The newspaper for retired BBC Pension Scheme members • October 2020 • Issue 5 PROSPERO

SAGA FROM HOLME MOSS PAGE 6 PENSION SCHEME | BACK AT THE BBC ALAN’S PORTRAIT OF NHS HEROES When the country went into quarantine to deal with the coronavirus pandemic, Oxford-based artist Tom Croft found that, instead of experiencing freedom to get on with his work, he felt unsettled.

independently settled in Fife. He joined the local art club, became president for a while, and three times has won its prize, as voted for by the public, for best picture in the annual summer exhibitions.

He continues to paint, exhibit, conduct workshops, do demonstrations and receive commissions, one of which was a portrait of the principal of Gordonstoun School.

Portraits and landscapes are his preferred subject material, and he now paints exclusively in oils, having formerly also worked in acrylics and pastels. His St Andrews base also placed him close to the Pittenweem Arts Festival, one of Scotland’s premier annual art events (although not this year).

It’s not a big town, so artists take up every available space and Alan exhibited in the garage of BBC Volunteer Visitor, Arthur Masson. Alan is one of the pensioners that Arthur visits and in that role, Arthur became aware of the NHS Heroes painting, and keen to publicise it, roped in Guthrie Hutton, another of the pensioners he visits, to write up the story for Prospero.

NHS Fife is delighted with the finished painting. It represents a remarkable tribute to those hospital is solution to this was to post an online offer of Eleven months later he moved to Swingate, a former heroes who have stayed at their posts during this a free portrait to the first frontline NHS worker World War Two radar station at Dover. He was there dreadful pandemic and, through Alan’s artistic talent who contacted him. From that picture the idea for 18 months, married Geraldine and after the H and generosity in donating a free group portrait, of ‘Portraits For NHS Heroes’ spread, with other artists honeymoon they moved to Rosemarkie on the are being honoured now and commemorated for taking up the challenge. Black Isle, near Inverness. generations to come. One of them was former BBC transmitter engineer, Settled in glorious surroundings, he used his spare Guthrie Hutton Alan Stephens (pictured above). He lives in St Andrews time to revive his early interest in art and began to and so contacted NHS Fife to ask if they would be happy paint. With no formal training, he tutored himself, for him to do this and also to identify a suitable subject. exhibited his work and, when his paintings started Their response was one of delight, but not wanting to to sell, thought ‘this is a good idea’. Mystery Sudoku single out an individual, they suggested a group of After 12 years, he returned south to Oxford, but departmental representatives from the Victoria continued to paint until, in 1990, he took voluntary Complete the grid so that every row, column and Hospital in Kirkcaldy. That sounded a lot, but Alan’s redundancy, still a couple of years short of his 3x3 box contains the letters ADFGILMOT in some apprehensions were eased when five people were put 50th birthday. order. One row or column contains a five or more forward. Photographs were sent and he started work letter word, name or programme title with a BBC Having left the BBC, Alan didn’t look for another on a large canvas, approximately 1300mm x 820mm. connection. Solve the sudoku to discover what job – he had one; he was now a full-time artist. or who it is and send or email your answer to: The completed work is superb, but how did Alan find He advertised his services in various outlets, including The Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits himself honouring NHS Heroes in this way? Yellow Pages (remember them?) and gradually built Centre, Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1FT A Portsmouth man, Alan was born in 1942. At school he up a business. He received commissions, sold work by Monday, 2 November 2020. was good at art, but also at maths and other technical through exhibitions and was then asked to teach, subjects and that’s the career path he followed, a challenge he reluctantly accepted, but which The winner gets a £10 voucher. Many thanks to starting as an apprentice at GEC in Portsmouth. developed into taking on work as a private tutor. Neil Somerville for providing this puzzle. From there he moved to the BBC in 1965 as a direct In 2005 Alan and his wife ‘Gerry’ were on the move entry engineer in transmitters and after training at Wood again, this time to St Andrews to be near their G T Norton, Evesham, was posted to Wenvoe in Wales. Inverness-born daughters who had both I L BBC Pension Scheme makes 2020 Summary D O M G Report available L T D G M The 2020 Summary Report has been printed and posted to members, and is also available on the bbc.co.uk/mypension website.

The report provides the results of the 2019 valuation and also explores the impact that Covid-19 has had M G L A D on the Scheme’s investments and funding level. O I G A The valuation showed that, by April 2019, the Scheme’s funding level had improved from 88% to 94% and the shortfall had reduced to £1.1bn. The latest check-up as at 1 April 2020 showed that the funding level D I had dropped back down to 90%, coinciding as it did with the largest stock market falls since the 2008 financial crisis. However, by the end of June 2020, the funding level had recovered to pre-pandemic levels. T D Following the 2019 valuation, the Trustees and the BBC agreed a revised contribution plan for the Scheme to recover the shortfall. Investment markets have recovered significantly since March 2020, and the Trustees The Sudoku winner in August believe that the revised contribution plan remains appropriate. WIN 2020 was Ms Beryl Miller who The Summary Report looks in some detail at the Scheme’s investments and impact of Covid-19, and also £10 correctly identified the provides the usual mix of general pensions news and summary of Scheme financials for the year to 1 April 2020. connection was ‘Coast’.

2 ‘GOING FORWARD, PROSPERO

Prospero is provided free of charge to retired Scheme WORKING FOR THE BBC members, or to their spouses and dependants. Prospero provides a source of news on former colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension WILL BE DIFFERENT’ issues, plus classified adverts. It is available online at bbc.com/mypension In a whirlwind first week, the new Director-General To advertise in Prospero, please enclose a cheque made payable to: BBC Central Directorate. Rate £6 Tim Davie has pinpointed four things which the BBC for 20 words. Please include your pension number must urgently – and quickly – get right. in a covering letter. Please send your editorial contributions, Broadly speaking they are: He called for the organisation to be 'cutting edge' in or comments/feedback, to: Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, • Renew our commitment to impartiality its use of technology to join up the BBC, improving search, recommendations and access. All of this, Central Square, Cardiff CF10 1FT • Focus on unique, high impact content he said, will help make the BBC an indispensable part Email: [email protected] • Extract more online of everyday life – and create a customer experience • Build commercial income that delivers maximum value. Please make sure that any digital pictures you send are scanned at 300dpi. Please also note that the That’s it. Just four. But each brings monumental Building our commercial business maximum word count for obituaries is 350 words. challenges which Tim Davie addressed during his There are two reasons that the BBC needs to build its speech from Cardiff. commercial business. Firstly, it needs the investment As context, the case for a universal BBC has never and partners to make the best programmes possible in Contents been stronger. Ninety-one per cent of UK adults visit an era of increased global competition. And secondly, the BBC every week for nearly 18 hours and contrary it needs to maximise the value for money for to what many believe, young people still consume licence fee-payers. Back at the BBC 2-3 BBC content in their droves – 80 per cent of under Studios has led the way, while there are big opportunities Alan's portrait of NHS heroes 35s in fact. Globally, the BBC attracts a mind-boggling to develop services in news, video and audio across BBC Pension Scheme summary report 468 million people per week and is, by some distance, the globe. The BBC needs to keep building major the most trusted provider of news. partnerships to grow as a global provider of services Tim Davie's inaugural address to staff Mystery Sudoku But, as Tim outlined today, the BBC cannot rest on its and premium content. It will also invest in providing laurels and, to that end, we are only as good as the trusted news globally via the World Service and World value we deliver to audiences. The challenge is to News channel and ‘with the support of government, grow that value. to reach a billion people over the next decade’. Letters 4-5 Renewing our commitment to impartiality Reforming the BBC It’s the reason audiences are drawn to the BBC but Tim said that none of this would be possible many people still feel the corporation does not speak without attracting – and retaining – the finest talent. to them or for them. So now is the time to recommit That means creating an ‘inclusive, diverse, inspiring Memories 6-7 to the value of impartiality. As Tim explained, people and trusted environment’ that is focused on Saga from Holme Moss in the BBC can ‘make use of our own experiences but outstanding creativity. From Dreadnought to Trafalgar not be driven by our personal agendas.’ ‘We can be proud of so much that we do here, but 50 years at the BBC ‘This is not about abandoning democratic values such going forward working at the BBC will be different,’ BBC Radio Manchester 50th anniversary as championing fair debate or an abhorrence of he said. It needs to be an organisation that ‘responds racism. But it is about being free from political bias, to change, and rewards action and delivery, not talk.’ guided by the pursuit of truth,’ he said. As part of this, Tim outlined some further areas Life after Auntie 8 Focusing on unique, high impact content for action. Firstly, the BBC must be an organisation An ancestral surprise The second priority outlined by Tim is to focus on that is more representative of the UK. Our ambition is Seventies secretaries? the content which delivers the best value for licence to create an organisation that’s 50% women and 50% fee-payers. This means unique, high-impact work that men; at least 20% from BAME backgrounds; and at Fun(d)raiser is loved by audiences – including those who are most least 12% disabled. We will also deliver plans to build distant from the BBC. our socioeconomic diversity, and ensure we are truly inclusive for all LGBTQ+ employees. The BBC has tried to cope with increasing Obituaries 9-11 competition by making more and spreading itself too Every division will be asked to make plans to deliver thinly. The BBC should not retreat to a narrow offer, this and every leader will be assessed on how they are but it has been too slow to stop things that don’t making progress towards these targets. work. And he pointed out that there is duplication Secondly, expectations of BBC colleagues would be Odds & ends 12 between different parts of the organisation. All of this more clearly set out. ‘Whoever you are, I want people Russian exhibition for ex-BBC staffer limits investment in new ideas as well as money for to treat each other well.’ Classifieds things that work well. Thirdly, we will be looking to make the BBC less Caption competition As a result, he challenged the organisation to look at London-based over the coming years and building a how we can have more impact by making less. more sustainable organisation as part of this. This wasn’t about cuts to save money – it was about Finally, with the pressure to keep focussing our reallocating funds to where they generate most value money on audiences, we would create a simpler, for audiences. In line with this, he remarked that the leaner organisation. ‘We must act now to create an BBC would not expand linear-wise: it would no longer organisation that responds faster and offers better Prospero October 2020 take any further DAB or traditional TV channel value to those who pay for us,’ he said. The next issue of Prospero will appear capacity. Any future new offers would need to use in December 2020. The copy deadline current space. Summing up, Tim remarked: ‘I hope all this will create is Monday, 2 November 2020. a transformed, modern organisation where you are Extract more from online happy, treated fairly, doing outstanding creative work, The internet offers a superb chance for us to connect clear about expectations and focused on the more deeply with our audiences, said Tim, but we challenge at hand: delivering value for all. The best run need to harness its power more. ‘Far from eroding our public service organisation in the world. value, BBC online offers a big opportunity for us to connect deeper with audiences, helping them to find ‘The vision is crystal clear: a BBC that is utterly focused more, get information faster, and interact with us.’ on our audience. It is challenging but exciting.’ PROSPERO OCTOBER 2020 | 3 | LETTERS

