The newspaper for BBC pensioners – with highlights from Ariel online

Sound issues ‘Dialogue levels’ lead to viewer complaints - Page 2

JUNE 2014 • Issue 3

North 3 The night they Back on Bhutan wins award forgot the news Page 4 Page 7 Page 8

NEWS • MEMORIES • CLASSIFIEDS • YOUR LETTERS • OBITUARIES • CROSPERO 02 BACK AT THE BBC Lord Patten steps down after surgery Lord Patten is to step down as BBC Trust chairman after undergoing major heart surgery.

In a statement, he said he had experienced of the BBC Trust. This is a position that Lord Patten, who has been chairman of the ‘serious chest pains’ on 27 April and had requires and has received from me 100 per trust for three years, took the opportunity undergone bypass surgery the following day cent commitment, and has been my priority to praise the BBC. He called the organisation at a hospital. at all times,’ stated Lord Patten, who has ‘a precious and wonderful thing, a hugely ‘These procedures have been successful written to the Secretary of State to submit positive influence which benefits greatly and have ensured no permanent damage his resignation. from the creativity and dedication of to my heart,’ said Lord Patten, who was ‘It would not be fair to my family to its staff’. previously treated for a heart condition seven continue as before; and equally it would not He said he hoped to contribute more to years ago. be fair to the BBC and those it serves not to the discussion about the BBC’s future during But doctors have advised that he reduce be able to give that commitment which the Charter Review, but would be ‘making no his workload. role demands. have to begin by taking a six- further statement whatsoever about the BBC ‘On this basis I have decided with week break from any work at all.’ or my period as Chairman of the BBC Trust’. great regret to step down from the most Vice chair Diane Coyle will become acting His term in the chair was due to end demanding of my roles – that of Chairman chairman until a successor is appointed. next April.

Jamaica Inn concludes BBC to suspend with nearly 2,200 complaints membership of CBI for Scottish Jamaica Inn came to an end with nearly 2,200 complaints. It lost two million viewers between Easter Monday and the concluding episode on Wednesday. referendum

The BBC One adaptation of Daphne du The BBC will suspend its membership Maurier’s gothic novel, which aired over of the CBI between 30 May and three consecutive nights, started with 18 September because of impartiality an average audience of 6.1m viewers. concerns ahead of the Scottish This dropped to 4.1m by the Wednesday, referendum. according to overnight figures. The employers’ organisation – which A total of 2,182 people have lobbies for businesses on a national complained to the BBC about the drama, and international level – has registered mostly about not being able to understand as a supporter of the Better Together the dialogue, but there were also some campaign, which advocates that Scotland complaints that scenes were too dark should remain in the UK. and gloomy. The BBC’s suspension of its The complaints began after the first membership will cover the period during episode aired, with 117 people initially which the CBI is registered with the voicing dissatisfaction. This rose to nearly pro-UK campaign. 800 after the second episode on Tuesday. Dialogue levels He tweeted: ‘Do I dare watch episode 2?’ The BBC and the CBI have jointly But there were many more complaints after The problem appears to have never been He guessed that it was a ‘transmission released a statement that said: ‘In order to the three-part period drama concluded resolved after the first episode, despite problem’ because it sounded fine in previews protect the BBC’s neutrality, the CBI and on Wednesday. assurances that the ‘dialogue levels’ would and on iPlayer. the BBC have agreed to suspend the BBC’s It has prompted controller of drama be turned up before subsequent instalments Speaking to Radio 5 live, director Philippa membership during the business group’s commissioning Ben Stephenson to admit were aired. Lowthorpe – who has also directed Call the registration period under the terms of that there was ‘a problem’, which he ‘We are adjusting the dialogue levels in Midwife – said she was more ‘sad’ than angry the Scottish Referendums Act 2013.’ believed might have had something to episode two and three to address audience that sound issues may have marred people’s ITV, which is also a member of the do with the actors. concerns so they can enjoy the rest of the enjoyment of the drama. CBI, will not temporarily renounce its He said: ‘Actors not being clear drama, and would like to apologise to It’s not the first time there have been membership. Broadcaster STV has. is obviously one part of it, but my those viewers who were affected,’ said a complaints about mumbling in dramas. According to CBI’s website, ‘Members understanding about the complaints about BBC statement. Similar complaints were made about can regularly network, learn what Jamaica Inn was more complex than that. Emma Frost, who adapted the novel Birdsong and Parade’s End. It led director other businesses are doing and exchange ‘I think it’s probably not right to just for television, took to Twitter to express general Tony Hall to raise the issue in the experiences with business leaders, single out that, but clearly we want actors frustration. The writer – who adapted Radio Times last July. senior international figures and to speak clearly. Of course we want them to The White Queen – told viewers to ‘spare a ‘I don’t want to sound like a grumpy the government.’ give brilliant performances and you’ve got thought’ for one of the sound operators, old man, but I also think muttering is to respect that but if no one can understand Matt Gill, who was confused about what something we could have a look at,’ he told what they’re saying then there is a problem.’ had gone wrong. the magazine.

Please send your editorial contributions, or comments/feedback, to: Prospero, BBC Pension and Prospero is provided free of charge to retired BBC Benefits Centre, , CF5 2YQ. employees, or to their spouses and dependants. Email: prospero@.co.uk Prospero provides a source of news on former Please make sure that any digital pictures you send are colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension scanned at 300 dpi. issues, plus classified adverts. To advertise in Prospero, please see page 12. The next issue of Prospero will appear in August 2014. To view Ariel online, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/ariel. The copy deadline is Friday 4 July 2014.

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 BACK AT THE BBC 03 World Service makes its move On 1 April, the World Service moved from Foreign Office to licence-fee funding. Ariel asked Peter Horrocks, World Service Group director, what this means for staff.

Apart from a new name on the pay Do you think the BBC understands Is it an opportunity to get more UK cheque, will World Service staff notice and appreciates its World listeners tuning in to the World Service? any difference? Service employees? We already have around 2m listeners to The biggest change for many World Service I think the BBC is very proud of the World World Service English, with another 300,000 Prospero Society staff has happened already – the move from Service. And I think the more that we all work or so for our language services. The majority Prospero members have an extended into New Broadcasting House together, the more people realise the unique of our audiences will always be overseas, range of activities as well as subsidised and the more integrated working with the contribution World Service journalists make but we’re keen that people in the UK know prices, early notification and priority domestic news teams which has resulted. – in terms of local knowledge, expertise, what we have to offer them. booking to all retired members events. And in fact, the World Service has just For example, two years ago you’d very language skills – not only to the World Service To join only costs £10 per year and the rarely see a World Service journalist on the but to the rest of BBC news. been on a ‘UK tour’, teaming up with Society is a great way to meet up with BBC One bulletins. Now they’re making When people travel overseas they realise Welsh, Scottish and local radio to present friends old and new! For details or to an invaluable contribution across the World Service’s reputation goes before from diaspora join, contact the Club. domestic channels. them – whether they are making a news communities in Cardiff, Glasgow, During recent coverage of events in programme or a wildlife documentary. Liverpool and Manchester. Ukraine, for instance, correspondents Competitions from the Russian and Ukrainian services The BBC Club website holds a wealth of have worked very closely with colleagues offers and competitions to increase the from Newsgathering, as well as giving value of your membership from the comfort expert commentary on domestic of your own home, library, resource centre, news platforms. anywhere you can get online! Much of the content is members only. Are you and your teams marking the In order to register you will need a NEW transition to the licence fee in any way? style BBC Club card which has an eight- Our Freedom Season culminated on 1 April digit number on the back starting with 100. with a day of live broadcasting in and To obtain a new card, call Michelle on 0208 around New Broadcasting House. So the 752 6666 or email [email protected]. transition will see us doing what the World Competition prizes this year have included Service does best – exploring issues which a Kindle Fire, Lindt Chocolate Easter eggs resonate around the world, telling stories and pairs of theatre tickets! which are not covered elsewhere, in 28 different languages. Retired members’ newsletter Hopefully you enjoyed the first retired Do you think staff welcome or worry members’ newsletter and have recently about the shift? received the May edition. I hope they welcome it as much as I do. If not please contact Michelle on 0208 We’ll be more independent and we won’t be 752 6666 to check your contact details and subject to the kind of unpredictable be added to the mailing list. government-driven cuts we’ve suffered over We have a packed agenda of events the past few years. And we’re actually planned for this year including regular ‘coming home’ – the World Service started events such as Lunch for a Fiver! This is out in licence-fee funding. an offer for retired Club members to have a The last few years have been tough for the World Service and I’m extremely proud of two-course lunch including a hot drink for the way we’ve responded to that, introducing £5.00 available every Tuesday from 12 new TV and digital services, boosting our noon to 2.30pm at Club Western House global audience to more than a quarter of adjacent to New Broadcasting House W1. a billion people a week. Other planned events are a ride on the London Eye and river boat trip, theatre trip, Speakers at Western House, devised and compiled by Jim Palm and others! CROSPERO 179 devised and compiled by Jim Palm The newsletter is also a great opportunity for those members not so mobile or further 1 2 Complete the square by using the clues; these apply only to words away to get in touch. Please continue to running across. Then take these words in numerical order and send your anecdotes, photos and extract the letters indicated by a dot. If your answers are correct, 3 4 5 memories of the BBC Club and BBC in these letters will spell out the name of a TV programme and its general. In particular we are looking for presenter. 6 7 8 stories of what happened after you left the Please send your answers in an envelope marked ‘Crospero’ to The BBC – did you take up an interesting hobby 9 10 Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ, by Friday 11 July 2014. The winner will receive or start a completely new career perhaps? 11 a £10 voucher. Please send your correspondence to Gayner Leach, BBC Club MC4 C4 Media CLUES 12 Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TQ 1. OT character (4); 2. Relating to punishment (5); 3. Sheep (3); 4. Drink (3); Calling all cruciverbalists! Have you 5. Low islet (3); 6. Another 1 (3); 7. As well as (3); 8. Urge on (3); 9. Plant (5); 13 10. Old printers’ measures (3); 11. Consume (3); 12. Judgement (11) created or would you like to devise a 13. Major record producer (3); 14. Floor covering (3); 15. More recent (5); crossword? Send your crossword, either 14 15 16. Special award (3); 17. Insect (3); 18. Single (3); 19. Animal sound (3) cryptic or quick, for possible inclusion in 20. Lettuce (3); 21. Eth’s husband (3); 22. Table accessory (5); 16 17 18 future retired members’ newsletters. All 23. Direction (4) those published will receive a prize!

