Swingeing Rugby The King’s World coverage speech Service page 4 page 8

cuts page 2 March 2011 Number 2

With highlights from Ariel Rockhopper Copper The story behind two former Pebble Mill colleagues and the rockhopper penguins of Tristan da Cunha – page 6 BBC News World Service slashed to meet spending cuts World Service staff gathered at Bush House and in offices around the world on 26 January to hear head of Global News Peter Horrocks and Liliane Landor, controller languages, explain that five language services will close in March and 650 posts will go by 2014. The majority of the redundancies will fall in the next financial year with 480 jobs gone by April 2012. Radio output in seven other languages will end, reductions for individual services. A total of 291 others which we have made faster. We’d like to and most short and medium-wave broadcasting posts in Languages will close over the next two use the opportunity of our existing platforms to PROSPERO will be phased out. Audiences are expected to years. The services which will feel the greatest promote new services and migrate audiences fall by 30 million as a result. Support areas will impact are Arabic, losing 41 editorial posts and from declining platforms to growing platforms. March 2011 be cut by an average 33%. 25 operational ones; Russian, 45 posts; the We are less able to do that because of these cuts.’ Horrocks explained the World Service must Indian team, 23 editorial and 7 operational Mark Thompson acknowledged that World save 20% on current budgets, mainly because posts. The aim would be to reduce numbers of Service was already one of the ‘leanest’ parts of the Government spending review cut the job losses wherever possible, Landor said. the BBC: ‘That is why the impact on jobs is so Prospero is provided free to Grant-in-Aid funding by 16%, with cost deep… Any cuts are difficult to make and we increases, extra pension costs and strategic will ensure that we do everything we can to retired BBC employees. It can investment adding the extra 4%. He said the Changing practices minimise the consequences and work with those cuts were no reflection on the staff involved, or World Service will also move to new forms of affected,’ he said. also be sent to spouses or the services hit, adding: ‘The BBC is proud of distribution, such as mobile and online, which Around £20m in licence fee funds would be dependants who want to keep them and what they do. It is simply that we Horrocks acknowledges is a risk. used before the transfer to BBC funding in need to make savings and focus our efforts.’ By March 2014 shortwave broadcasts in three years’ time to mitigate the impact of in touch with the BBC. Landor said: ‘We have not salami sliced in a languages other than English will have ended, Government cuts. It includes news about false desire to be seen to be fair; we have taken except for ‘lifeline’ services such as Burmese and After 2014, Thompson hoped to increase strategic decisions.’ Somali. Horrocks told Ariel: World Service funding, although not to former colleagues, pension After Horrocks set out the broader picture, ‘There are some changes which we wouldn’t pre-spending review levels, he admitted. issues, and developments at Landor detailed the job losses and budget have wanted to have made at all and there are the BBC. Prospero includes classified advertisements. To advertise in Prospero or TV debates a hit with young voters the BBC Staff magazine, Putting the leaders of the three main more interested in the election after Stephen Coleman, professor of political Ariel, see page 12. political parties on the spot, live on watching the first show on ITV1, communications at the University of television, in the run-up to last year’s compared to one in three 40-54 year-olds Leeds, said: ‘Importantly, half of the election made the campaign more and one in four over-55s. 18-24 year-olds in our sample said the Subscription information for interesting to young voters. It also Three quarters of first-time voters said debates had helped them to make up influenced them more than it did they had learned about the parties’ their minds about how to vote. Ariel is on page 12. older people, according to policies from the debates, compared with ‘We note that turnout amongst university research. 63% of over-55s. 18-25 year-olds increased by seven The Reuters Institute for the Study of The research is the first nationally percentage points in last year’s election, Journalism at Oxford University claimed representative study on how the televised three points higher than the average first-time voters in the UK ‘formed a debates influenced voting. increase in turnout compared with 2005. special relationship with the prime Gordon Brown, David Cameron and ‘While I cannot claim that this was a ministerial televised debates, in striking Nick Clegg took part in the three shows, direct effect of watching the televised contrast to their more jaded elders’. designed to offer the public a measure debates, I doubt very much that it was Around half (55%) of the 18-24 of the policies of each party before the an unrelated effect.’ year-olds questioned said they became 6 May election.

CROSPERO 155 1 2 Editorial contributions Devised and compiled by Jim Palm 3 4 Complete the square by using the clues; these apply only to words running across. Then take these words in numerical order and extract Write to: Prospero 5 6 the letters indicated by a dot. If your answers are correct, these letters BBC Pension and Benefits Centre will spell out the name of a popular BBC programme. Broadcasting House 7 Cardiff, CF5 2YQ Please send your answers in an envelope marked Crospero to The Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting 8 9 Tel: 020 7765 1414 House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ by Friday, 11 March 2011.

10 Email: prospero@bbc.co.uk Clues: 1. Spoil utterly (4); 2. More miserly (6); 3. Mark of wound (4); 4. Was victorious (3); 5. Mammal (4); 6. Animal groups (5); 7. IOW town (4); 8. Place for water sports (4); 9. Cornish town (5); 11 12 Please make sure that any digital 10. Liquid (5); 11. Stop! (5); 12. Periods of time (4); 13. Portent (4); pictures you send are scanned 14. Base-line (5); 15. Celebratory event (4); 16. Vehicle (3); 13 at 300 dpi. 17. Depend (4); 18. Species of cactus (6); 19. Appear (4) Solution to Crospero 154: Raw; Chair; Libido; Sun; Mat; Latin; EIC; 14 15 Hosea; Nut; DAT; Wise; Abel; Alp; Lac; Close; Tam; Abets; Ter; Obi; Treaty; Story; Due. The BBC Christmas production was Whistle and 16 17 I’ll Come to You . 18 19 The winner was Mr B Wells of Portishead, Bristol.

2 • • March • 2011 BBC News Broaden appeal but keep faith with core fans, stations told Radio 4 should reach out to younger international focus and look again at the now on, the focus would be on speech radio fans, more minority ethnic ‘balance’ of overseas coverage. And family-friendly content for older children, listeners and people outside the M25, hours of original documentaries are to meaning children’s hours would drop says the BBC Trust. increase this year to 350. from 1,400 to 350. The review rubber Endorsing Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio While welcoming steps taken to stamps management plans to make 7 as ‘much loved and highly valued’, the make Radio 3 more accessible, the trust CBeebies pre-school audio available trustees’ latest service review supports again warns that this aim should not for download and the release of management concerns about long term jeopardise the station’s distinctiveness BBC-branded radio content for decline in Radio 4’s ‘replenisher’ and high quality. broadcast by third parties. audience group – younger, lighter Formally backing the executive’s The trust also approved plans for listeners than the network’s heartland. proposal to reposition Radio 7 as Radio 4 permanent archive collections – based It should better promote the station to a Extra, trustees have strengthened the on knowledge and culture – for Radio 3, more diverse demographic, while taking service licence to increase the digital Radio 4 and BBC Four. care not to alienate core listeners, the station’s commitment to comedy and Trustee David Liddiment, who led the review says. drama and limit Radio 4 catch-up. review said: ‘The challenge now is to In addition, Radio 4 should respond to The station’s children’s programming bring in new audiences, while retaining listener concerns about a US-leaning had performed ‘very poorly’ and, from the qualities that make them special.’