How things have changed. Life after death in the internet Prospero frequently publishes complaints about broadcast sound, Congratulations to Nick Gilbey on his award, mentioned in the last Prospero. and today’s reliance on Skype and Zoom shows there is a problem That, and the letter from Albert Barber about BBC history, moves me to make a to be solved. But I have another complaint. statement of the obvious: we’re all going to die, which has a major relevance in this context. For a number of years now, I have been saying ‘I don’t hear any decent stereo anymore’. I admit I don’t go searching for it, but the Last Night at the Proms used to There are a number of websites be a highlight in my year. documenting BBC history. Mine is one of them: tech-ops.co.uk. The recent obituary for a Chris Booth runs vtoldboys.com, colleague of mine – senior Nick Gilbey runs tvobhistory.co.uk, sound supervisor and there are others. Don Hartridge who received many awards for his work – Tech-ops.co.uk has expanded from got me thinking about BBC a couple of pages to hundreds sound and how it has over the past 20 years, and added changed since my early days. some active email lists. That in As a television sound turn has brought in a different kind supervisor, myself and my of history, as ex-members of staff assistant plus my 10-channel talk about their work. sound desk were almost I’m much indebted to Alec Bray, all that was necessary to who lifts out the historical bits contribute to Come Dancing from the general chatter and adds – the forerunner of it to the website. These days it Strictly Come Dancing. isn’t the tidiest of sites, but there’s A few years ago, the BBC showed a ‘behind the scenes’ programme about the a lot of knowledge there. current Strictly Come Dancing which I used for a presentation for my Cine Club. Each of the websites relies on the It can be seen at https://vimeo.com/7731000. owner paying their hosting It shows how we (my assistant and I) serviced everything audio – band, commentary, provider. I pay Site 5 every other presenter, audience, as well as communications such as the telephone and talkback year, for which I get unlimited space facilities (no radio mics or radio talkback in those days) – as our contribution to the and lots of facilities. This isn’t a programme. In those days, there were two separate dance halls plus a linking begging letter – the cost is studio with all the intercommunication problems involved. My 10-channel sound minimal, and I’ve been running my desk is in marked contrast to ‘10 mics on the drum kit alone’ approach which is the site for a long time now. But when norm today. I’m gone...? The moment no one pays, the site just disappears along with all its content. It’s not like a book that So what has that got to do with Don? Well, when he came to Manchester, he someone might find one day on a dusty shelf in the British Library. It’s gone. probably got some tips from his predecessor, Pip Shepherd who, when I had the luxury of a 10-channel desk, was experimenting with stereo for radio using two Just a bunch of deleted files on a disc drive, overwritten in seconds. I don’t know OBA8s – the standard radio OB equipment at the time, though with two the answer to this. It’s in my Will that my family will pay ten years’ worth, but that’s loudspeakers of course. it. I don’t know the answer and neither, I think, does anyone else.

I suspect he had the four-channel mixer modified so that each of two rotary Bernard Newnham controls fed left or right and these were linked by a rubber band, so he could rotate both with one hand and fade up the presenter with the other.

I mentioned this to a friend who has an interest in vintage radio etc and he said he had heard about a time when relationships between America and Russia became Michael Talbot Smith more friendly. A major American recording company went out to Russia to record I was very saddened to read of Michael Talbot one of Russia’s orchestras. It was said the Russian technicians were amazed to see Smith’s death in the August Prospero. the amount of equipment the Americans brought with them and which took a day to set up. On the day of the recording, the Russian technicians came in with a From 1965 to 1967, I was on an attachment to ETD piece of wood on which were attached two microphones that they hoisted up as an assistant lecturer and Michael was my above the orchestra. mentor on audio subjects.

Well, you can guess the rest. When the recordings were published across the As Kevern Oliver has said, Michael’s ability to world, it was the Russian recording that got all the plaudits. explain and clarify technical detail made learning a lot easier for hundreds if not thousands of So is it time for us to have a rethink on stereo? Multi-channel desks are fine for students, including myself. things like golf, where 18 holes require three mics per hole just for effects alone, but two channels may be all that is necessary for an orchestra. However, I would like to share a memory or two showing a different side of Michael, like the time Roy Bradshaw Michael, Pauline and myself climbed Bredon Hill on Midsummer Eve 1966 to watch dawn break on Midsummer Day.

Another memory involving Michael was with his membership of the Evesham Frigs, DOGs and Scanners Amateur Dramatic Society. Many other ETD staff were also members of the Further to my former colleague society, as I was whilst at ETD. During one production on the first night, Steve Newnham’s letter in the Michael had taken the opportunity to visit the basement toilet. In the show, August Prospero, I am the proud a maid carrying a tray of crockery exits the stage, drops the tray off-stage owner of the control box from and screams. John Nettel, the stage manager, was to achieve the effect by the Research Department action throwing a bucket of broken crockery down the backstage stairs. It was replay generator, pictured here. agreed in the pub afterwards that Michael’s scream was the best ever off-stage sound effect in living memory. This was rescued from a rubbish pile when the VT area moved I’m not too certain about the next memory, so if I am wrong in attributing this from TVC Main Block to Stage to Michael I apologise, but I think it was he who designed and built the first Five 30 years ago, and has sat program learning system in 1966. The process has now evolved such that in my loft ever since! students may use their mobile phones with the appropriate app to communicate with the lecturer. It did happen at ETD in 1966 and I can’t think As you can see, the acronyms are on display. It was the first use of the DOG who else it would have been. acronym as far as I know. Sadly, the full Action Replay Symbol Equipment acronym never made it to the finished product, as Steve says, but even ARS Memories, memories. provided some amusement at the time I seem to remember! Farewell Michael. Dave Hawley Roy Glew