19 20 21 Address as above. Solutions to Crospero 178: Pact; Rants; Gripe; Rim; Rue; Sweat; Lax; Uta; Cel; She; Green Park; Ill; Erg; Spa; Ten; Agley; Bay; One; Route; Drone; 22 23 Got a question or comment? Gasp. The programme was Crimewatch and the presenter Kirsty Young. Email us at [email protected] The winner was David Tucker. or call 020 8752 6666.

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 04 LETTERS Bhutan – a fascinating country Jenny Barraclough’s article about Bhutan in long as he wished. Father Mackie was proud the April 2014 edition of Prospero brought that the King had given him a certificate back many memories of my two UNESCO proclaiming him to be a True S.O.B. I hasten missions to Bhutan Broadcasting Corporation to add that in this case S.O.B. means ‘Son of in 1992. Bhutan’, although Father Mackie seemed Each mission was for four weeks and to prefer the more usual meaning of the they bracketed my departure from the BBC abbreviation. Father Mackie’s personal chapel in August that year. In fact I ‘fell off’ the was the only Christian place of worship BBC payroll while on my second trip and in the country. While I was there, the I celebrated the event with my Bhutanese Parliament passed a law forbidding Christian colleagues with a meal that included dried missionaries from operating because there yak meat and butter tea. were too many religions in the country. The BBC transmitted only radio, but in Should you go if you get the chance? four languages including English. Because I would say ‘Yes’. It is a fascinating country of the mountainous terrain, national with a unique culture. The people are transmissions were by shortwave with a very welcoming and the landscape is small FM transmitter serving the stunning. If you have some skill in archery Thimphu. There was a camera crew attached – the national sport – you will be to the Ministry of Information, but at particularly welcomed. the time, there was no outlet for their George Boston programmes. I did meet the crew on several occasions, notably at the 1992 Parade Jenny Barraclough responds: for the King’s Birthday. It was very similar to I was delighted to read George Boston’s letter the event shown in the picture in full of fascinating insights into Bhutan’s recent Bush House Jenny’s article. history. While I was in Bhutan I heard Father I was walking along The Strand and passing The love has gone, sadly. It’s now money only! Communications with the people was Mackie’s name frequently mentioned with St Mary-Le-Strand, and I just glanced up But the most amazing things happened easy as every child was taught English and great affection. He seems yet another example and saw this image! in this building and shaped our world in was keen to practice it with any passing of the Jesuits’ enlightened contribution to Bush House South East wing in the last century. Westerner. To be accosted in the street by education in far flung places and openness cocoon, wrapped in financial clouds and Let us never forget Bush House. young boys with the cry ‘Hey Mr Round-Eye; to other religions. After Bhutan we visited stone protection. Christoper Lewis talk with me’ was not unusual. Darjeeling where my husband was at school One of the people that I met was a at the Jesuit’s St Joseph’s College, attended by Canadian Jesuit Priest, Father Mackie who members of Bhutan’s Royal Family. Using the high quality optical output on had been working in India at the time of It may interest people to know that the Nice TV – pity the TV is a better option but you will need independence and had travelled to Bhutan present King, who is 34, was at Magdalen an optical to stereo phono box to make this after being expelled from India. Father College Oxford, looked after by the Master, about the sound! usable with a conventional amp. Mackie was the de-facto Head of Education Antony Smith, one time distinguished I have seen many letters about the apparent The final option is to use an audio for Bhutan and had taught the younger BBC producer. deteriorating sound quality on TV. However, surround system – not cheap, but very members of the Royal Family including the The response to my request for someone all might not be quite what it seems. effective on sport and films. then King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck. to help Bhutan’s fledgling educational A month ago our trusty LCD TV died and Whatever your choice, it should enhance Father Mackie was in his eighties when television elicited replies from six excellent was replaced with a modern LED backlit TV, your listening pleasure. I met him, but still taking a keen interest in people, of whom one – a BBC education the same size screen but weighing a little Maybe in the circumstances we are in the development of the education system in department producer who also taught over half our old model. This was installed in no position to judge the quality of sound the country. His home church had wanted university courses in the subject – looks a the same position as our old one and set being broadcast, unless we can hear it him to return to Canada when he reached perfect fit. If it all goes through we can ask up correctly. through the professional equipment it 65, but the King wrote to them to say that him to report back. Not too sure about his My wife and I, on hearing our favourite was made on! Father Mackie had a home in Bhutan for as archery skills though! programmes through it, thought that we Ian Reed might need to have our ears tested – on most programmes the sound was tinny and indistinct, on some programmes where Rabbiting on, there was considerable background noise it Network control Cover cameraman was impossible to understand the speech. film’s gone No amount of sound adjustments on the TV There may have been no commag clip to losing control? When I received the latest Prospero, menu improved it noticeably. confirm the politician’s reaction in the What is happening to network control? April 2014, I noticed a photograph Research online made before we bought incident fondly recalled by Tony Byers At times it is looking positively amateurish. on the cover of a cameraman. Judging by the TV said that both picture and sound were (Prospero, April 2014), but I’m happy to help. Such standards would never have been his appearance and the type of camera, excellent – if this is excellent sound then I The interview was at Torrington, Devon, on tolerated in my day. I think it was a picture of myself taken at shudder to think what is coming out of the 9 October 1959, after the General Election in On many occasions, particularly TVC London sometime in the mid-60s! TVs given poor ratings. which Lady Violet Bonham-Carter’s son Mark coming out of regional opt outs, things On examining the new TV we could barely lost the seat he had won in a celebrated go wrong. In a recent instance, rather than see the speakers in the 5cm deep cabinet, by-election victory 18 months earlier. cutting back to the main network, the and found that they were sending the sound As the interviewer, I well remember the screen and sound went blank, we then were downwards into the TV stand, not outwards cameraman’s exact words: ‘You can wrap up shown a shot of the regional newsreader’s towards the listener. missus. Film’s gone.’” (And, by the way, the bottom disappearing out of shot on For someone who has an audio cameraman was not Colin!) the right-hand side to be followed by a background this situation was clearly not Lady Violet – without a pause – stared at totally unrelated graphic, finally followed acceptable, and I tried a number of ways to me and continued, ‘But I want you to hear by a late return to the main network. improve the sound quality. what I have to say.’ This is by no means an isolated instance. These included pricing up ‘sound bars’ John Tanton Friends in Somerset have reported getting which plug into the TV via an optical cable the wrong opt out. Is this standard now (no audio phono outs seem to be provided accepted or is something being done on the latest TVs). There is a problem – the The golden days about it? average cost was around half the cost of Tim Burrell In fact I think that I remember a the TV. of BBC Drama photographer framing such a picture The lack of phono outs makes connecting For anyone interested in the golden days of me as I tried to look intelligent. an amplifier and separate loudspeakers of BBC Drama, I have put a searchable Many thanks for Prospero, which I somewhat difficult – but there is a way. archive of all the Drama Plays Department always look forward to reading. Most new TVs have a scart connector and output from 1965 to 1987 on the internet: John Dean audio is available from this – you just need a http://www.terredebardet.com/bbc/ scart connnector to tails. Christopher Cameron