YouView – but you’ll MMOONNEEYY MMAATTTTEERRSS have to wait by Sally Hillier Tax need not be taxing The deadline for getting your 2009/10 tax return in has only just passed, so you may not yet be thinking about your 2010/11 return – but Kay Ingram, Director of Financial Planning at LEBC Group Ltd, says that the sooner you do, the better. The delay of YouView until next year should be through a new kind of set top box (a bit ‘put into perspective’, say the people behind like a Freeview box) and ultimately through Completing a tax return can be a chore the project. integrated internet-connected TVs. and many of our clients who get a letter from HMRC saying they no longer need ‘Putting it back by six months is not that long As well as a wealth of material from the • You may have more than one to complete one are delighted. But given what we’re trying to achieve,’ one insider partners, including BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, pension. The State pension is paid should they be? has told Ariel. 4oD, and Demand Five, YouView will offer gross but is taxable. Private pensions Even so, the postponement is a fillip for rivals viewing and listening from other content who are busy developing their own internet-TV providers (opera houses, film and theatre Unless you only have one source of usually deduct tax at 20% at source; operations, and 2012 is a long way on from companies and so on). income that is taxed at source, the this may be too much or too little 2010, when originally it was planned to start The potential is huge but getting the technical chances are you should file a tax return depending on your income from the service formally known as Project Canvas. details right has proved challenging, particularly as in many cases it may result in a other sources. First though, the regulatory process had to be the need to make the service user-friendly. refund of overpaid tax to you. completed and it wasn’t until June last year that Attributing the delayed launch to the • Gifts to charities and payments into the BBC Trust approved YouView. desire to give consumers something that is Self assessment assumes that you, the pension plans qualify for tax relief. The intention then became to go ahead with ‘right not rushed’, YouView chief executive taxpayer, know the Taxes Acts inside This is given at 20% at source but it in the first half of 2011, but in February it Richard Halton says: ‘Creating a truly open TV out and will understand your correct tax higher rate taxpayers can claim was announced that although product trials platform that will bring consumers increased bill down to the last penny. Many back more. would start later this year, a full consumer choice has required significant technological taxpayers assume that HMRC knows all • Dividends from overseas shares have launch was on hold until early 2012. innovation. Our timings for the launch reflect about them, their income and gains and tax deducted at source, some of YouView is a partnership between the BBC, the scale and complexity of this project.’ so rely on their PAYE code being TalkTalk, BT, ITV, Channel 5, Channel 4 The next milestone, expected shortly, which can be reclaimed by UK correct. This triumph of hope over and Arqiva to deliver on-demand TV into will be the publication of the core resident taxpayers. Freeview homes via broadband, initially technical specifications. experience often leads to individuals paying the wrong amount of tax. If you have overpaid tax for any reason, it may be worth filing a return to claim it This is particularly likely to be the case at back, including up to six previous years. Looking for lost RELCS reminder and in retirement when lifelong earning patterns change and pensions from more If you have underpaid tax, getting it programmes Final reminder of the Spring RELC than one source come into payment. straightened out as soon as possible is lunch on Thursday, 14 April in the the best policy. Underpayment can Over 65s also qualify for additional tax sunshine at the Miramar Hotel on the result in a hefty tax bill later plus fines The BBC is joining the British Library allowances but only if their income from cliffs at Bournemouth… the hotel bar and penalties which ratchet up over and Kaleidoscope Television in a certain sources is below £21,900. Some opens at 10.30am. time. Ignorance of tax rules or a simple income counts towards this limit and search for lost TV and radio mistake is no defence against The backroom role played by BBC other income does not. programmes, and is looking for underpayment and only in very technically proficient volunteers to engineers in the film The King’s There are many reasons why your tax exceptional circumstances will penalties help with the playback and digitisation Speech will be highlighted, with a code is probably wrong: and interest be waived. of old audiotype formats. Volunteers playback of the disk-recorded voice need access to a reel-to-reel of King George V1 speaking on the • Your income from savings may have With allowances set to rise for some quarter-inch audiotype recorder and wireless at the outbreak of WW2. dropped as interest rates fell but your taxpayers but fall for others, after 5 April, code still assumes you are getting setting the record straight by filing your should know how to use it. Contact Contact Russel Horne on 01590 more interest than you are. return early for 2010/11 is the best policy. [email protected] 624389 for more details.