4 The last word on scanners

M I’m glad my question about the origin of ‘scanner’ for ‘mobile [TV] control room’ generated a lot of interest! I also received emories The first many emails; Prospero folk are helpful! P rompted by Tel Jo recent cor OB hn Trenout responden h explains ce in Prosp BBC staff how ero, re have alwa the s I’ll do an article as promised – honest! – one of these years; in the meantime, (a) I’ll refer folk to the similar article in Prospero ferred to ys cann Outsi television er go de Broadcas t its as ‘Scan t trucks name ners’ despit fact that v e the h ery few peo ave any ide ple Baird name came fr a where th staff invol om. e these ex ved in March 2010 (prompted by the same question!) of which I hadn’t been aware, and (b) here’s a summary of the suggestions Th periments ere have later emp were numbe been a B loyed by t r of reason BC and th he forward s put ter ey used the over the ye m ‘Scann including a ars, descr er 1’ to th statement th ibe the EMI e name deriv at televisi mobile simi ed from the on control (in traditional game-show order): larity of mo used fo room bile r r th trucks (with adar Coro e 1937 sc their attenda nation. Th anner assem nt stuck a e name towa blies) used nd we’ve u rds the end ever since. sed it Howev of WWII. er, the real re Before the nam ason for s leaving th e dates back ubject of t e early 1930 to the bro he 30 line s. adcasts, bec In 1928 Jo were ause they de hn Logie Bai on medium 3. A van full of electronics reminded people of a mobile radar van, often with a ‘scanning’ aerial on top. No – the TV usage monstrated rd they could wave, ‘dayl be r television’ fr ight over eceived all o om the rooft the country f his studio i op pictur . Usable For n Long Acre es were the first ti . received even able me he was across Eu to produce and in Nor rope from ou images th Africa. tside the stud This com predated radar being small enough to put in a van (predated it altogether I think), though those (especially ex-service) realised th io and fav pares very at the abilit ourably w broadcast liv y to offici ith the an e pictures fro al range of y location, m from the 25 miles broa an ‘outside Alexandra dcast’, was v transmitter Palace future ital to the when 405 of television. BBC televis line His ca 1936. ion started i who joined the BBC in the Forties and Fifties may have genuinely thought that was the origin. mera was For those n dif ver readers ferent to the y The Baird scanner a a techn of versions electronic t the 1932 Derby ical bent, which would maximum the use with be in regular ba theoretica in the next the sam ndwidth re l was a mech ten years. It e time, one 30 line quired for m anical drum one for so for picture a transmission irrors aro with 30 und. By the nd shoulder KHz, is 13 rotated at a higuhn sdp eietds. ed line service time the 30 shots) and which redu ge and 1 closed down - pan the the inability just un ces to Bair 935) there (September scanner to follo to applyin der 10KH d didn’t call tho were arou meant that w the race g the Kell f z by he preferr it a camera. usand recei nd three all viewers it’s unli actor. Howe 2. It contained the timebase/sync (and thus ‘scanning’) circuitry for the cameras. While unarguably true, there just seems ed the term He (the vers and ‘loo blur of the horses saw was the kely that B ver ‘ term kers am air the heavy metal scanner’. As ‘viewer’ had -in’ finish li flashing past plifiers at t d’s video mirr drum rotated, adopted) not yet bee ne. the with he time cou ors mounted the n The fo more than ld cope scene on it scanned In 1931 B llowing yea was a 6 KHz – w being televised. the inside aird fitted the with an i r he was bac bout the ba hich was b The scanner an old carav scanner mproved sy k 2LO tr ndwidth of ulky, hea in t an and par contained stem which ansmitter. T the delicate vy and qu he street ou ked it m not one, b radio set used he domest . It also co ite his experiments. tside to con irror drums ut three to receiv ic insufficient contemporary evidence for this to be the origin of the usage. (My brother is an executive editor on the OED moved ve uld only b tinue pro . The centr signals pro e the 30 line ry sl e duce e dru babl runn owly when Seeing the d the pict m bandw y had even ing, so pan it was do horses goin television ure for th idth. Even less were out of the quneisntigo na.nd ti wn Long Ac g up and broadcast, e were surprisingly gosod, .the pictu lting Cov re on their three drums whilst the res Regul ent Garden way to a much combined to Followi ar 30-line the id market gave wider produce ng the rece The next issue will broadcasts televisio ea to try t him screen ‘zone’ picture among Pros nt interest started in 1 n Derby. o televise of the Metr on the Sc pero reader appear in April the BBC’s 2L 929, using the Victo opole cinema anners, I ca ws in old and I’m trying to be strict about sources, as I hope to get this usage added (it currently isn’t there). ro O transmitter The hea ria – a sor in National n confirm t of of on the vy woo version of 3-strip Cti noefr atmea. M hat the Selfridges towed behind den caravan levision e edia Museum evening w late in the an ancient was Mor xamples, a have two c hen the rad automob De Soto e importantly 2001 CMCR2 w losed for th io service ile and park at home, for the vie cameras and ith EMI wer e day. The the winnin ed alongside the scanner wers Philips LDK25 camae rCasM. CR5 e sent by post pictures P g post at Ep to look was arrange with Baird office line ost Office som. The through a l d Ther ’s Long Acre studio from lines back to Llaoindg tAempor mounted arge mirro e are at leas Initia . ary land c on the ins r private o t five more lly the broad dispe cre and special aravan doo ide of the wnership, so in two minu casts compri nsation was sw r. As the d have been me of whic tes of pictur sed Londo given to us ung open, t oor was lovingly re h two minut e followed b n National e the acro he scanner oldest UK m stored. The 1. Baird’s original OB ‘caravan’ contained a mirror-drum scanner (or by the second televised Derby in 1932, three of es of sound, t y the BBC wavelength ss the scen panned n ade examp two m hen an for half of e. So ear ori le sti inutes of pict other the race. an hour possible to follo it was now ginal (work ll in It was ure and so on to cover end w the action is in the collection ing) conditi not until the ... Thi of the race at the of on that the following ye s, the UK day and it was, Museum of the National new Brook ar broadcast, s first out , a great success. for its P Australia. I transmitter mans Park was not side Of ye vehicle fitted t’s a 1952 h opened, thu mainly because a huge success, course by cameras. with Py im access to s allowing the 30-line started now, every e Mk III two transm was tall and picture referring one them (and a mirror on the back door so it could pan!). There does seem to be sufficient contemporary evidence that itters at ra narrow (the caravan as to the who tio was ch 3:7 aspect the ‘scanner le John Trenouth is for osen for h as the caravan ’ – especially mer senior ead & of door was a curator of T the apparatus. vital part M elevision at the N A number useum of Photogr ational Soaping it up... of the Television. aphy, Film & this was known as the ‘scanner van’, and that the term was transferred when all-electronic TV got a vehicle. (Still unclear EastEnders Media Musefuamns i nv iBsirtaindgfo trhe National the chance to shoot a scende h farve had celebration of all things soap right up ARIEL S their favourite soap as part of to New Y UBSCRIPTIO om ear’s Day 2011. That’ NS activities marking the 25th special anniversary – 60 years ss ian cvery UK: anniversary of the show the launch of The Archers.As for when the ‘van’ part got dropped and it became known as just ‘the scanner’.) 6 months £26 EastEnders,it celebrated its 25th on artefacts and photograp.h Esa fsetaEtnudr ers 1 year £50 the museum’ February 19 with a live episode in Overseas: s year-long celebratieo nin 6 months £36 of broadcast soaps. This year also which the killer of Ar sees Corrie exposed. For devotecehsi eth Meritchell was 1 year £60 tur Plea tur n 50 and Hollyoaks Quiz: what r se phone 01 n 15. Robert Sea ole did this or e’s a Prop 709 768 199 BBC History tter, manager of play? And why wer nament , will be taking this e ther them – a plaster one and ea trwuob boefr 12 • one? Thanks again to all who responded: fascinating insights into everything remotely connected with the • M arch 2010 subject, and lovely to make the acquaintance of so many in the industry I wish I’d got into! (I was in electronics – Marconi Research Centre as was – just not broadcasting.)

John Gilliver

Dr Donald McLean, Media Archaeologist and Historian at the Royal Television Baird-specification video signal was sent by landline where it was routed to Society, provided this response to the recent spate of letters regarding the the BBC for live transmission with radio commentary. In 1932, the system was origin of the word ‘scanner’. enhanced – three photocells were used in the caravan, each providing a 30-line vision signal. Those three vision signals were sent over telephone lines to the The association of ‘scanner’ with the Baird company’s caravan holding a 2,000-seater Metropole Kinema theatre in Victoria. There, each of the three mechanical scanning device at the Derby is somewhat tenuous. The term signals was converted and projected side by side simultaneously to give a ‘scanner’ is not prominent in accounts made at the time, and the 90-line 9:7 aspect ratio onto a screen in the theatre (with accompanying audio demonstration only took place in 1931 and 1932. narrative). The centre 30-line video feed of the three was sent as in 1931 for There would be some five years before the BBC received the first 405-line live broadcast through a BBC medium-wave transmitter. This is different to OB unit and ‘scanner’ again is not prominent, if mentioned at all. Mr Dawe’s account and is supported by contemporary accounts. Additionally, It is possible that the term stems from JD Percy who made a point of referring I had the honour of knowing personally Mr Paul Reveley, the Baird company to all Baird’s cameras as ‘scanners’, as evidenced in his unpublished memoirs engineer who built the display systems at the Metropole and who became and his recorded interviews. He worked for Baird from 1928 (when he was only JL Baird’s personal senior engineer until 1938. Mr Reveley died in 2017, in his 106th year. 17) and after the war became a Director of Scophony-Baird Ltd, gaining a senior role in the Television Society. Alternatively, TH Bridgewater (BBC Chief Also, whilst the low picture rate and low definition of Baird’s vision system Engineer, Television) with major BBC OB responsibilities in the 1950s might would have been inadequate to identify any horse flashing past the finish line have coined the term, or less likely DR Campbell. Both had started out in the (roughly where the caravan was positioned), the nature of the Derby is that Baird company before transitioning to the BBC. Ex-Baird employees in senior the horses proceed slowly past that point prior to heading round the track to roles in the 1950s would be my guess for the source of the term. the start line. Hence there would have been excellent opportunities to see the shapes of horses and riders augmented by the live audio coverage prior to the However, the real point of me writing is that there appears to be a little race itself. The 1931 Derby coverage fulfilled JL Baird’s promise of doing so, confusion in describing the details of the systems used for the Derby coverage and the 1932 coverage took that one stage further by having the live coverage in 1931 and 1932 by JL Baird. projected live in a cinema to a paying audience with, by first-hand accounts, The 1931 Derby used JL Baird’s ‘daylight scanner’ (which JD Percy managed a quite decent 90-line picture. These were, however, one-off demonstrations at the racecourse) in a caravan with one photocell, not three. That 30-line of the possibilities that television would offer in the future.