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 LETTERS 05

I joined the BBC as a 16-year-old YIT in 1941 Andrew Piper YIT too at Edinburgh. Retiring in 1984 I now live Alastair Lack very properly drew attention to I am joining the multitude who will have in Australia. George Mackenzie CONTACTS Andrew Piper’s great sense of humour in his noted Grahame Whatling’s letter in the April I joined the BBC in 1943 at the Droitwich recent obituary. issue of Prospero. Transmitter from where in due course I Visiting Scheme Andrew was one of an elite band of Bush I joined as a YIT, aged 16, in July 1944 was transferred to Daventry and then If you would like a visit or information on House broadcasters – I think of John Tuohy and in the Studios. I then spent three- Woofferton shortwave transmitter. Whilst how to become a volunteer visitor, please Francis Crowdy, inter alia – with whom sharing plus years in Bush House before doing my in Woofferton I was successful in my reply ring the Service Line on 029 2032 2811. a live microphone could be a lethal experience. National Service in the Fleet Air Arm. to a notice which appeared in the local Queries Lucky were those who reached the end of, I rejoined the BBC in 1950 when I met noticeboard regarding applications from For benefit and pension payroll queries, say, a foreign press review without corpsing. And Grahame Whatling in London Sound OBs. staff for a secondment to The Colonial Office call the Service Line on 029 2032 2811 visitors to his office when he was the respected I moved to Birmingham in 1953, still in who posted me to Nigeria where I joined or email [email protected] Head of the Romanian Service might spot on Sound OBs. In 1964 I moved to Cardiff at the staff of The Nigerian Broadcasting Service Prospero the wall behind his desk a notice reading ‘Just the time the Welsh Language Channel was who had just started local transmissions To add or delete a name from the distribution because I’m not paranoid doesn’t mean they’re opened and then moved on to Belfast as A/ in Lagos. list, ring the Service Line on 029 2032 2811. not out to get me.’ Pure Andrew. Lovely man. EiC Operations. After five years I moved back I worked in various parts of Nigeria in Prospero is provided free of charge to retired Dan Zerdin to Cardiff where I was operations planning the North and South of that country before BBC employees. On request, we will also manager until I retired in June 1988. returning to the BBC in 1956 when I joined send it to spouses or dependants who want John Wallis the staff of BBC Television OB Department in to keep in touch with the BBC. Prospero is BBC mumbo-jumbo I joined the BBC’s Group H transmitter at Kendal Avenue where I remained until also available on audio disc for those with sight impairment. To register, please ring the There can be few retired staff who can have Blackpool as a YIT in January 1942; I retired I retired in 1986. RC Smith Service Line. failed to enjoy W1A (Prospero, April 2014) 43 years later as a producer with Science which so accurately captured the BBC we Features, London. Brian Johnson BBC Club The BBC Club in London has a retired recognise so well. category membership costing £30 a year But will the BBC, in the run-up to the or £39 a year for family membership. charter renewal, get the message? I’ve just The whistle Pre-1997 life members are not affected. been glancing at some BBC jobs currently Regional clubs may have different being advertised: arrangements. Please call BBC Club ‘You will also assist the senior buyer in with fluff in it! London administration office on 020 8752 developing an annual content acquisition I’m sure that you probably have had a 6666 or email [email protected] plan for the division, back clearing inventory copious response to JJO Smith’s article Benevolent Fund for footprint expansions and managing (Prospero, April 2014), but just in case not, This is funded by voluntary contributions the replacement of write offs due to I attach a picture of the whistle mentioned. from the BBC and its purpose is to protect availability issues.’ As an old colleague of Jim’s, years ago the welfare of staff, pensioners and their ‘You will critically evaluate information in TCPD, could you pass on to him my families. Grants are made at the discretion gathered from multiple sources, reconcile appreciation of his article. Les Rottier of the Trustees. They may provide conflicts, decompose high-level information assistance in cases of unforeseen financial into details, abstract up from low-level hardship, for which help from other sources is not available. Telephone: 029 2032 3772. information to a general understanding, and distinguish user requests from the underlying Prospero Society true needs.’ Declaration of Entitlement Prospero Society is the only section of the BBC Club run by and for retired BBC staff ‘You will be a subject matter expert in It is heartening to see that the new Head Leslie Huss-Smickler, former BBC and their spouses. Its aim is to enable BBC metadata systems and process for the creation, of Pension Shared Services, Ian Cutter, is Pensions Manager, BT Pensions Policy pensioners to meet on a social basis for proof reading and aggregation of asset metadata treating us BBC pensioners as we rightly Manager and now a committee member theatre visits, luncheons, coach outings etc. to support operational delivery requirements to deserve; untrustworthy miscreants. of the BBC Pensioners’ Association, The Prospero Society is supported by internal and external customers.’ Following hot on the heels of James replies: It is a sad fact that most large BBC Club funds so as to make events ‘You will provide administrative support Hacker, Mr Cutter has, now, for the second pension schemes do experience a small affordable. The only conditions (apart from to the Talent Team, as well as providing a key year running, questioned the honesty and number of fraudulent claims where paying a small annual subscription) are link with project and production managers integrity of BBC pensioners by issuing a pensions continue to be paid well after a that you must be a BBC pensioner and a in ensuring new joiners, movers and leavers Declaration of Entitlement notice. pensioner’s death. Although such instances member of the BBC Club. Peter Mirams are appropriately set up and activated or It is quite understandable that such a are relatively few the amounts involved would be happy to answer questions from deactivated on the BBC’s systems.’ ‘questionnaire’ be issued; but annually? can be quite substantial, particularly potential members (email: pmirams@ Does the BBC understand how it damages Surely, BBC Trustees, surely not. if a pension is incorrectly paid over btinternet.com), but if you would like an its own excellent case by using such In the dark recesses of his mind does many years. application form please contact: mumbo-jumbo in its job advertisements? Mr Cutter for instance suspect that even in The Trustees have a duty to ensure that Wai Man, BBC Club, MC4 C4 - 201 Media Roger Dowling death we will most dishonestly continue to scheme members receive the benefits to Centre, Wood Lane London W12 7TQ claim our pensions and that our surviving which they are entitled and that pensions Tel: 0208 752 6666 nearest and dearest will collude in such a are paid to people who are still alive. Email: [email protected] Jamaica Inn dastardly scheme? Yes, of course he does! For people living in the UK the Trustees BBC SHOP discount Cast your mind back to the bad old days, I do not know; A Justice of the Peace, have access to a number of safeguards, Get 10% off your order at BBCShop.com when BBC Dramas were made in-house (how Minister of Religion, Bank or Building including a check with the Disclosure of Enter code BBC0001 under ‘redeem dreadfully old-fashioned), and the public used Society official, Postmaster, Member of the Death Registration Information scheme a promotion code’ at checkout to enjoy watching them. Police Force, Local Government Officer, administered by the General Register FREE UK Delivery Programmes like The Forsyte Saga, I Claudius Notary Public Or Solicitor, A medical or Office. For overseas pensioners this is not Orders can also be placed over the phone and Elizabeth R spring to mind. Dental Practitioner (who will sign such a possible and each year a Certificate of by calling 01788 821 107 and quoting The production credits for these serials document), Teacher, ‘Other’ professional, Entitlement is required to be signed and code BBC0001. list a director and one single producer. Fast Civil servant, BBC representative. I know, witnessed by a ‘competent person’. The Terms & Conditions: Discount code forward to the controversial Jamaica Inn, and I must leave the cabin more often, get out, list of such persons is very wide and most BBC0001 entitles BBC pensioners to 10% the production credits list a director, two meet folk, network. people should be able to find someone off your order at BBCShop.com. Offer is not producers, SIX executive producers and an The Notary Public I have to who qualifies and who would charge valid with any other promotional discount editor. Which poses the question, why does it engage to issue me an ‘Individual either a modest fee or none at all. or offer and subject to availability. Only one take so many extra people to produce such an Acknowledgement’,(because they refuse Completing such a Declaration is discount code can be used per transaction. BBC Shop reserves the right to change, inferior product? to sign the BBC Declaration of Entitlement common to most pension schemes and is amend or discontinue the offer at any time Roger Bunce for legal reasons), charges me for not peculiar to the BBC scheme. It may be without prior notice. Products are available the pleasure. inconvenient but it is necessary to protect whilst stocks last. Free delivery to UK only. Your most obsequious and the fund and satisfy legal requirements. Standard BBC Shop Terms & Conditions Pension thanks untrusty servant. apply. Promoter: BBC Worldwide Ltd. Thank you for the notice of pension increase David Privett Prospero says: Contact (UK) 01788 821107 (charged at dated 21 March 2014 and the associated BBC pensioner, Washington, USA If any pensioner is having difficulty basic rate) with any queries. See website Declaration of Entitlement form. Please may finding someone to sign the declaration for full Terms & Conditions. I take this opportunity to thank everyone of entitlement form on their behalf, they BBC PA for the financial support and the Prospero should contact the pension service line to For details of how to join the Pensioners’ updates, which together do much to make discuss an alternative solution. Association, see the panel on page 3. each day of retired life in Ireland a happy one. Des Spiers PROSPERO JUNE 2014 06 LIFE AFTER AUNTIE