March • 2011 • • 3 Letters Contacts This issue… spare us the camera cliches; Visiting Scheme If you would like a visit or information on how to become a volunteer visitor, please ring 0845 712 5529. You will be charged only as a local call. Six Nations Queries For benefit and pension payroll queries, call the Service Line on 029 2032 2811. Prospero To add or delete a name from the distribution list, ring the Service Line (number above). Prospero is provided free rugby coverage of charge to retired BBC employees. On request, we will also send it to spouses or dependants who want to keep in touch One of the highlights of the sporting year for with the BBC. Prospero is also available on my wife and me is the Six Nations rugby. audio tape for those with sight impairment. Unfortunately the increasingly fussy television To register, please ring the Service Line production is spoiling it. on 029 2032 2811. First, there is the proliferation of replays, flashbacks to something that has only just BBC Club happened. Frequently we then miss the ensuing The BBC Club in London has a retired put in at a line out or the restart of play. We do category membership costing £30 a year not see the entire match. for members and £39 a year for family Then there is the trigger-happy direction membership. Pre-1997 life members are which says, ‘Look how many cameras I have and not affected. Regional clubs may have how clever I am at using them.’ It is different arrangements. disorientating for a viewer to be moved every Please call BBC Club London other second from one point of view to another, administration office on 020 8752 6666 and especially from one perspective to another. or email [email protected] Particularly disorientating is when the apparent direction of play is turned through 90 degrees Benevolent Fund or even reversed. Extreme close ups of a scrum This is funded by voluntary contributions or ruck may give an impression of the ferocity from the BBC and its purpose is to protect of the game, but they do not help us to follow the welfare of staff, pensioners and their the play. families. Grants are made at the discretion We hear too many voices during play. If a of the Trustees. They may provide commentator is worth employing, he or she assistance in cases of unforeseen financial should be able to describe what is going on hardship, for which help from other without the need for intrusions from a former sources is not available. player sitting alongside and often unnecessary Tel: 029 2032 3772 comment from another former player standing alongside the pitch. Throw in endless analyses Prospero Society of play with arrows and circles and our Prospero Society is the only section of the concentration on the match itself is surely tried. Happily, on this first weekend of coverage we the players looking like a colony of ants far BBC Club run by and for retired BBC staff Please keep all that for half time and post match were spared two awful clichés which have crept below. It does not show the trajectory of the and their spouses. Its aim is to enable BBC discussion or lengthy breaks in play such as a in over the last few years. One is a shot at the ball, a very important part of that kick which pensioners to meet on a social basis for serious injury. Jonathan Davies’s intrusions into line out taken from low down between the can only be appreciated side on. theatre visits, luncheons, coach outings the France-Scotland match commentary were hooker’s legs. It does not show how the ball has A simpler production style would help us etc. Prospero is supported by BBC Club so frequent (and largely uninformative) that we been thrown in, how far it has been thrown in, enormously. We have, after all, turned on to funds so as to make events affordable. found ourselves shouting at him to shut up! how the line out players have jumped or how watch the match not the television production. The only conditions (apart from paying a Hearing the referee’s instructions, however, is they played the ball. The other cliché is an Mark Rowlinson small annual subscription) are that you most welcome. overhead shot at a kick off or restart. It shows must be a BBC pensioner and a member of the BBC Club. Write for an application form to: Graham Snaith, 67 Newberries Avenue, Radlett, Herts WD7 7EL. Telephone: 01923 855177 Palace of Arts memories Mobile: 07736 169612 Email: [email protected] BBC products BBC retired staff are entitled to a 30% discount off the RRP of most products in the BBC TV Centre shop. There is a postage charge of £2.95 per order (not per item). Pensioners must quote their BBC pension number when ordering. Contact: BBC Shop, Audience Foyer, Television Centre, Wood Lane, London W12 7RJ. Tel: 020 8225 8230. Email: [email protected]. Other ways to order (quoting your pension number when ordering): By phone: 08700 777 001 8.30am-6pm weekdays. By post: BBC Shop, PO Box 308, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8LW. Email: [email protected]. Or visit BBC Shops in Eastbourne, Brighton, Leicester, Birmingham or Howard Arnall, one of our group of new recruits, Other fellow trainees admiring an elderly Marconi Mk II camera Liverpool. UK postage £2.45 for operating a Pye My VI camera early in 1964. with Varotel zoom. Alan Woolford is on the extreme left. telephone, post and email orders. Overseas: £4.50 for one item and £2 for I had always wanted to join the BBC Of course, I soon learned that the building Recently I rediscovered two photographs I each additional product for telephone, on account of what I perceived to be its was a rather run-down relic of the 1924 took of our very first training exercise, post and email orders. high ideals, but even I was surprised – when British Empire Exhibition. Even worse, organised by on-station instructor Alan asked to report to the Palace of Arts someone seemed to have nicked the ‘F’ to Woolford who went on to be a successful BBC PA outside broadcast base in Wembley in make it the ‘Palace O’ Arts’ which made it engineering manager. They may bring back For details of how to join the Pensioners’ 1963 – to find that its staff enjoyed such sound rather like a self-regarding Dublin some happy memories. Association, see panel on page 5. prestigious accommodation. drinking den. Roger Dowling

4 • • March • 2011 Letters all abuzz about background music; NDO team effort Too much music Northern Dance Orchestra Thanks to all of you who have contributed so I was pleased to read the letter from The need for economy is well much to the NDO project. The website is now Chris Cherry in the February issue of understood, but there are petty in its 55th revision. Prospero on the subject of background economies which throw the baby I have to say that the headlines on the article music levels. out with the bath water. (Prospero February) seem to suggest that I have This is something I’ve been incensed David Penny been all alone in this project. Not so! with for months but decided on reflection This has really been a team effort, and I would that it may be a crusty old man’s slight I COMPLETELY ENDORSE all that like to put on record my thanks to Stephen loss of hearing that was the problem. Chris Cherry said in his letter in the Garner, who knows more about the history of the band than anyone, and my audio colleagues A particular case recently occurred recent Prospero (‘Adverse music levels’). who have been so generous with their time and during a Flog it programme, when Paul I have written to the BBC several times skills in helping this project be so successful. was trying to explain the glorious in the past on this matter as have When I started it, all I expected was to architecture of a grand house in countless other listeners. There have discover a few cassette tapes, and some Derbyshire. His presentation was first been many articles in the national press dog-eared pictures! class, but some of it was lost with the about the problem, yet nobody at the I have been truly amazed by the quantity and ingress of background music. BBC takes the slightest notice. the quality of the material which has been Does an interesting subject, well Music is almost always an intrusion offered to me, and the fondness for the band presented, really need background into any programme. People’s liking for after all these years. I have had the privilege of hearing excellent music to enhance it? music differs. It does not set a mood as ‘transmission quality’ recordings from R Clements production people claim. Frequently it throughout the band’s lifetime, recordings that aggravates and makes the dialogue I truly believed were lost for ever. The hope is I AM INSPIRED by the letter from impossible to follow. to put some, or all of this, in the public domain Chris Cherry in the latest edition to enter What is worse is that music is now at a later date. article on page 6, the cover picture is surely not the debate. added to documentaries. If I were to Ian C Reed of the NDO but of its predecessor the NVO, as I joined the BBC in 1958, and the first attend a lecture at a college and some hinted in the article. Be that as it may, the lesson we were taught in early continuity fool started to play a keyboard while the I FEEL SURE that I won't be the only person surprising thing to me is the lengths of their shifts was that a central part of the job lecturer was speaking I think that the to write about the cover picture on this bows; they look much longer than those latest issue. normally used today. was that once the listener had set their fool would be quickly removed from the Judging by the pictures accompanying the Rex Palmer volume control to their own comfort level, premises. Yet such noises are added to they should not need to touch it again. the documentary soundtrack by the Later, when having reached a position BBC, thus frequently making the words convert the codgers’ in which it stated that where I was balancing programmes, spoken unintelligible. Mrs Ellen Jones 10 million adults in the UK never use the internet we had a DIM key which cut the Also, in these times of austerity, the Does anyone know the whereabouts of Mrs (a significant number aged 60+) so why no loudspeaker level by 15 Db and which BBC would save a lot of money on the Ellen Jones, who is thought to have been a BBC alternative to joining the above other than by email, was used regularly to ensure that the music they pay to have performed staffer in London at one time? If you do, please thereby excluding about a quarter of the contact the BBC Pension and Benefits Centre. population, especially being a retirement magazine? balance was still acceptable to people and written. Someone is trying to trace her in relation to an using ordinary domestic radios. If television develops so that there is estate query but we have no record of her. Eileen Earnshaw I have the very clear opinion that both the possibility of stereo sound, I suggest Eileen, we apologise for the oversight. You are of these basic tenets are long gone. The that instead of having stereo sound we absolutely correct that we should not rely music/speech balance is only viable should stick with binaural sound which Book Club exclusively on email. Readers who wish to sign up when listening at VERY high levels, and is uncontaminated with music and other Not that long ago, Mark Thompson hosted an for the Book Club can also send their details to the relative levels, programme to effects on one channel and devote the online access forum at Television Centre and Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, programme, are appalling, particularly other channel to music and such like a piece appeared in Prospero with the Broadcasting House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ. on TV, and especially over satellite. while at the same time offering the inappropriate/objectionable title ‘Web mission to I strongly suspect this is largely due to viewer the ability to turn off the reliance on automatic systems, replacing music channel. people with ears. Tom Peckham