Pulling some strings This photo is an aerial shot from the director’s gallery in a Lime Grove studio in 1968. It shows Simon Dee, Sammy Davis Jnr and musical director, Max Harris. It was a live transmission and Sammy Davis announced on air that he wanted to sing a song. The music, which Sammy brought, was scored for strings. There were no strings in the band. There had been no rehearsal for lighting, cameras or sound. Somehow those brilliant musicians and all the technical crew managed it.

Roger Ordish

PROSPERO OCTOBER 2020 | 5 | MEMORIES SAGA FROM HOLME MOSS

The caption competition on the back page of the August edition of Prospero, showing a group of worthies gazing skywards at the foot of the newly commissioned Holme Moss transmitter mast amused me but, sadly, I am not possessed of sufficient natural wit to offer an entry to the competition.

owever, it sparked off a memory of my own The VHF service aerials at the top of the broadcasting association with the said mast about 20 years mast were in the form of a smooth cylinder and at such Hafter its construction. Recently, in a totally an exposed elevation, in winter, solid ice often built up different context, Prospero was kind enough to on the windward side of this huge cylinder. When the publish my memory of an incident at the Tacolneston thaw set in, huge shards of solid ice would plunge mast near Norwich, so I wondered whether this Holme earthwards (often landing just about where the official Moss anecdote might amuse. party is depicted in the caption competition photo on page 12). The staff found this hazardous. Cars were We are talking about the BBC of a long time ago, when often damaged and I’m sure the ice generated at least most engineering was done ‘in-house’ by full-time one insurance claim for damage to the station mini-bus. staff. (We even had our own electronics factory at Avenue House in Chiswick! Not a contractor in sight!) You can guess what’s coming. The E-i-C phoned me up: ‘Phil, the ice has pranged your dish – it’s got a huge The Holme Moss transmitter served, it was claimed, dent in it.’ the largest viewing population in Europe, serving both sides of the Pennines, but when it came to non-network The station staff reported that signals from Leeds material it had to be ‘shared’ between the production appeared to be OK for the time being, which was a teams in Manchester and Leeds. The lack of a vision great relief – otherwise we would have had to circuit (405 lines monochrome, remember) from scramble an OB links unit from Manchester to set up a Leeds was a particular hindrance but the BBC woke temporary link in time for the evening news, but, long up one day when, after a major shake-up of the earlier term, a misshapen dish could produce poor signals in a quote. A Californian replacement would have cost ITV franchises, Yorkshire Television was announced. certain weather conditions. thousands, even in those days, including shipping. They would have a full-blown studio in Leeds and a I went to Holme Moss to have a look. What to do? circuit to their transmitter at Emely Moor. ‘Well, lad, it’s ali, not steel – not used to it – and we’d These dishes were precision aluminium spinnings, need scaffolding to reach it but we’ll give it a go'… The race was then on to get a regular evening ‘opt- made in California (I’d ‘borrowed’ mine from another then ‘But I can’t do it for a penny less than nine pound.’ out’ half-hour news bulletin originating live, in Leeds, project and a proper replacement would take months on the BBC before Yorkshire TV came on air. The job to source). It struck me that, ignoring the accuracy of I could have hugged him. of providing a vision circuit from Leeds to Holme the spinning claimed by the manufacturers, the dent Back in those days, even £9 was over the petty cash Moss ended up in my in-tray in my office in Henry was not a lot different from the dents some of us had limit so a formal BBC order had to be raised. However, Wood House. acquired on the wings, boot lids, etc. of our cars, he repaired the dish, I think next day, on trust, and the albeit much larger. We often had to pursue unorthodox solutions when job was perfect. ‘Operational Requirements’, as they were called, Holme Moss is in the centre of what later became Last His final invoice on which I had to authorise payment, were unexpectedly thrust upon us, and the full story of the Summer Wine country, and I was sure I could and which arrived in my in-tray weeks later, is of this one would generate a whole Prospero-full of persuade a country coach builder to have a go at engraved on my heart. How I wish I’d framed it. anecdotes but I will confine myself to just one incident straightening our dish. I jumped in the car and Handwritten, on a page torn from a ‘duplicate book’, involving the mast at Holme Moss. motored down to Holmfirth and consulted the first it read: ‘Journeying to TV mast, straightening bowl, accident repair garage I came across. My signals from Leeds were picked up by a 6ft-diameter journeying home, £9.0s. 0p’. microwave dish mounted on a small gantry adjacent I don’t know whether being a fellow Yorkshireman How times have changed. to the foot of the 750ft-high mast. A similar dish helped, but he enthusiastically accompanied me back transmitted the signals from the roof of BH, Leeds. to the station to decide if he could do it – and give me Philip Upton

From Dreadnought to Trafalgar

David Weir’s article under Memories in the August preparing to launch BBC Radio Furness, a new four- Trafalgar. London liked it and approaches were made Prospero awakened some memories of my own person radio station. They had them in the Channel to the Admiralty. They said yes, and we were eventually – all nuclear-sub-related, writes Allan Muirhead Islands, Scotland, and Wales – we were first in able to board Trafalgar, rig our OB equipment and (ex-BBC Scotland and Local Radio). England. It’s now been subsumed into BBC Radio check the line back to our Hartington Street studio. Cumbria, but that’s another, political, story. All was well. While Pebble Mill at One can claim to have made the first live broadcast from nuclear sub HMS Dreadnought, As we trained for our scheduled opening in May 1982, We did our interviews, explained the station’s I was one of the first journalists allowed on board Vickers shipyard, as it will always be known in Barrow, purpose and gave our listeners a taste of life on when she was commissioned in April 1963. was completing the construction of HMS Trafalgar, a board a nuclear submarine. We were watched by first-of-class nuclear sub. Barrow in these days was shipyard workers on the dockside, and our listeners I was then a senior reporter on Barrow’s North Western heavily committed to Navy contracts and there was a included several of the BBC’s top management Evening Mail. I remember being given a very limited who’d travelled up for this unique event – a tremendous social life in the town. The sub’s crew tour of the boat, with most of the navigational and submarine launching a radio station. arrived for training, and social activities intensified. weaponry equipment hidden beneath canvas covers. There’s a twist to this tale. At the celebratory drinks This was where I first heard a rendition of the Navy For anyone who’d carried the image of a submarine do afterwards, we were told the launch was almost version of 'Cinderella', a hilarious but bawdy poem being narrow, noisy and dirty, this was an eye-opener. called off at the last moment. We hadn’t noticed that, adapted to a submariner background. Some ward room walls were vertical and squared, despite the little disagreement over the Falklands, not curved like the subs you saw in war films. Local Radio HQ in London, Michael Barton and Peter and with many of the Royal Navy’s vessels built in Lighting was bright, and the decor was welcoming. Redhead at the time, asked me to think of how we Barrow, 25 May was a national holiday in Argentina. A machine of war, yes, but not an oppressive might open Radio Furness with a flourish. Could we It was thought that we might give political offence atmosphere or claustrophobic environment. go on air with something memorable? by launching on that day. But someone took a deep breath and said: ‘Get on with it.’ Push the clock forward almost 20 years, and I’m The most unlikely idea to be successful was to ask if back in Barrow, this time as senior producer we could open Radio Furness from the deck of HMS So we did.

6 FULL OF FANTASTIC PEOPLE

Steve Dodds, radio car studio manager, recently spoke to Ariel about his 50-year career with the BBC. We have reprinted the interview here. Steve outside Saddam Hussein's palace in Tikrit.

alking to Steve Dodds, you immediately get the sense that you’re speaking to a very modest Tman who underplays his achievements. His career highlights over the last 50 years at the BBC read like a bucket list for anyone working in news and current affairs. As a radio car studio manager, Steve has worked on some of the most important stories of the last 30 years, including Pakistan’s 50th anniversary of independence, the toppling of Saddam Hussein’s regime and global political events like the EU and G8 summits.

But Steve doesn’t call it a career. He says he simply found something he was passionate about – falling into it by accident – and ran with it.

‘I thought I would have been sacked or bypassed years ago, but they kept saying ‘yes, we’ll send you abroad to this job’ – I thought I was the last person they’d send, but I ended up doing all these fantastic things.’