Gail Staveacre (nee Wedgwood) started her television career in Granada TV in Manchester and joined the BBC in 1964 What goes around where she was a production assistant in Presentation. After a two-year break in the USA, she By Gail Staveacre came back to the BBC and worked on the comes around! quiz show Top Firm with . In Light Entertainment, her credits included a series with Basil Brush! and several What is a pensioner grandmother doing in a back-water riverside town in West Bengal, India, series of Top of the Pops with producer vision mixing a five-day, 12-hour-a-day live worldwide internet broadcast, and teaching trainee Johnnie Stewart. She then became a vision mixer, and cameramen how to work in a multi-camera musical setting? Good question! mixed music and comedy shows with Johnnie Stewart, Stanley Dorfman and his was my eighth visit to India, Sidney Lotterby; also Colin Charman and and it had been nine years since I Mel Cornish (both of whom left this life far had been to Mayapur. Quite a trek too early). to get there: a nine-hour flight to She moved West in 1978 and lives today TDubai, four hours’ wait for a connection, on the Mendip Hills. She is married to Tony then another seven-plus hours to Calcutta. Staveacre, who worked as a producer Mayapur is only 100 kilometres north of in Music & Arts from 1969 to 1992. Her Calcutta, following the path of the river son Dominic is a BBC videotape editor Ganges, but it can take another seven hours today, working on programmes across on the worst roads in the world, held up by all the BBC-TV channels, most recently crashed lorries and tuk-tuks, elephants and Horizon and Watchdog. Today he works monsoon weather. in a facility house just across the road from I love India, which keeps drawing me Broadcasting House, where his father back. I love the people, their dignity, their first turned up for work (as a radio studio spirituality, their acceptance of whatever manager) in September 1962. What goes life offers them. I’ve also studied the around comes around! Vedic scriptures, which are for Hindus the equivalent of the Christian Bible. In 2014, I’d been asked to help them to the cameramen were encouraged to roam so the dancers often ended up in my lap! organise internet coverage of a major festival and find interesting shots and unusual The mixing desk was a joke: a computer in Mayapur, which is an important religious framing. Stan was a designer/director; keyboard where you cut between cameras ‘The young Bengalis centre in West Bengal. setting and lighting were all-important. Soon on the arrowed keys, previewing the next The main event would be a five-day, the young Bengali cameramen were freely shot and then pulling the virtual fader down 12-hour-a-day, Kirtan Mela, which is a non- panning off singers into shots of the moon, with the mouse. (By the way, does anybody loved the expression stop community celebration, with chanting, defocusing on bits of tinsel or unusual know where I can acquire a second-hand devotional singing and dancing. headgear, and generally having fun. mixing desk that I can give them? Is there a ‘winging it’ – which I have to confess to a feeling of For the finale of the five-day event, the skip outside TV Centre where they’ve junked apprehension as we got closer to the big day. best of the singers came on. He was singing equipment now surplus to requirements?) I can remember was I had already done a one-day festival in the devotional songs about Krishna, with the Mayapur TV had not got around to UK which left me completely drained and vigour of Tom Jones! He started off very slow organising cue lights on cameras, so that Stanley Dorfman’s exhausted. How would I cope with a five-day and then increased the tempo and worked the cameramen would know when they musical event, and then three more days of the crowd so that by the end of the session, were ‘live’. Consequently there was a lot directing style in outside broadcasting? at one o’clock in the morning, the whole of shouting (‘You’re on! You’re live!’) and The indoor musical coverage would place was rocking – I mean rocking! Health frantic hand signals. All this was broadcast the 1970s.’ boast four cameras. The young volunteer and Safety didn’t get a look in: the camera around the world via the website of Mayapur cameramen only turned up minutes before cables were stuck down to the floor with a TV. You can still catch recorded highlights we started, so there was no chance to have bit of sellotape which kept coming unstuck, on YouTube. a ‘getting to know you’ talk. In TV Centre and the dancers were tangling with the The following week, the unit went studios, 50 years ago, we had the benefit of cables and unplugging the cameras. But it outdoors, to cover a series of pilgrimage working with good friends and knowing was all very good humoured and we had a processions, which proceeded in boats the ropes. In Mayapur TV in 2014, we were down the river Ganges (wonderfully caught already in the middle of the first broadcast on camera by helicopter cam – a wireless session when I found out that the reason ‘We filmed this camera suspended in a 2ft square contraption my pleas of ‘pan right!’ to Camera 3 got no with rotary blades on each corner and response was because he was one of three remotely controlled), then crossed over to cameramen who spoke Bengali and not procession with a the other side, where as many as 10,000 much English – and I don’t do Bengali! The pilgrims walked 14km over paddy fields, fourth chap spoke good English, having been specially created through forests, up hills and down dales, educated at an international school. With his stopping for breakfast and lunch under help, we soon found a way to communicate. ‘outside broadcast canopies that had been erected by I was directing, as well as vision mixing. volunteer caterers. Mayapur TV has no budgets, so multi-tasking vehicle’ which was We filmed this procession with a specially is an imperative! I was keen to show them created ‘outside broadcast vehicle’ which was how to make a long musical event more actually a bicycle with actually a bicycle with a platform mounted interesting, by varying the predictable on the back wheel and two big antennae. To pattern of an establishing wide shot and a platform mounted get it off the boat required extra volunteers then individual close-ups. I encouraged to push it up the bank through the Ganges them to be more adventurous, to seek out mud. Four wifis had to be cobbled together the best dancers, panning and zooming, on the back wheel…’ to create a signal that could be beamed back and recognising some general terms of to the ‘control room’ in Mayapur, and from camerawork, dredged from my memory of fantastic time. It brought back a lot of happy there to satellites. TVC Studio 6 alongside Stanley Dorfman and memories of Light Entertainment shows in It‘s hard to get your mind around the Johnnie Stewart. the 60s and early 70s. idea of a worldwide audience tuning in The young Bengalis loved the expression I remember standing up in front of to our joyful gathering on the banks of ‘winging it’ – which I can remember was the mixing desk at one point and saying: the sacred river Ganges. In the glory Gail Staveacre. Stanley Dorfman’s directing style in the ‘This is MAD!’ The mixing desk was on the days of TV Centre, we could never have 1970s. He hardly ever had a camera script: floor in the hall, close to the musicians, imagined this.

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 LIFE AFTER AUNTIE 07 Sponned! BBCPA AGM Former BBC Radio producer, John Henty, had a big surprise recently when presenting his personal tribute to in Lewes, East Sussex.

During a musical break in the entertainment, when Anne later admitted that she was a John was approached by a woman who regular in the Camden Theatre audience, quietly informed him that Peter Seller’s first watching her husband at his happiest! wife, Anne Levy, was sitting in the front row ‘We’d never met before either, so this was and that she was his daughter, Sarah. a very special occasion for me and we plan ‘I was totally sponned,’ John told to keep in touch. In fact Sarah hopes to join Prospero. ‘Obviously I had no idea that me for future evenings devoted to Spike and Anne and Sarah were in, so there was me the Goons. They are proving very popular Pinkoes and Traitors is the intriguing title of Professor Jean recounting my two Goon Show visits in 1957 and good money-raisers for charity.’ Seaton’s forthcoming official history of the BBC (1974-1987). Jean was one of two guest speakers at North 3 wins an ‘Oscar’ this year’s Pensioners’ Association AGM. Joy Moore. Speaking to a packed gathering at Friends Meeting House on the subject of BBC CMCR9/North 3 – the last BBC Type 2 colour scanner still on the Crises Past and Present, she reflected on road – has won an award. the immediate problems and uncertainties facing the Corporation and the worrying replacing more than 100 discrete transistors. lack of political, press and even civil service Meanwhile, Eric Hignett has been understanding or sympathy for the BBC. building an amazing generator, powered by a Ford Transit diesel engine. In ‘proof of concept’ form, this was a real Heath Robinson affair on a trailer, with a motorbike silencer and speed maintained by a modified cruise control for a car. It worked and the first run, apart from producing a tremendous amount of noise, delivered 40 amps at 230 volts, which powered three aircon units and other auxilliaries in North 3, all electronics One drain on BBC finances is of course being kept well away from this unproven the pension scheme deficit. Appropriately beast for the test run. Eric went away to enough the other warmly welcomed guest he Duncan Neale Award for scratch his head, refine the design and try to speaker was Joy Moore, the CEO of the Excellence in Preservation has been make it produce less noise! BBC Pension Trust. Joy spoke of the deficit awarded by the British Vintage North 3 was booked at the time of recovery plan agreed with the BBC and other Wireless Society to Steve Harris, writing to take part in the Cheshire issues around the (now closed) scheme. Tthe owner of the restored North 3 OB unit, Commercial Vehicle Run on 27 April starting These included the Scottish referendum, the which entered service in 1969. at Lymm Truckstop on the M6. This is a trip changes in the way the various price indices Steve’s self-effacing acceptance speech of over 100 miles. It will be appearing at are compiled and the legal requirement for lavished praise on his small team of Kelsall Steam and Vintage Rally near Tarvin, Professor Jean Seaton. all pension schemes like ours to tell members dedicated volunteers and their multifarious Cheshire, on 21-22 June. of the ‘wind-up’ procedures in the event of talents, but not mentioned was his own Kelsall is a special event for ERF vehicles, any failure of the employer to support them. multi-skilled determination without which originally manufactured at nearby Sandbach, Jean spoke warmly of Tony Hall who – Joy also explained the way in which the the North 3 Project would never have got as it marks the 25th anniversary of the thankfully – was untainted by many of the Trustees now operate and are supported by a off the ground. enthusiasts’ club. Steve is hoping to take his Corporation’s self-inflicted wounds. To her, pension team independent of the BBC itself. Steve and his team spent the winter latest acquisition, ex-BBC Type 7 scanner he is the silver lining on a very dark cloud. The Association expressed its praise for the getting ready for the new show season LO23 (an ERF E6) to display alongside The next few years will see huge financial Scheme, which continues to be one of the and preparing new treats for the visitors. North 3. Restoration has not yet started, challenges as we approach Charter Renewal. best managed in the country. October saw Steve H produce the first so it will be just as it was when rescued She urged all retired staff (she used the Both these speeches and the other pictures for many years from a 44-year-old from imminent destruction at a scrapyard term ‘alumni’) to rally to the Corporation’s proceedings at the AGM can be heard by EMI 2001 camera and December saw the following decommissioning by SIS. defence before and after the election and our members on the Association’s website. first powering-up by Steve Jones of a very Later in the summer we expect North to support the Association’s Memory Bank Non-members who would like to hear them rare Philips PC80 camera originally from 3 to be at the Wilmslow Show in July and project – the place where much of the BBC’s can join the Association using the application North 1/CMCR7. Richard Ellis, former Chief the highlight of the season will be another DNA could, over time, be captured and form on page 3. Engineer of Pye TVT Ltd, has restored to appearance at the popular Onslow Park Steam stored for public good. David Allen full operation the original Pye sync pulse Rally near Shrewsbury over the August Bank generators which he designed back in the Holiday weekend. 60s. This involved finding equivalents and Jerry Clegg ABBAversary The 1974 in Brighton ‘Both evenings were special for different was joyously celebrated again on 6 April reasons,’ John told Prospero. ‘I even had when Christopher Green presented his the original programme and tickets to ‘ABBAversary’ in the contest’s original show people and everyone sang along location, the Brighton Dome. and dressed in seventies gear! There were BBC Radio Brighton producer, John also tales of tight security, Katie Boyle’s Henty, was in the audience on both underwear (don’t ask) and technical occasions and recalled for Chris the impact problems with the scoring. Producer made by ABBA with their winning entry Michael Hurll and executive producer ‘Waterloo’ and the jaw-dropping set by . designer John Burrowes.