Get together, pensioners

Senior BBCPA member Reg Turnill sees employers into closing their pension funds urgent need to protect pensions. altogether, and enabled others to One of the longest-serving members of the enthusiastically increase the charges and reduce BBC Pensioners’ Association says if ever there the benefits.’ was a time when employees and retired staff That was why the need for pensioners and needed to get together to protect their pension those nearing retirement to join their funds, it was now. associations was crucial. ‘The unions learned Ahead of the BBCPA’s annual meeting on long ago that when it comes to negotiations, 21 April, Reg Turnill, who was the BBC’s it’s numbers that count.’ aviation and space correspondent for 20 years, Of his own experience, ‘as one of the new said it was an important time for pensioners generation of nonagenarians’, he said he could and staff about to retire to join the association. not over-emphasise the difference that 35 years Reg, now 95, was a founder member of of a modest pension had meant ‘to my BBCPA in 1988 and has attended most annual extended life’. meetings since then. He is critical of the way He became a founder member of BBCPA, pensions have been managed down the years. Reg said, ‘because in 45 years of staff ‘In the ‘good years’ the result of the actuaries employment in Fleet Street, the army and the assessing the funds’ viability on the worst BBC I was never unemployed for a single day, possible combination of events led to them yet I was always diddled when it came to developing healthy surpluses,’ he said. ‘That pensionable entitlement so that when I retired, encouraged a predatory government to cream slightly less than 20 years actually counted’. off the surplus while a weak membership BBCPA’s annual general meeting for looked helplessly on. members and prospective members will be ‘Next time around it was much easier for the held at the Friends Meeting House, 173 actuaries to dream up – and to some extent Euston Road, London, NW1 2BJ, on actually create – nightmare scenarios of Thursday, 21 April, at 2pm. billion-pound deficits which frightened some

March • 2011 • • 5 Life after Auntie Rockhopper Copper

The story of the people of the world’s most remote inhabited island, Tristan da Cunha, has reunited two former colleagues from the BBC’s Birmingham Press Office.

On Tristan da Cunha (left to right): Leon Glass, son of the author Inspector Conrad Glass MBE (centre) and Chris Bates. (Photo by Julie Bates.)

Chris Bates on Tristan da Cunha with the Jerry Johns with Conrad Glass, meeting uninhabited ‘Inaccessible Island’ in the to plan the edition just published. background. (Photo by Julie Bates.)

It is 50 years this year since the volcano erupted book, Jerry helped with preparations for Now that his term of office has ended, the aspects of island life is something which Jerry on this remotest of islands, half way between publication through printers in rural factory rebuilt, the harbour repaired and a new has emphasised. Southern Africa and South America, forcing the Herefordshire which his business uses. crane installed, Conrad has again turned to Chris Chris said: ‘In many respects it’s been a bit population to flee. Most had never before seen Rockhopper Copper took its title from the and Jerry to help him with a new edition and this like working with Jerry back at the Pebble Mill a car, bus, train, horse or any building larger author’s laconic observation that while the time, to get it into the bookshops around the UK. press office 20 years ago – something which was than their own tiny crofts on this outpost of human population of Tristan presented him Jerry was persuaded to take it on as one of his titles. always very enjoyable – and without him, the what was then the British Empire. with few problems, most of the thousands of After a substantial re-write, a full update, new amazing story of the Tristan islanders and life Their plight as they tried to adjust to their Rockhopper penguins living there could be photos and an expanded text, hundreds of copies on their volcanic outpost could not have been new life in an old military camp near arrested for breach of the peace, such was their are on their way to the South Atlantic in time for told to the wider world. The author has plans Southampton caught the imagination of the for a follow up book and I hope to return to the world, and it was two years before they were island in the autumn to discuss it with him.’ able to return, tired of portrayal as Robinson ‘It is 50 years this year since the volcano erupted on this Crusoe figures in a society they often found alien to their values. remotest of islands... Most had never before seen a car, bus, While many books had been written by Rockhopper Copper by Conrad Glass (ISBN outsiders, none of the islanders had written one 978-0955364877) is published by the to tell their story, until Tristan’s only full-time train, horse or any building larger than their own tiny crofts...’ Polperro Heritage Press, price £9.95 from policeman, Inspector Conrad Glass, decided to bookshops, available also by post from the do so and was introduced to former BBC unruly behaviour! The book was produced just the new cruise ship season, but many more have Polperro Heritage Press, Clifton-upon-Teme, Birmingham press officer, Chris Bates, by his in time to be shipped to Tristan for the 2005 been produced for sale through bookshops and Worcestershire WR6 6EN at £11 including mother-in-law, Catherine Glass. Chris had got cruise ship season and the arrival of tourists retailers in the UK and worldwide. UK postage and packing. to know a number of people on Tristan after looking for a unique souvenir. Such was the impact of the book on Tristan Email: polperro.press@virgin.net or via leaving the BBC and going to work at the Royal The book was a complete sell out and the that Chris journeyed there to experience it for www.polperropress.co.uk Norwegian Embassy in London, which author was elected Chief Islander at a time himself – an epic lasting seven weeks, involving The book is also available by post at £12.05 maintains friendly links with the island going when the community faced unprecedented a fortnight on a South African Antarctic Survey Europe and £13.10 worldwide; autographed back nearly 80 years. challenges to their ability to continue to live vessel, as the island has no airport. The Tristan copies sent from Tristan are £15 surface mail Fearing that the author was about to fall into there – the fish processing factory (vital to the Island Government later appointed Chris as worldwide but payments must be made on the clutches of unscrupulous ‘vanity publishers’, local economy and production of electricity) their UK Representative, a job which sees him an undated cheque drawn on a British bank Chris turned for advice to his former manager burned down; the only crane on the only travelling to islands as far away as Réunion, in favour of Conrad Glass, or by cash sent by at what had been the BBC Pebble Mill press harbour collapsed; the harbour itself threatened Ascension, the Caymans and New Caledonia to Registered Post in £ sterling, Euro, US $ or office in Birmingham: Jerry Johns. to give way under the ferocious South Atlantic represent the islanders at conferences and South African rand. After leaving the BBC, Jerry had started a storms; and the parlous state of the island’s meetings. However, the editing of the book was You can find out more about Tristan specialist publishing house called Polperro finances became all-too-evident, just as the done in a private capacity and the author’s (and da Cunha on www.tristandc.com Heritage Press. While Chris hurriedly edited the world went into recession. editor’s) independence on a number of sensitive 6 • • March • 2011 Life after Auntie