Tea-rounds at the London Control Room A summer job as a post boy at BBC Scotland in 1968 led to an interview in Glasgow in 1970 – and despite missing the bus and being an hour late to the Steve also loves the authenticity of the people he has interview, he landed his first permanent position as met and the places he has been to as a studio technical operator in the London Control Room manager. ‘If you go somewhere as a tourist, everyone (known as London Station) after training at Evesham. knows you’re a tourist. But when I’ve gone, you see people under all conditions – I hate to see people under stress, but the human side of things comes out. 'When you’re on your own with You experience people from different cultures, but the reporter and you’ve got a lot their humanity is the same.’ Impact of Covid on radio cars of gear, the more friends you can These days, the use of radio cars is considered Steve in a radio car with Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk make the more help you’ll get.' carefully because of the laborious health and safety on the moon, in 2012. processes required to restrict the spread of coronavirus. The team take out external equipment and leave it on The future of radio Steve reminisces that the place looked like a the doorstep for the guest, teaching them remotely Steve said the thing he loves most about radio is the battleship – ‘All the equipment was painted grey, and how to use it, having cleaned it in the car. serendipity of discovering something new that you it was run with a slightly militaristic discipline. I had to wouldn’t find if you were selecting the playlist yourself. run innumerable tea-rounds, and I was so welcoming Stand-out moments ‘I don't want it to lose that contact with the listener to the next trainee!’ Steve says almost apologetically that his most exciting – I hope radio doesn’t lose that part of its identity.’ moment was going to Iraq during the toppling of Radio cars – real conversations with real people Saddam Hussein's regime. The radio correspondent In 1989, Steve became studio manager in News, soon was Jim Muir who came with his producer Stuart specialising in field work, outside broadcasting and BBC Radio Manchester Hughes, and they travelled alongside John Simpson operating the radio cars for newsgathering. and his TV crew. ‘There was the excitement of not 50th anniversary He has since been sent all over the world – quite often knowing what was going to happen the next day. Thursday 10 September 2020 marked the as the only person accompanying the correspondent, You knew there were going to be invasions and 50th anniversary of BBC Radio Manchester. always trying to befriend the locals – which can pay bombings, and your ideas were always changing and To mark the event, four original staff members dividends. ‘When you’re on your own with the I never would have thought I would have been here.’ – Derek Woodcock (programme organiser), Roy Preece (station engineer), Karen Preece reporter and you’ve got a lot of gear, the more friends He also recalls the looting of the palace in Tikrit neé Platt (station assistant) and myself (also a you can make the more help you’ll get. If you just – ‘The Americans were guarding the front, and the station assistant) – got together over Zoom to talk to someone and acknowledge them, they’re locals were throwing carpets and bits of chandeliers remember some of those very early days. incredibly helpful.’ over the walls at the side.’ I’ve subsequently put a couple of podcasts Steve also found that in the confined space of the In fact, Steve says he couldn’t have made a better job together which can be heard at radio cars, he often found himself alone with the guest up if he’d tried to design it himself and he feels he’s johnforrest.tv/project-1. for as long as 20 minutes, which he found fascinating conned his way into staying at the BBC for 50 years. as someone who loves talking to anyone. ‘Because ‘I’ve been very, very, very lucky. The BBC is full of Among the stories, Roy and Karen tell how the they’re out of their normal surroundings, they don’t absolutely fantastic people, I couldn’t name BBC granted permission for them to continue put on an act – [as studio manager] you’re not everybody I admire. Everyone I’ve worked with has working on the same station team once they reporting what they’re like, so they say things they been absolutely brilliant, and to have had that got married. wouldn’t normally say – and you’ve got that little bit privilege around me is fantastic. I can talk about the John Forrest of story to yourself which no-one else knows about.’ BBC for ages – I just love it.’ PROSPERO OCTOBER 2020 | 7 | LIFE AFTER AUNTIE AN ANCESTRAL SURPRISE As Mayflower 400 celebrations get under way, with 16 September marking 400 years since the tiny cargo ship set sail from Plymouth to the New World, we received this article from ex-Radio Manchester staffer David Edwards Hulme.

avid has already shared with us new-found American sister, he made a again along the line leading from my and I can’t find any discrepancy in the successful end to a 25-year surprising discovery about his deep great-grandmother Alma J. Lowell, their records – so I am certain that Dsearch to identify his American ancestry. And it came about by sheer who died in Michigan in 1912. Stephen Hopkins and his daughter are soldier father. He is now in touch with a chance. David takes up the story: my ancestors. It was when I reached my half-sister in Michigan, USA, after a DNA Finally identifying my father was a great-grandmothers five and six times I later found my way to another test with Ancestry led to his first personal miracle for me because of the removed that I made a surprising Mayflower ancestor – Pilgrim Thomas breakthrough after a quarter of a obstacles that stood in my way. I still discovery. Among the records for Rogers. Again, my details match those century in which he utterly failed to shake my head in wonder every time I Priscilla Norcott, born in Connecticut in the Thomas Rogers Mayflower make any headway. That was because look at my dad’s photo taking pride of in 1740, and her mother, Priscilla Paine, Society database. his father had used a false identity in his place on my dining room table. He is in born in Massachusetts in 1701, was the World War Two affair with his mother, It’s important to say at this point that uniform, extremely handsome and boyish first mention of the Mayflower. and a devastating fire in 1973 which I had no prior knowledge of any looking, just after enlisting in 1942. destroyed most of the USA’s military Mayflower databases when I traced my records, all on paper, pre-computer, Sadly, he developed MS following his As far as I can tell, this way to Stephen Hopkins. I now know and with no back up. war service and died just before his that all the various Mayflower societies, 44th birthday in 1964, so we were never makes me only the based on all the men who signed the But just when David thought it was destined to meet. Mayflower Compact, have five time to turn off his computer, relax, second known Brit to generations in their databases, with an But I now know a lot about my father and develop a relationship with his indication of the sixth generation. thanks to my sister Judy in Michigan, have Mayflower ancestry. who sent me the photograph of my As far as I can tell, this makes me only father just before Christmas, 2016. I could hardly believe what I was reading. the second known Brit to have But it certainly caught my interest and Mayflower ancestry. I’m in touch with So it was time to finish my family drove me on. an American woman who became a UK research, much of it done with Ancestry. citizen last year, and she is awaiting I actually hit the key to end my The grandmother of Priscilla Paine was confirmation of Mayflower ancestry. Ancestry membership when a dialogue Mary Snow, my great-grandmother times box dropped down offering me a free eight – and her mother was Constance World-wide it is no big deal – there extension of a month. Hopkins, who stepped off the Mayflower are an estimated 35 million people who with her father, Stephen Hopkins, in 1620. are descended from those few I took up the offer – but what to do with Mayflower passengers who survived it? Well, the obvious thing was to I immediately contacted a European their arrival in the New World. continue developing my family trees on representative of the Mayflower Society, both sides of the Atlantic. who confirmed that my details checked Still, for me, someone born in a with the six generations from and Stockport backstreet in poor On the American side, I took my tree back including Stephen Hopkins she already circumstances, I still find it utterly surreal along the Edwards line – the name of my had on her database. There are just that I am connected to the arrival of a American family, originating from Detroit. two more generations in my Ancestry ship that became the founding event I also have a half-brother living in the city family tree connecting to my of a new nation, the USA. But it is why today, but he prefers not to communicate. great-grandmother that the Mayflower this year I’ll be celebrating the 400th David's American father. I hit a brick wall when I reached my Society don’t have. I have checked and anniversary of the Mayflower’s arrival great-great-grandfather, so started re-checked those two generations, in the New World.

Seventies secretaries? Fun(d)raiser Sarah Shaw, whose book, Secret Diary of a When former Radio Brighton BBC Secretary was published several years producer, John Henty, learned ago, now has a new book out. that the magazine Viva Lewes was to cease publication (due Short skirts and shorthand is a general look to the coronavirus), he decided at secretaries in the 1970s, what it was like to create and self-finance his to work as one, the equipment they used, own version of the popular how they were represented in the media monthly read. and whether these were accurate portrayals, and whether they were For ten years, John had trapped in the job or went on to contributed a cheery page to other things. the free mag. His one-off book, pictured here, with a foreword It includes contributions from over by Michael Aspel, has now 60 former secretaries, several of raised nearly £500 through whom worked for the BBC. reader donations to a local The dustcover photo was taken in a hospital charity. BBC radio studio cubicle in the late The online version has been 70s, with the secretary in question being viewed by over 700 people production secretary (and BBC pensioner!) Amanda Lunt. worldwide: www.yumpu.com/ Short skirts and shorthand is available on Amazon as either paperback en/document/view/63215839/ or kindle. john-henty-2020.

ISBN-10 : 1716802148; ISBN-13 : 978-1716802140 A few hard copies are still available from John on 01273 478070.