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 08 MEMORIES The night they forgot to read the news It was the picture of Alexandra Palace in the April edition of Prospero that jolted my memory. Quite out of the blue I suddenly saw, in my mind’s-eye, the figure of a long-forgotten BBC TV newsreader strolling through the main entrance of Alexandra Palace – his jacket slung nonchalantly over his shoulder – saying, ‘Well, we Corbet Woodall. thought at least one of us better turn up today.’

hy did he say that? What variety of roles. Brandishing his modest Service radio announcers were rostered to which also has a cameo role for the then did it mean? Who was that CV, he applied to the BBC for a job and read. BBC Television News was a separate Head of News Desmond Taylor (who gets newsreader? There seemed to was offered a contract as a temporary stage department. It had its own staff and its own a custard pie thrown in his face). be some mental connection manager by BBC TV Outside Broadcasts. troupe of national newsreaders including an withW ‘Sooty and Sweep’. Surely not. Maybe it was Things did not go well. Woodall confesses Australian – Barry McQueen. Home movie Sooty’s creator – something Corbet? that he was the ‘worst stage manager the BBC There was good news for Woodall – In the Alexandra Palace home movie, After a cup of coffee it finally clicked. had ever employed’. During a routine keel- McQueen had decided to return to the Baker’s jar of Brylcreem hairdressing has Corbet wasn’t a surname – it was a Christian hauling by his boss, Peter Dimmock, Woodall Antipodes, creating a highly desirable vacant been half-inched by Aspel and as the two name. The name of the newsreader was happened to mention that he’d done a bit of slot for a new national newsreader. chase each other around Alexandra Palace Corbet Woodall. But what did he mean by announcing back in New Zealand. But there was also bad news. Woodall they forget entirely about reading the news saying ‘One of us better turn up today’? In a classic BBC management manoeuvre, chanced to read a confidential memo which at 8.45pm. The studio director asks someone A delve through ancient diaries helped tie Dimmock pounced on the possibility of revealed that he was ranked only as the third to ‘get Corbet Woodall in’. Woodall rushes down the approximate date of this incident unloading this unpromising stage manager most suitable replacement for McQueen and into the studio, hastily takes off his raincoat – June 1965. onto another department. With ‘unflattering – even worse – there was a confidential note and sits down to read the news still I’d been dispatched by the late Alan alacrity’ – as Woodall describes it – Dimmock appended to the memo saying that Woodall wearing his trilby. Protheroe (then news in Wales and later picked up the phone to BBC Chief Announcer was only to be used on the national news in (Everyone can now savour this assistant DG) on a two-week BBC TV News John Snagge. There followed ‘the most the ‘direst emergency’. private vintage movie on YouTube scriptwriting course at Alexandra Palace held frightening and thorough audition’ which A contemporary BBC training document on http://tinyurl.com/pxlhdtj.) by the vastly-experienced and highly-respected was conducted by Andrew Timothy which set out the essential qualities of the kind However sometimes truth has a funny Richard Thorndike. Amongst the other somehow Woodall survived. He was now a of man (there were no female newsreaders way of following fiction. We now move students were luminaries like parliamentary BBC Home Service announcer. in 1965) who might be suitable for TV to a night sometime between 13 June and correspondent Brian Curtois. At Ally Pally newsreading. ‘He needs an actor’s confidence 25 June 1965. The bulletin is ready, the we played with all the hardware in Studio B Overnighter in his lines; he needs presence; he must be films are laced-up in telecine, the sep-mag and in the world’s first television studio – the In a matter of months Woodall found himself – and look – alert and interested; he must is synced, the pick-up arms are hovering legendary Studio A. It was tremendous fun. elevated from mere announcing to radio communicate a relish for news as such. He above the sound-effects discs. The scripts Thorndike was a gifted mentor. newsreading. The news studio, however, must obviously have the technical equipment – typed ‘stencils’ – have been rolled-off on wasn’t in Broadcasting House itself but in of voice and diction... and a basic seriousness the Gestetner machines and manually put in the now-demolished Egton House nearby. that is never solemn or pompous.’ order. The studio is in the sacrosanct period Announcers scheduled to read the early- It was a high bar to clear – but once more of ‘line-up’ – and, just as in the home movie, ‘Woodall confesses morning bulletins normally slept overnight Woodall was lucky. The two top candidates the newsreader’s desk is empty. in a bedroom in the BBC Langham building for the job both left the BBC. Despite all the As the clocks tick remorselessly towards that he was the ‘worst across the road. reservations expressed about him, Woodall transmission time not even Woodall is on Woodall recalls that one morning his was appointed to succeed McQueen. hand to save the day. A sub-editor is drafted stage manager the BBC alarm clock failed to go off. He woke up Now Corbet Woodall found himself in as a stand-in (who was it I wonder?) with just four minutes to go. There was working alongside three newsreaders The bulletin – minus the newsreader – is had ever employed…’ nothing for it but to leap into one of the who were well-established, instantly duly broadcast. immaculately veneered lifts, run across the recognisable household names – Robert The following day there were – to put road, grab the script from the sub-editor and Dougall, and Richard Baker. it mildly – consequences… hence the But back to Corbet Woodall – and that read the bulletin – in his pyjamas. He’d arrived. arrival of Corbet (and I suspect the three enigmatic remark of his. Just what did it mean? In those days, Town and Around was the The relatively carefree atmosphere of other newsreaders as well) to read the Well. I have to confess my recall isn’t that weekday, 20-minute London version of the BBC Television News in those days is lunchtime news. As for which one of the reliable here. Maybe other Prospero readers can BBC’s regional television news magazines. graphically conveyed in a never-to-be- team was actually supposed to have read help, but I believe that curious remark must Within each programme was a five-minute transmitted home movie starring Richard the previous night’s bulletin we trainees have been made the morning after ‘the night ‘hard news’ bulletin which a rota of Home Baker, Michael Aspel and Corbet Woodall were never told. they forgot to read the news’. Continued on page 9... In those days the audience for BBC Television News was huge – measured in the tens of millions every night. There was a rota of just four newsreaders: , Michael Aspel, Richard Baker and… Corbet Woodall. Although everyone of a certain age can Richard Baker. remember the first three, most people have Michael Aspel. Robert Dougall. never heard of Woodall and most of the rest have probably forgotten him – just as, I’m sorry to say, I had. There wasn’t much information on the internet but I did discover there was an old out-of-print autobiography – price one penny – available on Amazon. Would this provide a clue? The modest little paperback duly turned up – and the story turned out to be an intriguing one. Woodall had in fact tumbled accidentally into his newsreading. Although a native of Hampshire, he had worked for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation in a

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 MEMORIES 09

than return to BH empty-handed, Woodall Although confined to a wheelchair, opted to drop his own trousers and be his TV news-reading career wasn’t quite Michael Lumley ‘Yoko Ono was filmed in the buff standing on a treadmill over. He was recruited by Tim Brooke- contraption as he did a simultaneous running Taylor and Graeme Garden as the ‘official addresses the making a film commentary. This second tape was never newsreader’ for the Goodies TV comedy broadcast but Woodall’s incognito posterior series. Filming an episode in Weymouth London Lunch 2014 about bottoms!’ did materialise in the movie – along with an in the free and easy days before Health The London Lunch is an annual fixture in on-screen credit (the last thing he wanted). and Safety restrictions, Woodall found the social calendar for retired engineering The credit did not go unnoticed by reporters himself being wedged into a newsdesk-on- and operational staff. As for Corbet Woodall, he was made invited to the film’s press preview. The next wheels – which preceded a mobile bath This year, held on 4 March and once redundant by the BBC in 1967 and turned day Woodall was headline news. containing a naked model. Gradually the again at the Victory Services Club, for the to freelancing. He presented Look East in Incredibly Woodall, who frankly admitted ‘newsdesk’ – with a helpless Woodall on first time in the El Alamein room, around Norwich and provided contributions for the he was never any kind of journalist himself, board – picked up speed down an incline 60 longstanding friends and colleagues Today programme. He became a household went on to chair Any Questions? and its and hit a brick wall at 25 miles an hour. held a wonderful reunion. name himself after a strange encounter with stablemate Any Answers. In fact, one of the Miraculously he wasn’t hurt. The episode Traditionally the occasion has drawn Yoko Ono, who at the time was producing guests on the last Any Questions? he chaired was given many repeat transmissions, for first-class speakers such as Sir David a bizarre feature-length film on the beauty was an up-and-coming Tory backbencher each of which Woodall received an 84p Attenborough, Sir Paul Fox, Kate Adie of people’s naked bottoms. She was inviting called . repeat fee. OBE, Martin Bell OBE, Sir Jeremy Isaacs, members of the public to have their derriers In 1968 at the age of 38, Corbet Woodall Corbet Woodall died in 1982. He left a John Jarvey, DG Mark Thompson, and in filmed. (You can probably already guess began suffering from pain and swelling widow and two daughters from his previous 2013, Will Wyatt CBE. This year we were where this is going…) in his hands and feet. He had contracted marriage and a legacy of good works for the delighted to welcome Michael Lumley. rheumatoid arthritis. It was an affliction he victims of a terrible disease – not least is his Yoko Ono would endure for the rest of his life – during modest little autobiography A Disjointed Life The Today programme commissioned which he would do an enormous amount for (now alas out of print) which is not only an Woodall to interview Yoko and then, after fellow sufferers and for support charities. entertaining read but an inspiring handbook the interview had been broadcast, return the He and Lord Snowdon were collaborating for fellow sufferers. following day to interview volunteers being on developing a TV programme for the Meanwhile, was Corbet Woodall the filmed for her movie. disabled when it transpired that the BBC was newsreader who forgot to read the news? I However when Woodall turned up for the also considering something similar. Corbet haven’t yet been able to establish the truth. second time he found that, despite the wrote in on the off-chance to the BBC and Perhaps for now it’s a question best left pre-publicity on Today, there were no found himself co-presenter of a series of 10 hanging in the air. volunteers queuing up to be filmed. Rather programmes called Contact, made in 1976. David Morris Jones

