returned to his native Australia in 1983 with later in The Listener. second wife Lea and infant son James. Back with his engineer with a 29-year old employer, Channel 9, Patrick created the top-rated BBC career Lord Olivier at his series C’mon Kids. John Snoad was a respected structural engineer in the home in West Sussex In 1989, he came back to England, settling in Bristol Architectural & Civil Engineering Division of the BBC. with Ralph Rolls in and working as a freelancer. His most notable He enjoyed a 29-year career concerned with all 1987, recording programmes were The Lowdown (a highly esteemed aspects of the provision of masts and towers to carry Christmas readings BBC documentary series for young people); two the antennas specified by Transmitter Projects for Five to Eleven series of a light entertainment show Can you keep a department, in accordance with BBC Engineering Secret? starring Michaela Strachan; and a drama, Research Department’s plan for expanding television Laugh until you die, with Simon Pegg and Brian and VHF/FM radio services throughout the UK. Murphy for HTV West. In his private life, he enjoyed mountaineering holidays The cameraman whom he usually employed was Jill, with friends in Norway, even rescuing a man from a who became his third wife in 2007. crevasse! He retired in 1988 to Ilkley in West Yorkshire and was a member of the local U3A, where he ran a Patrick often gave young people in the industry their local computer group for a number of years and was a first break. A talented and colourful character, he also member of the local concert club. had the capacity for quiet reflection and loved an outdoor life. He travelled widely with his wife Jill. He was in good health until 2016, when he began to Patrick is hugely missed. have heart and other problems which restricted his physical activities. He died in January 2020, a few Jill Ranford days short of his 86th birthday.

GC Platts

PROSPERO AUGUST 2020 | 11 | ODDS & ENDS

Lord Reith Looks Back 50th Radio London anniversary postponed The attached photos were taken on location for For fairly obvious reasons, the the 1967 historical series, Lord Reith Looks Back, organisers of the Radio London 50th anniversary reunion (planned for with Malcolm Muggeridge. 6 October) have decided to postpone The director/producer Stephen Peet took the photos and I was a trainee the celebrations until next year. production assistant on the programmes (the one with the dodgy ‘60s If you’d like to have your name added hairdo!) and my maiden name was Ann Wirdnam. to the list, so you can be kept up Others of interest in the photos, aside from Reith and Muggeridge, are to date with the plans, please email the two cameramen, Dick Bush and Phil Meyheux, who both went on to [email protected] successful feature film careers; Bridget Winter the researcher, and Robin Swain, sound recordist. They were taken on Lambeth Bridge and outside Glasgow University. CONTACTS I recently supplied the photos Queries to Stephen Peet’s son, Graham, For benefit and pension payroll who advertised for stories/ Calling ham queries, call the Service Line on pictures of his father’s career radio enthusiasts 029 2032 2811 or email in Prospero to use for a book Every Tuesday morning at 9am BST, [email protected]. which he is producing. radio amateurs with a broadcasting background meet and talk on Prospero I'm afraid because of the age of 3.700 MHz. To remove a name from the the photographs and their distribution list, ring the Service having moved around with me We have so far attracted contacts Line on 029 2032 2811. Prospero is over the years, they are not of in Scotland, East Anglia and provided free of charge to retired the best quality but certainly several English counties as well BBC Scheme members only. of historic interest if you are as the Home Counties. Prospero is also available on audio able to reproduce them. All are welcome and we look forward disc for those with sight impairment. To register, please ring the Service to others joining in. Ann Mann Line. Alternatively, it is also available More information is available from online at bbc.com/mypension, [email protected] or just under ‘Documents’. call in. BBC Club Caption competition Giles Herbert The BBC Club in London has a retired membership costing £3 per Local radio remote studies month or £36 per year. Members The winner of a £10 shopping can also add friends and family ‘An unknown number of radio studios voucher is Mrs J Whitmore, to their membership for a small and offices still used by BBC local who submitted: additional cost. Regional clubs radio stations across England are Ronnie Corbett: ‘How far is may have different arrangements. being closed under the latest plans two meters?’ Please call the BBC Club London for the BBC to cut costs.’ office on 020 8752 6666 or email Ronnie Barker: ‘About four [email protected] for details, candles laid end to end.’ This recently got me thinking: were any well known or there for a specific or to join. Please note, vouchers will be reason, i.e. near a royal residence or Benevolent Fund issued once the lockdown sports venue? Were they situated in This is funded by voluntary restrictions have been lifted. cupboards, under stairs, or rooms in contributions from the BBC and its council offices? What about Scotland, purpose is to protect the welfare of , NI? Any secret ones? staff, pensioners and their families.

Any information you have would be Grants are made at the discretion welcomed before they finally go, and of the Trustees. They may provide with it our knowledge of them. assistance in cases of unforeseen WIN Please send any information you may financial hardship, for which help from other sources is not available. £10 have to: [email protected] Tel: 029 2032 2811

Prospero Society Prospero Society is the only section The picture (sent in by CLASSIFIEDS of the BBC Club run by and for Robin Cherry) was taken retired BBC staff and their spouses. from the BBC Annual Report Menorca. Stunning detached villa Its aim is to enable BBC pensioners and Accounts 1951-52. with private pool. Sleeps 2-7. to meet on a social basis for theatre Es Castell. Close to amenities, bars The original caption was: visits, luncheons, coach outings, etc. & restaurants. Air conditioned. The television transmitting Brochure: 07860 232854. Prospero Society is supported by station at Holme Moss was BBC Club funds so as to make www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk opened in October 1951. events affordable. If you would like Sir William Haley, then an application form, please contact: Director-General of the BBC, Andalucia, Spain. Modern villa south Gayner Leach, BBC Club, and members of the Board of Granada, 20 metres from beach. BC2 B3 Broadcast Centre, of Governors take a look Traditional fishing village. Sleeps 8. 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TP at the 750 ft. mast. Email for brochure: Tel: 020 8752 6666 [email protected] Email: [email protected].

Prospero Classifieds, BBC Pension BBCPA Post your entry to Prospero by Monday, 7 September 2020. and Benefits Centre, 3 Central Square, The BBCPA was founded in 1988 to Cardiff, CF10 1FT. promote and safeguard the interests Or, you can email your entry to [email protected], with ‘caption of BBC pensioners. It is independent competition 4’ in the subject line. Please include your BBC pension number. Please enclose a cheque made payable to: BBC Central Directorate. Rate: of the BBC. For details of how to Good luck! £6 for 20 words. In a covering letter, join, see the panel on page 2 or please include your pension number. download a membership form at bbcpa.org.uk.

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