50 years on: by Tony Byers Plymouth celebrates its ‘cocoa tin’ studio As Plymouth celebrates 50 years of television news this April, it will also be marking a BBC technical first.

For when Frank Gillard and his West Region The workmen were under strict instructions to team decided to split their Bristol-based news make sure no iron fixings came into contact programme into three separate local area with the copper and BBC engineers watched bulletins, they found themselves creating what over them to make sure they did not create became dubbed a ‘cocoa tin’ studio in their far any ‘earths’. since. The ‘cocoa tin’ studio remained in use western outpost. An alarm circuit was rigged so a bell went off for 13 years before being replaced by a larger Plymouth reunion Their problem was that Plymouth was already if anyone ignored the instructions. At first it colour studio. home to two medium-wave transmitters for the rang frequently and the workmen started Technical interference was not the only Former staff are inviting anyone with Light and Third programmes, and these getting fed up. Then it stopped. But BBC staff challenge faced by the West Country television BBC South West connections to a interfered with the vision signals. Back in the soon discovered this was not because the work pioneers though. In the early days one director lunchtime gathering in Plymouth on 60s no other part of the television network had had improved but because somebody had thought the pictures a little soft. He realised 20 April. They will then be meeting up faced such a challenge. The solution was to discovered how to switch off the bell. There had smoke had found its way into the studio from with present staff at the BBC Club in enclose the new television studio, telecine and to be further checks on the work. the gardener’s bonfire outside. Irate news staff BH Plymouth that evening. They are control areas in one and a half tons of fine By 20 April 1961 the problems had been challenged the gardener. Those there at the time also looking for photographs or copper mesh. Doors and windows had to be solved. At 6.07pm Sir Gerald Beadle, say he paused, looked slowly at the bonfire, then memorabilia from the past 50 years. sealed too, with the programme team operating, Director of Television, launched the new at the building. in effect, from inside a metal case. ten-minute service, which was later extended ‘At least I burns my rubbish,’ he muttered. For further details contact David Sharp All did not go smoothly with the installation. and has been on the air in differing forms ever ‘You broadcast yours.’ at [email protected]. Recreating the boyhood Radio Blackburn celebrates of Alexander the Great 40th anniversary The staff involved in setting up BBC After 25 years as an award-winning producer Radio Blackburn (now called BBC Radio Lancashire) were reunited recently to of School Radio programmes, Marilyn Bechely, celebrate the station’s 40th anniversary. The party, which was organised as a known as Paddy, has published her third private event paid for by the participants (and not the BBC), was held at the illustrated book – Lion Cub: the boyhood of Mytton Fold Hotel at Langho, near Blackburn on Friday 28 January. Alexander . Joan Griffiths interviewed her to As one of those who was recruited to help start the station in late 1970 (it find out what had triggered her interest in officially went on air in January 1971 but Alexander the Great. had been doing emergency broadcasts to warn of power cuts since the late The station’s one-time ‘poet laureate’ autumn of 1970), I thought it was very John Bilsborough entertaining guests ‘His face. I saw a sculpture in the Acropolis well organised and extremely enjoyable. Museum, and it wasn’t the face I might have with recitations of his humorous poems My wife Julie took these photos. which were a much loved feature of the expected of a ‘world conqueror’ – bearing in Chris Bates mind the familiar portraits of Roman generals. station’s early days. So I began to read about him – the fragments collected in the ancient Greek writers and Arrian’s later history. Then in 1977 the tomb of his father Philip was uncovered at Vergina and an amazing new light was shed on the time of Philip’s reign. ‘I went to the museum at Thessaloniki where the treasures and artefacts are displayed and to Vergina, Pella, Dion and Mount Olympus in Northern Greece, and I talked to some of the people who worked on the discoveries, including the forensic people in Manchester who reconstructed Philip’s features from his skull. A friend’s father was a Greek scholar who helped me with the translations.’ Paddy wrote the story of Alexander from his birth – in the month of the Lion – to his taming of the horse Bukephalus – perhaps the best known incident from his childhood, when he was about 13. She said: ‘The delight was in trying to create a real boy from the fragments. ‘The most interesting aspect to me is his relationship with his dominating mother who Lion Cub is published by George Mann The original news team reunited (l-r): Allan Muirhead, Steve Ireland, John Knight tried to persuade him that he was the son of a Publications (Tel: 01962 779944; 01279 (who joined shortly after the station opened) and Chris Bates. Sadly the original god, and with his father – one of a clash of 654913), price £12.50. News Editor, Mike Hoskin, was not present. personalities but also of mutual admiration.’ March • 2011 • • 7 Memories