8 | OBITUARIES

moved from Carlisle back to his hometown of Sheffield, YIT with 43 years where he remarried to Hazel in 2005, who survives him. Supportive and likeable of service He was very much a ‘BBC man’ and often worked camera supervisor The BBC offeredGeoffrey long hours and weekends in the call of duty. Colin George Reid was born on Wilkinson the position of He discouraged me from watching ITV as he viewed it 23 July 1932 in Chiswick, where ‘Youth in Training’ (YIT) in as inferior to the BBC! He enjoyed spending time in he spent his life, apart from when 1944, and he was welcomed the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, and his he and his sisters Jean and Ann by the Engineer-in-Charge in hobbies included electronics, computing (he bought were evacuated to Wales during Leeds, GE Page. Geoff met his his first PC in 1979), photography and carpentry. WW2. He died in Charing Cross wife to be, Brenda, working as Hospital on 11 July after a series Mr Page’s secretary. He was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church of illnesses, bravely borne. and did some lay preaching in small Cumbrian chapels. Geoff’s work took him around the country, spending Colin joined the BBC in 1955 following National Service time at Bush House and working on classical concerts He was very keen on railways and took an active role in the RAF. His interest in photography led him into and outside broadcasts, including Max Jaffa at the in the campaign to save the Carlisle to Settle railway. the Camera Department of Technical Operations. Spa in Scarborough. Rob Bowman The shows he worked on included This Is Your Life with Eamon Andrews, Doctor Who, All Gas and Gaiters, I first met Geoff when I was stationed in Leeds as an Dad’s Army, Playschool, Blue Peter and Wogan. engineer, and later in the Audio Unit. I was impressed by his competence and kindness, not to mention the Much-loved radio Colin loved his work and, as a camera supervisor, smart multicoloured bow tie and bellowing laugh! brought out the best in trainees and more He was always a delight to work with, helping and producer in World experienced staff alike with gentle encouragement guiding novice producers and audio staff. Service Science Unit and helpful advice. All who knew him paint the same picture of a likeable, highly respected, capable He was great friends with former Leeds producer and cameraman and a fine leader who, day in and day out, playright, Alan Ayckbourn, and I understand that provided conscientious and solid support for the Geoff taught him to drive! producers and directors he worked with. We worked together on many dramas with Alfred Peter Bazalgette, the producer of the Food & Drink Bradley and Tony Cliff and after we converted the Show in the Eighties, says, ‘Colin was a consummate drama studio from mono, recorded the first stereo professional and a thoroughly decent man, never drama from Leeds – The Fishing Party. fazed by our bizarre demands and always leading Many producers have cause to thank Geoff for his skills, colleagues to deliver the high-quality images that not just in drama, but also with orchestras and brass were an essential part of the show’s huge success.’ bands – both in studio recordings and competitions. Colin loved to talk about food and wine and his trips During his 43 years of service with the BBC, he was to France, towing his Dandy folding caravan with his hugely admired and respected. Stephen Hedges was a much loved and highly Citroen DS and later BX. He loved the culture, the accomplished radio producer in the World Service A few years ago, we met at his flat in Otley, food and wine, the terrain, the people and the Science Unit. He died after a long illness on 16 May. reminiscing over lunch about the enjoyment of our language. In retirement he found a love for cooking He was 80. careers in Leeds and the many laughs we had. and became good at it. He was keen on cycling and Steve grew up in south London and Hampshire. carried that on into his late Seventies. In his retirement he played golf nearly every day, He joined the BBC in 1970 after working as a zoologist He was overjoyed when, in 1982, he found his wife attended the lunchtime organ recitals at Leeds Town in Nigeria and the UK. Hall each week and enjoyed many classical concerts. Nelly, a joy that was multiplied when after a couple When Steve started at the World Service Science of years, she presented him with a daughter, Carol. Geoff, who was 93, miraculously recovered from Unit, Tony Durham was a scriptwriter there. Tony says: He loved and cared for them and they for him, right to Covid-19 in April but sadly died on 15 July 2020. ‘We welcomed Steve as a real scientist with a PhD the end. who had done proper research. It gave him credibility He is survived by five children and 11 grandchildren. ‘Go gently into that long good night old friend, with with the scientists we interviewed, who were worried Ian C Reed our thanks for your life and being. Memories of you – as ever – about being misrepresented by the media.’ will long remain.’ For more than 25 years, Steve produced Discovery, Geoffrey Hawkes Science in Action, Health Matters and numerous BBC Skelton E-i-C features. He created Pop Science, a strange but highly It is with sadness that I am writing to notify colleagues successful combination of young listeners’ science and friends of the death of Donald (Don) Bowman in questions and their pop music requests, presented by Ann Jenkins Sheffield at the age of 95. DJ Janice Long. My mother, Ann Jenkins, He was a professional engineer in Transmitter Group In the 1980s, Steve was one of the first BBC journalists died peacefully on 10 June. from 1941 to 1980. to grasp how devastating the HIV/AIDS pandemic She was 88. would become, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. He As Ann Hughes, she Born in Rotherham in 1925, he was recruited by the produced several programmes on HIV/AIDS for which graduated from University BBC at the age of 16. He first worked at the Moor he and Health Matters presenter Barbara Myers won a College, Aberystwyth, having Lane Transmitter Sheffield (H Group) in 1941. In 1942, prestigious Medical Journalists’ Association award. following engineering training at Evesham, he moved studied English, French and to Daventry Transmitter, where he was based until Among his many overseas trips, Steve went to Latin, and trained as a 1965, when he was promoted to work at Transmitter Ethiopia in 1985, recording programmes on the secretary in London. international medical response to the famine there. Group Head Office, Duchess Street, London. Her first BBC ‘career’ started in 1956, and in 1957 she Every presenter enjoyed working with Steve. To quote This role involved him visiting radio and TV transmitters joined the new BBC Wales Film Unit in Cardiff, headed Barbara Myers: ‘Steve was the kindest and most all over the UK, covering engineering, power, and health by the poet and documentary film-maker, John Ormond. considerate producer it has been my pleasure to work and safety. Among other things, he helped get ear She met my father, Norman Jenkins, in 1959, and they with. His calm demeanour created a relaxed defenders introduced across the transmitter halls. were married in 1962. Dad worked in Telecine at BBC atmosphere in the studio: contributors were always Wales and later in VT (1958 to 1993). He is still well In 1975, he relocated to Penrith, becoming Assistant treated with the greatest courtesy – as were all his and living near Cardiff. Engineer-in-Charge at BBC Skelton, at the time the colleagues, from studio managers to secretaries.’ largest transmitter site in Europe, broadcasting BBC Mum left the BBC in 1965 to start a family, and re- Steve was the first producer for whom I worked as a output worldwide on a 24-hour basis. joined in 1973 as a broadcast assistant in Radio News. radio production assistant. As well as being kind and She worked in the Newsroom from 1973, until retiring It covered 380 acres of Cumbrian countryside and funny, Steve was my chief mentor, along with editor on her 60th birthday in April 1992. also included the interesting aspect of land John Newell. I learnt so much about magazine show management and dealing with local farmers. He was and feature production from him. Many people Her programme strands included Dateline, promoted to Engineer-in-Charge of the station in 1979. remember Steve as a generous teacher and the one an occasionally hair-raising live opt out of the PM who ‘gave me my first break’. programme. There was the breakfast magazine In 1980, he took early retirement from the BBC at the Good Morning Wales, the drive time sequence 4,5,6 age of 55. Tony Durham sums it up: ‘For a great many of us, and its successor Good Evening Wales, which were Steve was a great colleague and friend.’ In his private life, he married his first wife Catherine in all edited by long-term colleague Gareth Bowen, 1949 and was widowed when she died in 1996. He then Andrew Luck-Baker father of Jeremy. PROSPERO OCTOBER 2020 | 9 | OBITUARIES