From clockwork to

pocket high-def Mike gave an overview of his experiences of a long and distinguished career in the When Colin Rowe remarked that he’d seen a whole technology born and die in his working life BBC. In his early years he was a director/ executive producer, Television Outside (Prospero, April 2014), it provoked some similar thoughts from Graeme Aldous. Broadcasts, specialising in broadcasting ceremonial and political events. For In the early 80s I was given an attachment direct him. ‘Oh, no need to, lad,’ he said. ‘I’ve recording?’ ‘No… we just thought you ought example, this included overall responsibility for coverage of the funeral of Lord from BBC Radio Cleveland (now BBC Tees) already got as much as Roger will want.’ I to know.’ It later turned out it was the first Mountbatten, the wedding of Prince to the features department at BBC Newcastle thought we’d need lighting and tripods, but time they’d used the kit themselves, and were Charles and Lady Diana and the papal as a researcher to the North Country natural he’d just been unobtrusively getting on with more terrified than I was. visit to the UK. history opt-out. it, filming the shots on his Bolex. ‘Come on, Now, of course, all that is so far behind us. Moving over to Head Resource One of my first jobs was to drive to son… there’s a pub near Bellingham does a For my latest DVD production, everything was Planning for Network Television, he later Kielder Reservoir to learn more about the really mean meat pie! I love coming up here… my own work… I filmed, presented, scripted held a number of senior positions: General salmon hatchery there. Although I was new it’s so peaceful after Tyneside.’ and edited it, all on my own. I even burn the Manager Film Group, Controller Production to television, I wasn’t new to programme- All the chuntering had just been teasing DVDs and labels, and assemble them and Resources Network Television, Controller making, and realised that in a couple of days me, and we sat in the pub while he asked the wraps into their cases. It’s all done on Production Resources (London, BBC there would be an event happening that me all about how local radio worked. Some three-grands-worth of kit, and online sales are Resources), Director of Operations (UK, should be captured as part of the story we’d years later the worldwide. A long way from a wind-up Bolex BBC Resources), and Director of be telling in full a few weeks later. in the region instituted an awards trophy in Kielder. Production Services. Post BBC, he is now The producer, Roger Burgess, had enough in his memory. And all this is particularly appropriate, as heavily involved in the organisation of the faith in me to agree that it should be filmed, But already things were changing. A few I’ve just bought myself a new stills camera. International Broadcasting Convention. and that he would ask ‘Arfur Nick’ to go back weeks later I inadvertently became a pioneer It’s small enough to fit in a shirt pocket, and In outlining his personal progression to Kielder with me. I was told that Arthur for the North East (and maybe for BBC goes with me everywhere. It’s mainly so I over the years, he showed just how Nicholson was a legend at BH Newcastle – a regions as a whole) as the first person to don’t miss those wildlife shots when my dog valuable a background of hands-on film cameraman of the old school who had direct a features shoot on tape. High Bank takes me for my morning walks in the woods. programme-making experience is when been everywhere and done everything, and U-Matic (BVU) had been accepted by the But it also films in full 1920 x 1080 50i High moving into management positions. He who now did occasional semi-retired shifts engineers for news gathering for some time Definition. Maybe it doesn’t handle like a stressed the importance of being open, where 16mm mute film was all that was – its instant playback over-ruled any disquiet proper video camera, and the audio is a poor straight and honest in one’s dealings. Mike needed. He would look after me. about picture quality. Now, as from Sunday it relation – t’was ever thus! – but it will give told some lovely anecdotes, amusing and As Arthur drove us to Kielder, he would become allowable for opt-out features. me an excellent broadcast-quality back-up memory jogging. chuntered about how far it was, and how he I was booked to direct a piece for North camera for under £400. On behalf of all attending, John hated the journey along the winding roads. Country on the Monday, so Roger said I wonder what ‘Arfur Nick’ would have Lightfoot thanked Mike for a thoroughly OK, so Kielder is a ‘if-I-were-going-to-Kielder, we’d try it on tape. thought of it? entertaining and enjoyable address. I-wouldn’t-start-from-here’ sort of place, but The BBC hadn’t yet got any tape- The team organising this annual event I didn’t think it was that bad. At the salmon equipped crews, so we hired a team from is Malcolm Johnson, Mike Davies, Brian hatchery, I was a bit out of my depth (as it Samuelson’s. The two lads – one for the Prior, John Lightfoot and Keith Harlow. were), not sure what shots to get and how. camera and one for the recording machine on The 2015 London Lunch will be Arthur apparently just wandered around, until its umbilical – seemed very earnest, telling me announced in a future edition of Prospero. I finally plucked up enough courage to try to that ‘at 3.25 a dog barked’. ‘Did it affect the