020 8752 6666 Lottery RH and HRH: Winners Congratulations to this a BBC engineer and ‘the King’s speech’ month’s lucky winners. (One of them scooped the £10,000 Paul Gouldstone , former BBC Chief Engineer jackpot – lucky them!) David Youell, Rebecca Wilmshurst, Nicky McAllister, at Radio Solent, explains what links him to the Timothy Long, Anne Czuchnowska, Jonet Slater, Mr Hardy, Stephen Rose, story behind the award-winning film The King’s David Hodges, Roger Pearce, Louise Croft, Christine Stocking, William Speech , which stars Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush Jones, Jake Bernard, Joseph Adam, Patrick Brady, Ronald Osborne, Joseph and Helena Bonham Carter. Waters, Henry Burgess, Bryan Showell, Paul Morris, Lucy Pryke, Mark Tyrrell, In this film, the listening public, via their radios, a spiritual you will see ‘lift’ in preparation for the war days ahead. Joanne Housden, Peter Colson, Henry and hear the Hence, RH used to tell me of his methods of Cleaver and Deirdre O’Donovan. support given handling King George VI in preparation for the To be in with a chance of winning next to King George many broadcasts the King would have to carry month, email [email protected] VI by one of out in his lifetime, especially as he suffered from or log on to your account on the BBC my past BBC a very troublesome speech impediment. Club website. colleagues, King George VI took over after the abdication Robert Wood, of Edward VIII, and Sir John Reith, the first who was the formidable and very tall General Manager of the Young At Heart senior Engineer BBC, instructed RH to look after the new King, King George VI. BBC Club’s next retired members in Charge of who was then having speech therapy from a lunch day is Tuesday 1 March. BBC Radio Harley Street specialist, Lionel Logue (played in at a table, and this also helped the speech For more details please contact Robert Wood. Outside the film by Geoffrey Rush). therapist in his therapy. Moving coil [email protected] Broadcasts in In his BBC capacity, RH had to assist the microphones had to be used, together with a London during World War Two. King in the use of microphones, whether for cue light that was mounted in a case of One of my first operational jobs in the BBC broadcast or at other special occasions, and this Australian oak. Checkmate! was working with Robert Wood (who was meant discussing broadcast training with the The film brings out this improvement very If you like to play chess, join our Chess known in the BBC as ‘RH’). He introduced me King by using the microphone to ‘make a good well (but for a film-designed microphone), and to the inner workings of Outside Broadcasts, broadcast’. I will leave the full story for you to see and hear. Club! An informal fun evening of rooks, and the protocol and responsibilities of RH found that neither King George VI nor RH compiled an interesting book on his pawns, knights, kings and queens – handling Royal Broadcasts, whether in Winston Churchill would use the high quality Royal connections and all his other work in his held at Bush House, LG CB, every first Buckingham Palace for the declaration of BBC ribbon microphone AXBT (designed by BBC career, including the Crystal Palace Fire in Tuesday of the month from 6pm. WW2, Sandringham for Christmas Day or Dr Alexander in 1938), as the shape of that South London in 1936. Your local library may Everybody is welcome! elsewhere for Royal public occasions. particular microphone was reminiscent of the be able to find you a copy – A world in your ear , For more information, please contact Apparently, Churchill instructed RH to edit Cenotoph in Whitehall. by Robert Wood, ISBN033243102. It is not [email protected] out, using BBC recording disks, the King’s Initially, the King wanted to stand up to only a good read, but good background to a stammering for the WW2 declaration, to give broadcast but RH convinced him to sit down good film. 10% Discount At Cottages4you Cottages4you offers the largest choice Making music at Wood Norton of over 15,000 holiday properties throughout the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal and Italy. Choose from Retired staff member the extensive collection of country cottages, villas with pools, rustic Ray Liffen sent in these farmhouses, rural gites and apartments. For details of how to redeem this offer, pictures from Wood please go to Club Save Norton in the 1960s, (www.bbcclub.com) and writes: Classic Breaks Two for One Brochure For Only £9.99. By the 1960s, the expansion of the Television Two nights for the price of one, and Service meant that the BBC needed many more also includes breakfast with no engineers, particularly in Studios and Back row, left to right: Robin Jones, Paine P.E., Michael Shortland, Alan Kiddle, Morris R.J., obligation to take an evening meal, for Telerecording. This necessitated a continuous Terry Thomas, Hawkins C.R., Powell E., Brian Stewart, Andrews I.M., Bev Gerrard. stream of courses passing through the Middle row, left to right: Mitchell R. J., John Mersh, Tony Hull, Grant Feltham, Roger White, two people to share a twin or double Hornsey R.A., Luke Freeman, Ed Wooden, Donaldson D.H., Chris Williams, Newnam R.A. room. The brochure lists the price of Engineering Training Department at Wood Norton Hall, near Evesham in Worcestershire. Front row, left to right: Ray Liffen, Butcher A.H., Gardiner C.G., Harrison T.R., John Chalmers, the stay and all availability and facility Grade C was the basic grade of engineer and Ernie Knagg, Eccleston D.A., Davies J.R. details. There is one voucher which can Photo One shows the thirty members of C53 be used any time within 12 months of Part2. The course, in 1966, ran from 25 April receiving the brochure. to 10 June. For details of how to redeem this offer, The second photo is more unusual. Wood please go to Club Save Norton Hall was some distance outside Evesham (www.bbcclub.com) but the BBC Club was in the town’s High Street. A large Victorian house, it had had a dance hall added, probably in the 1950s. By Europcar discounts 1965, when this photo was taken (on an earlier 15% discount for UK rentals and up to course), it was decorated in typical 1960s style, 10% discount for international hires complete with a music-themed mural behind with Europcar. Europcar locations can the stage. Bands were formed briefly as people with common interests rehearsed furiously in the be found in all major airports, railway ‘cell-block’ dormitories back at ETD. When stations, and large towns and cities. ready (or as ready as they could be) they With more than 3,800 locations in over appeared on the Club’s stage. 80 countries, you can be assured that The photo shows a band called The Roofcats, The line up (left to right) is ‘Jings’ Hunter (drums), Ray Liffen (rhythm we’re never far away. For details of how playing rhythm ‘n’ blues, in a set that would guitar), Roger White (harmonica), Terry Thomas (lead guitar and vocals) to redeem this offer, please go to Club have included numbers from Chuck Berry, and unknown (obscured) on bass. For enthusiasts of vintage guitars, the Save (www.bbcclub.com) The Rolling Stones, Booker T & The MGs, and rhythm guitar is a Burns Artist and the lead guitar is a Watkins Rapier. The Yardbirds. 8 • • March • 2011 Memories

Austin Ruddy in his studio, 2011.