Among the producers was another distinguished With the decline of the dock industry, Charles was Welsh poet, Herbert Williams. Presenters included Costume designer made redundant in 1975. Vincent Kane, Brian Hoey and Peter Walker. As a BA, who excelled at An advert for chief cashier at the BBC caught his eye she often gathered the output of reporters and and he was successful in his application. Over the correspondents, including Patrick Hannan and period dramas years, he transformed the department by ensuring Gilbert John, and she worked at bulletin time with Costume designer James staff were better protected in their working newsreaders including Mari Griffith. Mum was Keast was the seventh child environment, by encompassing regional cashiers into diagnosed with vascular dementia a few years ago, born to Elizabeth and Joseph the cashiers’ family, and for setting up the financial and moved to a nursing home in Nantgarw, Keast in Armadale, West structure for the collection of donations to the annual near Cardiff, in 2017. However, she maintained her Lothian, Scotland. He had BBC Children in Need appeal. excellent memory for people, facts, dates, birthdays, three sisters and seven etc., and usually won the nursing home’s General brothers. He first attended Retirement came in 1985 and Charles and Edna moved Knowledge quizzes! St Anthony’s Primary School, from Essex to Woking to be closer to Christine, before settling down in Horsham. Sadly, Edna passed away She still loved listening to Radio 5 Live and Radio then St Mary’s Academy in from cancer in 2003. Wales – in particular, to cricket and golf. I visited her Bathgate for his secondary twice a week, and she was my main source of news education. He studied painting at Edinburgh College In 2015, Christine and Graham emigrated to join and sporting results! of Art, then turned his attention to costume design, Graham’s family in New Zealand, and in 2016, at the graduating in 1979. age of 91, Charles decided to join them. But this was I know that there are still a few working members of not easy as New Zealand is a difficult place to move to staff who remember her. Thank you to all of those James moved to London and got a job at the on a permanent basis. Compassion and a good legal who have contacted me with their kind words and celebrated costume house, Bermans and Nathans, team were very beneficial. fond memories. Special thanks to Peter Johnson for learning his trade as a costume assistant on such films helping me to prepare this article. as Death on the Nile and Clash of the Titans. He later Our thoughts go to Christine and Graham. Charles will joined the Costume Department at BBC TV Centre as be fondly remembered, particularly by myself as our Huw Jenkins a trainee, working for several years alternately as friendship lasted long after he retired until a few days assistant designer, then designer on three-monthly before he left for New Zealand and beyond by email. attachments, until he secured a permanent position as Philip Mayers Producer – and an costume designer. He counted Bergerac, Truly Madly innovator Deeply and The House of Elliot among his credits. 1993 saw mass redundancies being enforced Born in 1926, Donald MacLean throughout the BBC. James took the opportunity to Hindi Service head, died on 21 July 2020 in his go freelance, making his mark with Hillsborough 94th year. At 17, whilst in his Mr Wednesday about the football stadium disaster. Later, whilst final year at Glasgow filming Tess of the D’Urbervilles, vandals set fire to the I like to remember Kailash Academy, he was inspired by costume truck – the entire wardrobe of continuity Budhwar (died 11 July 2020, a talk given by Lord Reith, costumes was burnt to a cinder! A lesser mortal would aged 88) along with a wrote to BBC Glasgow asking have surrendered, but undaunted, James recreated generation of Hindi if he could work for them, broadcasters whom I – and he everything; the resulting film was wonderful. and was enrolled as a Youth – had first got to know when in Training, studio manager, at the princely sum of There followed a diverse list of work including Idris we joined the BBC at much 21/- per week plus 7/6d cost of living. Elba’s iconic Luther, but being deeply influenced the same time, he in 1969 and by such celebrated designers as Piero Tosi (Death in The war then intervened, and army service in the I in 1970 – an eventful year for Venice), James excelled at period costume REME kept him until 1947 when, upon returning to south Asian news. dramas, most notably The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the BBC, he was posted to Aberdeen. As fellow neophytes, I shared with Kailash the the Mr Selfridge series and finally Belgravia. One year later he applied for a producer vacancy experience of induction in our different roles into the Having lived for many years in London with his in Glasgow and was appointed – he was just 22. routines and ethos of BBC World Service broadcasting, partner Rodney Gibson, the decision was taken to Later, tempted by London, he came to Variety learning from his then Hindi Service colleagues and move back up to Scotland where they bought a Department in Aeolian Hall and, among other our tutors in BBC Training. The regular Eastern Service property with land. However Rodney became ill, programmes, produced Jazz Club. studio managers knew him familiarly as ‘Mr Wednesday’ work kept calling James back to the South, and then as his name budhwar in Hindi prompted. Having served in the army during WW2, he found he himself became ill from recurring cancer. He The communication skills which led to his popularity himself recalled during the Suez crisis in the mid-1950s, bravely weathered the treatments but his health both as a broadcaster and as a colleague had been as a reservist captain of a press communications team declined rapidly. of Royal Signals. honed from his experience in India as a teacher and a Enhanced by his softly spoken Scottish accent, performer. At one time he had had ambitions to join Eventually returning to New Bond Street and a James displayed great personal charm. He was the Bollywood film world. Then for ten years he had new ‘Popular Music’ department, he busied himself perceptive, highly talented, loyal and much loved taught at one of the renowned Sainik army schools, designing and implementing ‘strip-programming by all his colleagues and friends. which perhaps reinforced his straightforward manner of radio’, a system which significantly enhanced and always very smart appearance. His default mode productivity and audience satisfaction ratings. Maggie Partington Smith was cooperative and non-confrontational. He was And then on to Radios 1 and 2 where, after he always well-informed both about Indian politics and defined the remit of both new channels, all seemed cultural and educational issues. From 1976-77 rather routine, so, in 1973 he demanded something BBC Chief Cashier onwards, with the BBC’s coverage of Mrs Gandhi’s more challenging – and resigned after 29 years of Charles Henry Brace, BBC Chief Cashier from 1975 to emergency regime, the Hindi Service’s measured BBC life. 1985, sadly passed away peacefully at his adopted audience swelled to 35 million listeners, the largest Naturally he had already sought his future employment home in New Zealand on 22 July. of any BBC service, including the English services. – that of Deputy Chairman of EMI/Thorn EMI plc – As Kailash’s own broadcasting career developed, His beloved daughter Christine and her husband which led to many other leadership roles in related there was more original journalistic input in Hindi Graham were with him at the time. fields. He became chairman of the Cabinet Office’s from the BBC local correspondents throughout India Council of Creative Industries, and also led the team Charles will be remembered by those who knew him previously known as ‘stringers’. As head of the Hindi that replaced the censorship of cinema films with as a highly respected gentleman who was passionate Service, or ‘programme organiser’ as it was then the age classification process, which eventually about his work and who cared so much for his staff. styled, Kailash had an important managerial and became universal. Charles was born in the East End of London in 1925. editorial role in developing this new source of news Donald retired from business at the age of 60 but kept Times were tough in those days, money was tight and integrating it into the wider BBC news coverage. He also had editorial and managerial responsibilities himself fully occupied working with local charitable and ambitions were often not achievable. Over the for the BBC Tamil Service which, like the Hindi Service, organisations. This obituary necessarily lacks much early years of his life, he had a number of jobs had a massive impact both in India and Sri Lanka. detail about his life and varied work and for further before joining the RAF in 1943 as a Flight Engineer. interest the story can be continued with his own During his Service years, he met Edna Surry, In his vigorous advancing years, he presented a words in www.the-life-of.me. whom he married in 1947. genuine and impressive image of a family patriarch, Sincerest condolences to Donald’s wife, Ann, and his immensely proud of his children and grandchildren In 1947, Charles joined the Port of London Police son, Colin. and their achievements. We share their loss. Force before joining a stevedore company as a Brian Willey cashier, eventually rising to finance manager. William Crawley 10 In 1967, Doreen moved into the new Radio 1. In a very Birmingham-based male-dominated BBC, she pioneered the way for women make-up artist when she rose to be executive producer, responsible for much of the weekday daytime programming. It was with great sadness that I heard of the death of a She took charge of the notorious ‘playlist’ which much-treasured former influenced much of the programming forced on colleague, Neva Roberts, Radios 1 and 2 by needletime restrictions, and many Covid-19 stories on 24 April this year. household name DJs owe much to her patronage. Thank you to all those members who have shared Bea, as she was sometimes By 1985, when I became network controller, she was their Covid-19 stories with us. The lockdown known to us, joined the make-up my Head of Music Department and, in that role, was a certainly gave many of our members the training school at the BBC loyal and very hard-working supporter. opportunity to go through their own personal in January 1956, becoming She was always actively involved in the many ‘BBC Archives’ and some shared with this Prospero make-up assistant the following year and make-up promotional activities the network pursued: weeks out magazine fantastic stories of their working lives. supervisor in Birmingham in spring 1958. around the country, charity shows with the DJs and Information regarding working in local radio was Bea and I were both very proud to be part of this the evening refreshments in the bar, where she could particularly well received! exciting time within BBC Television. We both hold her own with all. Gardening has also been a common theme and how contributed to the planning of Pebble Mill Studios Doreen was a very sociable person, with a wide circle of lucky we have been with the weather from this point in the Sixties. musicians, song writers and performers as friends, and of view. Opinions have certainly varied, with some it was her pleasure to entertain them regularly at dinner Bea’s genuine interest in others, combined with her retired members shielding very seriously, unable to parties in her home. She will be greatly missed by a very expert knowledge of perms and training with Max get out at all, and others determined to carry on as large number of friends and I, too, miss her phone calls Factor and Superma prepared her for her dream job normally as possible. Common to most, however, is at the BBC. Bea was a consummate professional who chatting away about the latest BBC news and gossip. the sheer frustration at not knowing what the future was passionate about her work. The television Her death leaves a large gap in the lives of the Radio 1 will bring and the difficulties of planning ahead. programmes she was involved in were quite staff who worked there in those golden days. considerable in their scope, covering studio Members who have contacted us have told of Johnny Beerling productions such as Waiting for Godot as well as adapting to the changing times, adopting new extensive outside broadcasts within the Midlands, ways of communication and increasing their Wales, Norfolk and London. technical knowhow to keep in touch, shop and Bea was an extremely likeable person, with a great BBC sound engineer take advantage of the many online activities deal of specialist knowledge and skill. She maintained available, whether religious services, concerts or an excellent working relationship with the crew on in the North theatre performances! many lavish productions for the BBC. Her bubbly Gordon Briggs (Gubby) At the time of writing, most BBC staff are still nature and excellent people skills meant that she had died on 19 June 2020 aged working from home. We are evaluating the changes no difficulty in engaging with actors of national and 93 in Alsager Cheshire. He and government’s advice every two weeks. We hope international renown. joined the BBC in August 1943 straight from school to reopen the Club sites in October but with new I can see her yet, perched on her high stool, and was based initially at case numbers fluctuating and the risk of local immaculately presented, utilising her expertise to Maida Vale Studios before lockdowns, please do not travel to BBC Club sites prepare actors in a way which enabled them to moving to Wood Norton for his training. His first without checking the website first, where we will gain their composure. She must have been privy to posting was to the Variety Department at the County announce the reopening. We look forward to many of their conversations but was always discrete Theatre in Bangor Wales. welcoming you back as soon as it is safe and and reassuring. practical to do so. National service in the Royal Signals in January 1946 As I look back at that time in Birmingham with Bea interrupted his career but upon demobilisation, with great warmth and affection, I recognise what a In these unprecedented times, BBC Club would like he returned to Bush House within the European and credit she was to the BBC. to thank all our fantastic members for their support. Overseas service. As an independent, not-for-profit and unsubsidised Bea left the BBC to get married in 1963. She was He was promoted in 1951 to sound engineer and was company, it is the support of our members that has always strongly committed to the family she and her posted to Manchester Outside Broadcasts operating kept us going. husband Freddie nurtured together, and in more recent from the Plymouth Grove, Stockport Road and more years has lived in Oxfordshire near her daughter Carol, BBC Club Extra has continued throughout lately Oxford Road sites. He subsequently became a son-in-law Stuart and three grandchildren. senior audio supervisor and retired after 44 years’ (the monthly competitions still proving popular). When we met up last year, she was so completely true service in 1987. In anticipation of reopening within the next couple to character: warm, exuberant and elegant. This is the of months, we will be giving away vouchers for Working almost exclusively for BBC Radio, most of his way I shall always remember her. lunch in the Club for two (including a bottle of wine) assignments were in the North but he had involvement as competition prizes. The vouchers are valid for Duncan MacEwan in many of the national events, including the 1953 a year from date of issue, so do email us with coronation based at Canada Gate, Winston Churchill’s your entry. funeral and the various state weddings of the time. Secretary who worked It is believed he may have regularly worked on Gardeners’ Our Connect Clubs are now holding events, Question Time and Down your Way, as well as diverse some virtual, some in person, with the Golf Society her way up to become music broadcasts from Sunday Service to the Radio having events in September, October AND unusually Radio 1’s Head of Music One Roadshow. November! The Radio Theatre Club is also busy in He was a regular at the Aintree Grand National as the virtual world and there have been some Doreen Davies was my friend and well as horse racing across the North. Gubby was also, Rambling Club quizzes and even a few small colleague for over 60 years. Aged 17, I believe, a familiar face to radio commentators at socially distanced meetings. The Wine and she joined the BBC as a secretary Cricket Test matches at Headingley and Old Trafford Beer Society have taken to Zoom meetings like working in the Comedy Department and other sporting broadcasts from across the region, professionals! For details please see the individual with writers Galton & Simpson and on including the 1966 World Cup. He also covered for Club pages on the website. programmes such as Hancock’s Half many years the party political conferences that Hour and The Goons. regularly occurred in the region. Do stay in touch and most importantly, STAY SAFE She soon became a producer at Aeolian Hall in the AND HEALTHY. Outside of work, his major passion was canals and he Light Programme days, where, initially, she produced was an honorary member of North Cheshire Cruising Please note, correspondence by post or email only live sessions with the pop groups of the Sixties and Club, having been amongst its earliest members. then established a reputation for breaking new ground as staff are continuing to work from home. He built four canal boats in his days off and regularly with the Jimmy Young Show, with its mixture of music, contributed to canal magazines, many of the historic interviews and recipes. photographs he had taken. Doreen was an excellent cook and always asked Derek [email protected] He had a passion for the job and organisation that Mills, her husband, to try the food. Derek was an he was immensely proud of being part of, and he is BBC Club Broadcast Centre, BC2 B3, executive producer in Radio 2 and they were jokingly dearly missed by all his family. nicknamed ‘Mr and Mrs Mills Music’ because of their 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TP huge influence on music radio airtime. The Briggs family PROSPERO OCTOBER 2020 | 11 | ODDS & ENDS CONTACTS RUSSIAN EXHIBITION FOR Queries For benefit and pension payroll EX-BBC STAFFER queries, call the Service Line on 029 2032 2811 or email Last year (June 2019), [email protected].