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 10 OBITUARIES Political editor at Radio Brighton Victor Poole the centre of the founding manager There was nobody like Victor. He was one of CETel’s ‘characters’ and a very lovable Real Lives storm The founding manager of BBC Radio one. He had a marvellous sense of humour, Brighton, Robert ‘Bob’ Gunnell, died on sometimes wicked; he was also the Easter Saturday aged 87. He was one of the undoubted master of the ‘double entendre’ last pioneering local radio managers of suggesting on one occasion that if audience the 1960s. figures were the channel controller’s Educated at Hove Grammar School, prime concern, CE’s next cookery series he joined H Group transmitter at Brighton should be: ‘Seven ways with an aubergine’. as a Youth in Training. He progressed, mainly Victor was an innovator and CE’s Arts through attachments, to produce Home This producer par excellence. He produced Afternoon, for older listeners to the Home Service. some very distinguished work. In the field His belief in the power of radio to of music he devised the much-praised motivate communities led him to volunteer Orchestra with Jane Glover, but his major for one of the early local radio trials. breakthrough was in the area of social Eventually, the Government allowed the history, with first The Parkers of Saltram BBC to open eight experimental stations and later Mistress of Hardwick. including Radio Brighton. What was revolutionary was Victor’s David Holmes, who died on 28 February Bob’s dream of becoming a local radio use of outside broadcasting cameras, new SMs, encouraging them and passing after a long illness, near Bungay, Suffolk, was manager in his home town was close to normally deployed on the football on his knowledge. political editor from 1975 to 1980, and later reality. He took a full week’s programme pitch and the golf course, in unique In the 1970s Henry worked for the held significant positions within the BBC. schedule to the Board…and got the job. architectural settings, bringing the Foreign Relations Department, ‘because I He was 87. His early appointments were inspired. Elizabethan workers of Hardwick Hall have so many of them myself!’ He looked David was born in Thetford. After military One recruit was a middle-aged man, the and those who lived there to life. after overseas broadcasters at live events, service as an officer in the Kings Royal Rifle late Keith Slade, who had never been near He used actors who spoke only authentic including the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest. Corps, he worked on local newspapers. a radio studio; he became a network arts words, drawn from letters and contemporary Always with an ear for a tune, and having Out on a story, David met BBC reporter, and drama producer. Another was Carole documents researched and distilled into sat through the rehearsal, he predicted the Peter Hardiman Scott (later political editor) Stone, later producer of Any Questions?, now a dialogue by Alison Plowden. The results winner: ‘Sweden – some group called ABBA.’ who suggested he apply to become a BBC successful businesswoman. were stunning. Henry had many passions: family, reporter. Fortuitously, a former newspaper Visitors to Hardwick Hall alone increased friends, synagogue, chamber music, colleague, Tom Maltby, interviewed him for by 65,000 after the first transmission, bridge, crosswords, sport, mathematics the job. while the accompanying publication went and technology. David joined the BBC in 1956 as a general into reprint. Years before grandchildren had been news reporter. He was attached to the BBC’s We were all self-scheduling, but thought of, Dad bought a BBC Micro parliamentary team under Roland Fox to Victor worked quite ‘unusual hours’ and computer. When asked why he’d bothered, cover the Suez debates, and then appointed endeavoured to persuade a succession of he replied: ‘Because I want to be able to talk a permanent Westminster correspondent departmental heads that this was because to my grandchildren.’ That was typical of in 1961. he had his most brilliant ideas in the bath! him; always thinking ahead and connecting He became deputy to Hardiman Scott and But above all Victor was a kind and with people. also presented the weekly political review compassionate human being with a great Henry was a loving husband, father, programme, Westminster at Work, on BBC2, wit and excellent company. grandfather, brother and friend. We developing his skills as a superlative Sheila Innes miss him. television presenter. Helen Kuttner In 1972, David left Westminster to ‘Not one day of launch the Radio Four arts programme Head of Arabic Service Kaleidoscope. Later he presented TV News boredom!’ as Extra on BBC2. and leading figure in He returned to Westminster in 1975 a radio SM the BBC Secretariat as political editor and provided the first Born in Berlin, 1929, Henry Kuttner initially live radio commentary at Question had a happy childhood. Nazism ended Jim Norris, former Head of the Arabic The freelancers included Barbara Myers, who and Eastern Services in Bush House and Time during the House of Commons that, and with his close family he became a became a medical specialist with Radio 4, previously a leading figure in the BBC broadcasting experiment. refugee aged nine. Tragically his grandparents Ken Blakeson, a Sony award-winning R4 Secretariat, died at his home in Norfolk on David was held in high regard by his and uncle perished at Theresienstadt and playwright, and an insurance man called 6 January 2014. He was 84. colleagues and was elected chairman of the Auschwitz. Des Lynam. Jim’s career spanned journalism, parliamentary lobby journalists. Later, Henry was to tell his story as a Bob was a hard taskmaster. He was also administration, management, the army, the In 1980, he succeeded Hardiman Scott as witness, visiting schools in Germany and an innovator. When a freak snowstorm cut law and the writing of history, in a way that chief assistant to the director general, Sir Ian the UK. He wasn’t bitter but he refused to off the South Coast on 8 December 1967, testifies to an enormous intellectual and Trethowan. When Alastair Milne became DG, be silent. He was grateful to this country for Bob put Radio Brighton on air two months physical energy and dedication. David was appointed secretary of the BBC, offering him sanctuary and he was proud to early. Within hours, he organised transmission After graduating from Cambridge, holding the ring between Milne and the BBC be British. feeds, set up studio facilities and a makeshift he joined and held posts as chairman, Stuart Young. After National Service and an engineering newsroom. With radio and television publicity, correspondent in Rome, Brussels, Paris and David’s sternest test came in 1985 over a course, Henry joined the BBC as an engineer the operation was literally a lifesaver. Teheran, and as Middle East correspondent programme in the Real Lives series. Furious at Alexandra Palace transmitter in 1953. The three-day week in the 70s left stations in Beirut. that a senior republican paramilitary was Henry married Molly in Norwich, 1956. without power to broadcast warnings about He joined the BBC Arabic Service in 1959 interviewed, the Thatcher Government They raised two daughters, Sue and Helen, electricity cuts in their areas. Bob’s idea was and in seven years as a Talks writer he also confronted the BBC. The BBC governors and later were blessed with grandchildren to fire up the transmitter with a Mr Softy served as an officer in the Territorial Army viewed the programme in advance, then Ben and Hannah. ice-cream van. and worked in the archives in London on banned it from being broadcast, despite Most of his career was as a radio studio Bob Gunnell ran Radio Brighton for a book on The First Afghan War 1838-42, protests from the BBC board of management. manager, a job he loved. ‘Not one day of 15 years. He also gave his own time generously which was published in 1967. David, at the centre of this political storm, boredom!’ to the community, serving on Hove Borough Years later, in 1985, it was accepted as made sure that it was shown later, with People liked working with Henry and they Council, as a magistrate, and helping to create trusted him. a thesis for a doctorate in the Cambridge only minor changes. Brighton and Hove Arts Council. He was always prepared; not for nothing History faculty, and in 2010 to Jim’s great He retired in 1985, becoming a member Bob’s first wife, Eve, died early in known as ‘Henry – the man with two of pleasure it was reprinted in paperback. of the Broadcasting Complaints Commission. the1970s. They had two sons, Terry and Neil. everything!’ His 14 years in the BBC Secretariat, He leaves two daughters and three Forty-one years ago, Bob married Anne. Henry was known for his humour, always culminating in five years as Deputy Secretary, grandchildren. Condolences go to her, and their families. cheerful, game for a chat, and helpful to gave him a close understanding and Brian Curtois David Waine

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 OBITUARIES 11 practical experience of BBC governance and North Television Unit as a TV studio manager. She was closely involved in the music scene constitutional procedures. For some years While working in the embryonic news in Kent and married her first love, his lucid articles about then current issues in studio in ‘the crypt’ at Dickenson Road the lead singer of Vanity Fair, Trevor Brice. the BBC’s bureaucratic heart were circulated Studios, a former church, he created the She often told the story of watching him widely to staff through the Corporation. region’s first, highly unofficial telecine appear on Top of the Pops wearing one In the midst of it all he found time to apparatus ‘from bits and pieces he found of her waistcoats which she had thought MONEY MATTERS qualify as a Barrister and though he never lying around’. was missing. practised he was for several years a member It became officially recognised and was Five years ago she was diagnosed with Eurozone recovery? of the Bar Association for Commerce, actually used for local news broadcasts until breast cancer. After lengthy treatment, Whatever happened to worries about Finance and Industry. eventually being replaced by commercial she appeared to be recovering. Then, Eurozone collapse? He came back to Bush House as Head equipment which cost a great deal more. unexpectedly, it returned and she passed Cast your mind back just over a year to of the Eastern Service in 1981. He used to In 1967, Charles was seconded to Jordan away at Medway Hospital. March 2013. The Eurozone was going say he had been too long away and felt he Television for 12 months, to establish their John Brice through its fifth bailout, with Cyprus on the was coming back to his true BBC home, the news operation. brink of meltdown. There was a fear that a major country, like Italy or Spain, might more so when he became Head of the Arabic He left the BBC in 1973 with the then Technical follow, exhausting the Eurozone bailout Service in 1986. Northern Industrial Correspondent, Harold capacity. A test looked imminent for that He was a man who got things done, Webb, to set up a well equipped new video investigations famous 2012 pledge made by the quick, methodical and decisive. Though production facility for the Distributive Brian Pover, who has died recently, European Central Bank’s (ECB) chairman, deeply committed to traditional BBC values Industries Training Board, with whom he after some months of illness, stood high Mario Draghi, that the Bank would do he was also a moderniser – for example, remained until his retirement. among his engineering colleagues; both at “whatever it takes” to save the euro. while some of us were skeptical, he Over the years, he maintained his strong Evesham – where he taught (and designed Fifteen months on and the word enthusiastically embraced and was quick to interest in electronics as a licenced radio and built a complete television camera for Eurozone is no longer automatically twinned with the word ‘crisis’: master the new computer technology as it amateur (G1LDP) and also embraced teaching television broadcasting engineering • Ireland officially left its bailout programme was being introduced into Bush House. computing. techniques) and Television Centre, where he at the end of 2013, after three years William Crawley In his final days he was still taking things was technical investigations engineer. to bits and making modifications. Our of treatment. In that role, he contributed greatly to • Greece, which had two bailouts, was condolences to Audrey and her family on The first TV studio raising the standards of performance of able to raise €3bn of five year their sad loss and our thanks for providing much of the complex equipment involved government debt in April at a cost of manager in the North notes on his life. Thanks also to Sybil in broadcasting. only 4.95%. The bond issue was eight Jenazian, Pensioner Visitor, for her help. In one situation – during the preparations times oversubscribed, despite Greece Jerry Clegg for the general election in the 60s, the having a B- ‘junk’ credit rating. programme producer complained about • Portugal followed Greece by raising Stalwart of national the excessive, geometric distortion in €750m of 10 year bonds at a rate of just the broadcast images: it was due to the under 3.6% later in April. It was the radio newsroom combination of television camera electronic government’s first bond auction in three years and comes ahead of a likely exit geometry and the complex optics of the Jackie Hearn – who worked in the national from its bailout programme. radio newsroom in a variety of roles for zoom lens, then in use. Brian – within a few • Spain, which did not have a formal more than 20 years – has passed away after days – organised a complete replacement of bailout, but did receive EU funds to a long illness. all the recently installed, camera electronics support its banks, is also finding favour She began her BBC career in 1974 with available alternatives and compensating in the markets. Its 10 year government with BBC Radio Medway after a spell with characteristics, for correcting the bonds are now yielding about 3%, the Municipal Journal writing about local broadcast image. against over 7.5% in 2012. government affairs. On another occasion, the problem was Does all this mean that the Eurozone is on Her contacts with senior police officers the arrival of 625 line television – and the the road to recovery? The answer is, led her to edit a weekly programme, need for 405/625 line conversion of the perhaps inevitably, yes and no. The Crime Call,which involved the local police broadcast. Brian conceived the possibility ‘periphery’ countries are no longer the concern that they were, but serious making appeals to the public for help in of using the inherent, inter-field, image – economic issues remain. Greece still has a storing facility of the mighty Eidaphor solving crimes. mountain of debt that experts expect will One of the main presenters was Chief screen projector. require another write down at some point. Superintendent David Hatcher who went on By re-adjusting the temperature of the Spain continues to have an unemployment Charles Farmer, one of the pioneers of to become a main character in Crimewatch on oil-image, it was possible to bot write at 625 rate of over 25%, with a youth television news in the North Region, died national television. lines and 50 fields and to read-of, at 405 unemployment of double that level. after a short illness on 29 November last year He said: ‘Without Jackie’s help and lines; or even at 525 and 60 fields. Ironically, worries are now moving from at the age of 91. guidance I would never have been able However, as development of this concept the periphery to the core, and in particular For many years he worked in the to make the transition to Crimewatch. Her proceeded, the eventual arrival of digital France. The Eurozone’s second largest Manchester newsroom, although he was also vision for the programme was way ahead television standards conversion resulted in economy is struggling to meet its 3% EU involved in other areas and was instrumental of its time. the abandonment of further developments in government borrowing target – already in establishing the ground-breaking ‘She was a brilliant journalist and a this field. twice deferred - has 10%+ unemployment, almost no economic growth and a deeply series Your Life in Their Hands, which for the wonderful woman who will be sadly missed.’ Brian was married to Clare – his equal first time, went with consultants into the unpopular President. While at BBC Radio Medway, Jackie intellectually – with two children, Vivienne In the Eurozone background is the spectre operating theatre to bring the latest medical covered many of the big stories of the day. and Vincent. developments to the viewing public. of deflation (falling prices). Inflation in the zone Her news editor at the time, Langley Brown, J Kelleher is now 0.5%, a long way below the ECB’s Charles was born in Cambridge and said: ‘From the start of every working day target of slightly under 2%. Mr Draghi could was reading medicine at the University Jackie would lift our spirits by opening new yet end up doing “whatever it takes”… there when the war broke out. He was perspectives on whatever was on the menu. As independent financial advisers, Chase commissioned into the Royal Corps She was the sunshine in so much of de Vere can help you make an informed of Signals where he worked on the our lives.’ In brief decision about the best investment strategy development of radar, but was discharged She left Medway to join the BBC in the - In the April issue of Prospero we for you. For a free initial consultation call us on 0845 140 4014. on medical grounds towards the end of the national newsroom at Broadcasting House incorrectly published Eric Stoves’ age war. He then joined the BBC at 200 Oxford as 78, whereas he was in fact 87. Chase de Vere is one of a panel of in London. There she began working on the independent financial advisers selected Street working on Radio Newsreel and later local radio desk. - Thank you to the friends and family by the BBC. Chase de Vere Independent in Recorded Programmes. From there she began writing the hourly of Alan Arbuthnott who contributed Financial Advisers Limited is authorised Still in Recorded Programmes, he news summaries for all five of the BBC’s to the obituary which appeared in the and regulated by the Financial transferred to the BBC North Region in national radio stations. She also worked as a April edition. Conduct Authority. The value of your investment can go 1945, shortly afterwards meeting his wife reporter covering the major UK stories of - Muriel Withers, who was featured in Audrey, who also worked in the Corporation, Prospero in 2011 on the occasion of her down as well as up and you may not get the day. back the full amount you invested. Past 100th birthday, died recently at the age and they had three children. Jackie retired in 2007 after 33 years performance is not a reliable indicator In 1955 Charles joined the fledgling working for the BBC in a variety of news roles. of 102. of future performance.