Stephen Bundy, senior designer. Stephen Bundy with Austin Ruddy (right),1963. The Bundy babes Austin Ruddy , who joined the BBC as a very and drama, were massive, involving large night and so a cleaner’s broom cupboard scaffold set-ups reminiscent of film sets! was found to store them overnight! green trainee designer in 1963, recalls the The workshops were working to full Every artist or designer knows that work capacity. With most shows being live, the has to be true to its own medium, and excitement and creativity that typified the excitement for me was watching the Dick Levin’s pioneering zeal for design transmission of say a Z-Cars or Maigret quality and its contribution in essentially ‘Golden Age’ of television in the ‘ant-hill in episode… the countdown from 10, the a visual medium has great truth. Since Shepherd’s Bush’… seconds ticking round, then ‘cue’ – at those days many other forms of that moment you knew that millions of television production have developed – It was a freezing snowy day in January get fresh blood in. I thought that he must people throughout the country were creativity, however, still being the maxim. 1963 and I struggled into the Scenery have been something of a gambling man watching. Next day – no recorders then – The vitality of the 60s and 70s was quite Block at TVC with a heavy bundle of and saw me as his ‘outside’ bet. You ‘Did you see ... last night?’ Every night intoxicating, the bringing together of so paintings. A kind stranger helped me could have knocked me down with a was a first night. I shall never forget the many strands of talent and learning a carry them in and wished me luck. feather when he asked, ‘When can ‘smell’ of a TV studio. little of others’ crafts in that ant-hill in Unknown to me it was Roger Andrews, you start?’ And, of course, the mortification when Shepherd’s Bush; no wonder it has often a celebrated designer. Stephen Bundy organised the course things didn’t go all right on the night. been dubbed the ‘Golden Age’ of I had studied painting and Art History and was to become held in great I remember ‘doing’ a Panorama with television. After nearly 30 years ‘at it’ I and had come for the interviews for a affection and respect by all. We were to Richard Dimbleby – the producers had remember a famous director saying to ‘trainee designer’s course’. Already an become known as the ‘Bundy Babes’. borrowed a huge pile of solid gold ingots me, ‘What are you going to do when you hour late – due to the weather and The 24 selected trainees spent the best – yes, real! – from the Bank of England to grow up?’ distance – and judging by the part of a year attending lectures and visually represent a large portion of the We were very lucky. professional appearance of other being introduced to just about every country’s wealth. They were so heavy I applicants, I concluded that I hadn’t department in the BBC, before being let was worried about the weight on the Austin designed sets for hundreds a chance. Having nothing to lose, loose on staff training exercises, working Lime Grove Studio floor! Also on the of productions, including Colditz, I suppose, gave me some false with directors hosted by the BBC from all programme was the Prime Minister of Secret Army and Miss Marple, before confidence. Here I met the charismatic over the world. This was my introduction Israel. I shall never forget the look on his retiring as a senior designer. He is now Dick Levin, Head of Design, and senior to television – and I was bowled over! and his bodyguard’s faces when they painting and etching back in the designer, Stephen Bundy. The buzz that was TVC was so exciting walked into the studio and saw this huge Yorkshire Dales where he was born. Much talent had come into television – every studio, and more, continuously pile of gold bullion in the corner of the He has had solo shows and many mixed via the theatre and films, but Dick Levin’s filled with all manner of programmes, and studio. They muttered something to each exhibitions, including the Royal belief was that television – a different waiting its turn in the Ring Road, the next other; I suspect it was that ‘they must be Watercolour Society, Royal Institute medium – should have its very own production’s scenery and props. dummies’ – they weren’t. After the show of Watercolour Painters and many design philosophy, and he was keen to Some shows, both light entertainment there was no way of returning them that galleries in the North of England.