Prospero published the Prospero memories of Roger Clark, To remove a name from the distribution list, ring the Service who spent time in Russia Line on 029 2032 2811. Prospero photographing the fall is provided free of charge to of the ‘Evil Empire’ retired BBC Scheme members only. Prospero is also available in the late Eighties and on audio disc for those with early Nineties. sight impairment. To register, please ring the Service Line. ith ‘exquisite timing’ – when Alternatively, it is also available relations between Britain online at bbc.com/mypension, Wand Russia are now under ‘Documents’. worse than at any time since the Cold War – an exhibition of photos he BBC Club took 30 years ago inside the Russian The BBC Club in London has a naval fortress of Kronstadt has just retired membership costing £3 per opened in the Kronstadt History Museum. month or £36 per year. Members can also add friends and family Tell us about Kronstadt. to their membership for a small Founded by Peter the Great, Kronstadt additional cost. Regional clubs or communist times. I was told I was – known as the cradle of the Russian may have different arrangements. only the second foreigner allowed to Science Museum London launched large Navy and home of the Baltic Fleet Please call the BBC Club London visit the island during communist rule. exhibitions to coincide with the 100th – was so secret that even Russians office on 020 8752 6666 or email anniversary of the murder of the last needed a pass to go there. How do you feel about your exhibition? [email protected] for details, tsar Nicholas II and his family in 1918. The island, which guarded St Petersburg, It looks good. The Kronstadt History or to join. played a crucial role in world history Museum has spent a lot of money So, if it’s good enough for the Queen when the sailors helped Lenin and the producing large, high-quality prints and the Science Museum to continue Benevolent Fund Bolsheviks seize power during the of my pictures from my digital files. cultural links with Russi,a I see no This is funded by voluntary Russian Revolution. They soon came And it’s obvious from the way they need to worry about my small contributions from the BBC and its to regret it when they saw what the have displayed them that they have put historical exhibition. And as a codicil purpose is to protect the welfare of communists were really like and a lot of thought in selecting and – no one worried about Jonathan staff, pensioners and their families. rebelled in 1921. The rebellion was arranging them. Dimbleby’s BBC TV series and book Grants are made at the discretion crushed and with it any hope that about Russia a few years ago, though How long has it taken to pull together? of the Trustees. They may provide Russia might become more democratic. he never visited Kronstadt. The exhibition has been a long time in assistance in cases of unforeseen How much time did you spend there? planning. Seven years ago, an historian Do you hope your photos will financial hardship, for which help I spent three afternoons in Kronstadt and tourist guide Roman Shaposhnik, improve relations between Russia from other sources is not available. recording a radio feature about the who lives in Kronstadt, saw some of and Britain? Tel: 029 2032 2811 island naval fortress for the BBC World my photos and suggested an exhibition. Well, I hope they won’t make relations Service – the first time this had ever On and off talks took place about an worse! It would be naive, though, Prospero Society been done. In addition, I took scores exhibition and now it’s happened. to imagine an exhibition of historic Prospero Society is the only of photos. The timing might have been better, photos in an obscure Russian museum section of the BBC Club run by but that’s life! will have any political impact. I hope and for retired BBC staff and The Kronstadt History Museum tells it might interest historians, but that’s it. their spouses. Its aim is to enable me my photographs are rare because Are you worried about your cultural I’m not an amateur diplomat or BBC pensioners to meet on a no one – let alone an Englishman links with Russia? politician and never have been. social basis for theatre visits, – ever tried to produce a photo essay I am always cautious, but a couple of I’m a broadcaster and photographer. luncheons, coach outings, etc. about Kronstadt during tsarist, years ago Buckingham Place and the Prospero Society is supported WIN by BBC Club funds so as to CLASSIFIEDS £10 make events affordable. If you Caption competition would like an application form, Menorca. Stunning detached villa please contact: The winner of a £10 shopping voucher is with private pool. Sleeps 2-7. Gayner Leach Mr Stephen Newnham who submitted: The man Es Castell. Close to amenities, bars BBC Club on the right is saying ‘I’d take a quick step back, & restaurants. Air conditioned. BC2 B3 Broadcast Centre I think that pigeon up there has just done what Brochure: 07860 232854. 201 Wood Lane pigeons do. www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk London W12 7TP There were also lots of references to Meccano Tel: 020 8752 6666 Andalucia, Spain. Modern villa south and a few ‘last one to the top buys the first Email: [email protected]. of Granada, 20 metres from beach. round’ submissions. Traditional fishing village. Sleeps 8. Email for brochure: BBCPA The BBCPA was founded in 1988 to [email protected] Post your entry to Prospero by promote and safeguard the interests Monday, 2 November 2020. of BBC pensioners. It is independent Prospero Classifieds, BBC Pension of the BBC. For details of how to Or, you can email your entry to and Benefits Centre, 3 Central Square, join, see the panel on page 5 or [email protected], with ‘caption Cardiff, CF10 1FT. download a membership form competition 5’ in the subject line. Please enclose a cheque made payable at bbcpa.org.uk. to: BBC Central Directorate. Rate: Please include your BBC pension £6 for 20 words. In a covering letter, number. Good luck! please include your pension number.

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