PROSPERO JUNE 2014 12 Twenty things you should CLASSIFIEDS Altea, Spain. Beachfront apartment with jacuzzi, two bedrooms, air-conditioned, know about BBC Two underfloor heating. Contact Sandra. Email: [email protected] Mobile: 0034 663657411 A hired kangaroo died before carrying out its launch day duties, while a power cut scuppered Venice, Giudecca. first night schedules. But BBC Two survived a bad start and celebrated its 50th birthday over Beautiful apartment in quiet private courtyard, sleeps 5, fully equipped. the Easter weekend. Robert Seatter, BBC History manager, tells us 20 things we should know Experience the real Venice. about the channel. Tel: 01260 227262 Email: [email protected] 6. Ominously, the live kangaroo borrowed 15. It launched the great cultural milestones Menorca. from a local zoo for the launch event died series, such as Civilisation (back Detached holiday villa, sleeps 2-7. Outskirts a few days before it. in the news latterly because of a Mahon and Es Castell. Private pool. Close amenities. Brochure 01621 741810. 7. The first controller, Michael Peacock, had plan to reinvent it for the digital age, the novel idea of a ‘seven faces’ pattern plus a tie-in show at the Tate) and Website: www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk of broadcasting, offering themed output Ascent of Man. Paphos. each day. The first niche broadcaster? A/C studio apartment, sleeps 2/3, It did not work. spectacular balcony view, from £95pw. 8. It has had 12 controllers to date, including Amenities adjacent. Taxi/car hire arranged. Sir David Attenborough, Alan Yentob Website: www.stayincyprus.co.uk and Mark Thompson, as well as the first Tel: 01455 635 759 1. It was about technological innovation female controller, Jane Root, in 1999. Brittany. from the start – the BBC wanted to 9. The first BBC Two programme to hit the One-bedroom apartment in charming move to better TV definition (625 lines airwaves successfully was the iconic village of Jugon-les-Lacs, near historic in UHF bands), giving a better service Play School, with its famous set, enticing city of Dinan. Website: to viewers. But you really did have to windows and much loved presenters. www.brittanyholidayapartment.co.uk buy a new set. Tel: 01643 704778 10. The channel’s first big success wasThe 2. It was not about quantity – but about Great War, marking the 50th anniversary. France. diversity and that oft-used word Now here we are reflecting again on ‘the Wonderful opportunity Aubeterre-sur- ‘experimentation’. ‘We do not want a war to end all wars’. 16. It saw the debut of major new drama Dronne, Charente. Spacious house, second channel because we want to 11. It was the first channel in Europe to show – Boys from the Blackstuff, Our Friends 10 rooms (5/6 beds), historic site. Terrace, encourage people to go on watching programmes in colour, creating Pot Black in the North. terraced bedroom, wonderful views on hour after hour,’ said a BBC executive Pilgrim route. House sits high above the on purpose to demonstrate the new 17. It gave us countless famous lifestyle at the time. river Dronne’s canoes and beach. BBC phenomenon, and tantalising viewers who faces, from Fanny Craddock and 3. It was done in two years, from concept family selling £265,000ono. were still watching black and white balls. Madhur Jaffrey to Delia Smith and the to delivery. A feat! Email: [email protected] 12. The second big hit was the Forsyte Top Gear boys. 4. It had a notoriously disastrous opening Tel: 020 8894 2145 Saga, a dramatisation of Galsworthy’s 18. It devised innovative community night, due to a power cut in West Anyone out there with the skill and family story. It was so popular that programming, where members of the London, so hardly anyone saw the equipment to dub off old quarter inch audio churches had to change their service general public made their own ‘authored’ launch programmes, and a flustered tapes? Email: [email protected] times to accommodate. programmes, evolving into the famous presenter in a woolly jumper answered 13. It has had long educational links as a Video Diaries. telephone calls from technicians in front Prospero Classifieds, BBC Pension and channel, underlined by the launch of It was the first BBC channel to promote of baffled viewers. 19. Benefits Centre, Broadcasting House, the Open University on air in 1971. Cue its on air identity, with classics such as 5. It was the first BBC channel to have a Cardiff CF5 2YQ. jokes about kipper ties and beards, both the double-striped 2 and the white 2 ‘brand’ launch, involving two kangaroo Please enclose a cheque made payable to: now back in fashion. identity, as well as the famous playful 2s characters called Hullabuloo and BBC Central Directorate. 14. It was the testing ground for much new of the 1990s. Custard. The little kangaroo jumped Rate: £6 for 20 words. In a covering letter comedy – Fawlty Towers, The Goodies, out of its mother’s pouch, as BBC One 20. It went HD in 2013: the innovator please include your pension number. The Young Ones and The Office, to spawned BBC Two... innovated. name but a few. Reunions CAPTION competition

BBC Transport There will be a two-course buffet dinner Thanks for sending in your entries to our April caption Group Reunion (plenty of options) including coffee, and competition. The winner of the £10 voucher was BBC Transport Group Kendall Avenue vegetarian or special diets can be catered Vic Lewis: ‘Stop! I’ve told you two before… to get in staff are invited to come for a drink and for. The hotel is also offering single and BH they just have to show their pass!’ Commendations chat at the Royal British Legion Club double rooms including breakfast at a go to A Muhley (‘Did you say, the restaurant is closing in on Ruislip High Street from 8pm on special rate for those attending. 10 minutes?’) and Bonnie Margo (‘Excuse me! Are these 6 December 2014. For further details and a booking form ladies NHS or Private?’) For further information please contact contact John Lewis on 01603 715850 or Paul McArdle on 07957 592 326 or email [email protected] Send us your witty caption email [email protected] to the image on the right by Yorkshire Region Annual Friday 11 July, to the Prospero Look East reunion Reunion/Pensioners’ Lunch postal address (see page 2) The BBC East (Norwich) regional news Thursday, 14 August 2014, 12.30pm for or email [email protected] programme Look East will be 50 years 1.00pm, once again at the Dower House with ‘caption competition 3’ old this September and a reunion is Hotel, Knaresborough. in the subject line. Good luck! being held to mark the event. Catch up with your former colleagues at It will take place from 6.45pm on this superb venue and enjoy excellent food! The picture shows Bebe Saturday, 27 September 2014 at the Look forward to seeing you there! Daniels and Ben Lyon in Sprowston Manor Hotel and Country Please contact me, Sue Pagdin on Starlight (in Baird Studios), Club in Norwich. 0113 261 2613 or email [email protected] November 1936.

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