March • 2011 • • 9 Obituaries Scottish service From artist to architect I write in my 87th year as possibly the only surviving member of the full-time BBC Policy Study Group (PSG) set up by the Board in the autumn of 1968, and chaired quite magnificently by Gerry Mansell , then Controller of Radio 4 and Music (CR4 and M). I think he was the only person who ever filled a post in radio carrying such dual responsibilities at this level, but then he was a pretty exceptional man. The renowned Management Consultants, McKinsey, allocated a team to work alongside the PSG as advisers. They announced at the end Ron Spencer died on 22 January aged of the study that we had been the best but 63, after a short illness. toughest ‘company team’ with whom they had Ron’s career in Scotland spanned the ever had to deal. transition from the old Scottish Home Gerry was a natural leader, exhibiting this throughout our many months of complex Service of 1966 to the new Radio deliberations – urbane, astute, and incredibly Scotland, though his first job at the logical, a quality not always prevalent in those BBC saw him in London as a trainee with strong artistic leanings. In every sense he cameraman on Top of the Pops and proved to be the man for the job, well chosen Dr Who . and ‘politically’ wise, a quality which proved to Ron quickly returned to Scotland be absolutely vital for what was to follow. as a studio manager in Glasgow and Following his death on 18 December 2010 at Aberdeen. He was appointed a radio the age of 89, various fine obituary notices have appeared tracing his long, meritorious career, producer in the granite city, working on first in the Army, then his four years at art the early evening Northbeat news college, and later at the BBC, all rightly fulsome programme, while also retaining a in their praise for the contribution Mansell foothold in light entertainment. A made to broadcasting in this country. The favourite production was 78 Memory streaming of radio into the generic structure of saw a need to position itself ‘on the Bristol and Manchester under the overall Lane , presented by Gerry Davis. He Radios 1, 2, 3 and 4 was enormously significant; commanding heights’ (a good Mansell phrase) management of a new post, Controller English also produced music programmes equally the reduction in the number of staff or in advance, rightly anticipating that the keenest Regions, instead of the three regional posts with the Scottish broadcasting icon, ‘house’ orchestras to free up resources for other competition would have to be faced in the main which had existed for many years. Howard Lockhart. developments. This quite naturally proved very centres of population. There were thus two lists To assist the streaming of Radios 1, 2, 3 and controversial and difficult to negotiate with the – Phase 1 and Phase 2 stations – prepared in the 4, outlets had to be found for the three strands In the early ‘70s Glasgow again Musicians Union. interests of prioritising, which set the pattern of of Educational Broadcasting – Schools, Further became Ron’s home base and light However, it would be easy to forget the many the development plan. Education and the Open University (which was entertainment his forte. He other even more dramatic changes which also By adding a new long-wave transmitter in the very much on the near horizon at that time). masterminded the successful quiz flowed from the PSG’s findings and lowlands of Scotland to augment coverage from Radio 4, which had traditionally carried shows, Island Challenge and District recommendations to the Board of Droitwich’s existing high power station, it ‘Schools’, suffered major dips in its audience Challenge . He also managed to secure Management. Notably came the cessation of proved possible to provide in effect another figures at those times; these intrusions were seen a one-armed bandit for his Saturday both Regional and Area Broadcasting outlet for Radio 4, but this time one totally to be obstructing the flow of normal Bonanza production, though he was too throughout England, most of which had been intact and available nationwide (R4 UK). This programming to a valuable section of radio’s much the old-school BBC producer to in operation for decades. Substituted was a 40 was also designed to free the National Regions audience. A separate VHF FM channel was Local Radio Station plan, a very bold and from their limited opting-out periods from R4 then set aside for the total educational let it pay out too often! On the other difficult change to make. The roll out for the and permitted the setting up of Radio Scotland, requirement and inter alia, strengthened the hand, Ariel readers of the period may first 20 was targeted at two years: the majority Radio Ulster and Radio Wales/Cymru, which BBC’s case to secure access to that part of Band recall Ron’s heroic battle to secure an were in fact completed in the first 18 months, exist to this day. Eight small Regional Television II not allocated to the broadcasters at that time. additional mileage allowance for having which surprised those ‘in the wings’ who had stations with limited output were also McKinsey convinced the Director General to reverse his car – a manoeuvre Commercial Radio aspirations. A medium-wave underwritten in England, their short opt-outs that in their experience, only those who made unrecorded on the mileometer – to give ‘daytime supplement’ for each Local Radio coming from BBC1 – a ninth was added later such complex plans for change would be able to way to oncoming traffic on the many Station was added in parallel with the VHF FM by the then Controller of BBC1, Bill Cotton, implement them. At this point Gerry Mansell single-track roads in the Highlands. The outlet each was to have. This apparent who perceived the anachronism of having became Director of Programmes Radio, a correspondence in the newspaper ran duplication was considered necessary to make nothing for London and the South East. new post. for easier listener participation; VHF Fortunately he was prepared to make available To say Gerry Mansell had a considerable for several months. penetration was regrettably low in this country funds to support its creation; how well it now impact on BBC broadcasting is something of an At the birth of Radio Scotland Ron was at that time. Commercial Radio was considered sits within its parent Television Network. understatement. I’ve often thought he was the recognised as a safe pair of hands, certain to be introduced by any new Network Production Centres for both Radio best Director General the BBC never had! always willing to share his expertise with Conservative Government. The BBC therefore and Television were established in Birmingham, J Duncan MacEwan others. He worked on the Jimmy Mack Show as producer and acting-editor, and on (Jimmie) Macgregor’s Gathering , where his encyclopaedic knowledge of the remote studios and byways of Head of educational broadcasting Scotland proved invaluable. He later drew on his early bi-media training to Sinclair Aitken joined the BBC in Glasgow as advice about particular Scottish needs and the to be content with walking and skiing on the produce Dougie Donnelly’s talk show for an education officer in 1957 when he had been differences in education north and south of the lesser hills by Loch Tay. He became deeply BBC Scotland television. a teacher at George Watson’s School in border, so helping London producers to avoid absorbed in the attractions of Perthshire with After leaving the BBC in 1993 Ron Edinburgh since 1954. pitfalls that might provoke protest. the bonus of easy access to Edinburgh. resumed his partnership with Jimmie He had graduated with distinction in English He always made clear the national, regional From time to time my wife and I visited May Macgregor on successful indie series Language at Glasgow University going on to exceptions and special interests of Scotland with and Sinclair in Killin. This summer, in splendid from Canada and the Arctic. He London University to take an MA, also with cogent sincerity and courtesy. He was a pleasure Mediterranean sunshine, we walked with them distinction. While in London he was to work with. to lunch along Main Street, often stopping as subsequently worked on projects with commissioned by Penguin Publishers to He retired with his wife May, whom he had they met old friends and chatted and we both Strathclyde Police and acted as a media produce a simplified phonetic system for their married in Glasgow in 1951, to May’s native felt how nice to grow old in such a lecturer at the Scottish Police College. new paperback English dictionary. In 1963 he Killin by Loch Tay. There he soon embarked on warm-hearted community where so many knew Ron and Ann had a happy life became head of educational broadcasting a full and busy life; founding and editing the one another and took concern for those rather together. Cyprus was an early favourite, in Scotland, based in Edinburgh, with oversight Killin News, working for the restoration of the frail and less strong in memory. but this was followed by cruises of radio and television productions as well as old town mill by the Falls of Docherty as a Sinclair died on 5 November before the winter around the globe in good company. the education officers. He retired from that post tourist attraction, and a lot of outdoor activity snow set in. His funeral was well attended by He was taken much too young and in 1983. – Captain of the Killin Golf Club, fishing, hill old friends and BBC colleagues. Modest and our condolences go to Ann and He was much liked by educational walking, skiing and gardening. In his younger talented, Sinclair seemed to regard all people as broadcasting colleagues in London whom he days Sinclair had enjoyed tougher mountain friends. He will be sorely missed. So, we send family members. came to know well as the result of his frequent ascents on the cliffed giants above the head of our condolences to May, their sons and Mike Shaw attendance at meetings of the School Loch Torridon and scrambling over the pinnacle daughter and their families. Broadcasting Council. He was valued for his ridges around Glencoe. In his later years he had Charles Armour 10 • • March • 2011 Obituaries Religious Editor at the helm broadcaster during Apollo 8 & Betjeman Derek Ball died peacefully in hospital on A classic memory was the Apollo 8 space 26 January, aged 85. mission: launched somewhat inconsiderately associate He grew up in Brentwood and was 14 when for Presentation on December 21 1968, it the Second World War broke out. Obtaining nearly hijacked the all-important Christmas One morning in September 2010, a degree in Radio Physics, Derek entered the schedule. Derek’s team was on duty. In space a distinguished group of colleagues and national war effort in radar research and for six days, Apollo 8 circled the Moon ten friends gathered in the newly refurbished development at Malvern. times on Christmas Eve as the crew read live BBC Bristol Club to remember the late After the War, he joined BBC Radio as an to Earth from the Book of Genesis – at the Kenneth Savidge . engineer, training at Evesham and eventually time, the most watched programme ever. News Some weeks before, Kenneth died so being posted to Manchester, where he found flashes about the mission quickly became quietly that hardly anyone heard about it and himself balancing sound for such conductors routine interruptions to the schedule, so at few were able to attend his funeral. By as John Barbirolli and Charles Groves. every junction came a fresh assessment of courtesy of Club Manager Rob Jones, who However, in the 1950s, Derek’s Southern ‘What if…’. Derek sat calmly in charge, his laid on refreshments even as the builders were roots beckoned and he returned to London head full of Plans A, B, C and D, keeping his leaving the site, we were able to recall stories to work as a studio manager at 200 Oxford team informed and co-ordinated, quite clear and legends of a very special producer whose Street. Duties included announcing, which about what should be done. And that typified particular talents found favour throughout is where Derek first found himself enjoying the Derek we all knew at work. the BBC and abroad. the adrenalin of Presentation. Here too But he also had something special: a people team, thus attracting new friends on every trip. A child of the English West Country, he met what was to be a lifetime friend, person who endeared himself to everyone he More recently, especially after the shock of Ken naturally returned to Plymouth Geoffrey Lugg, both lovers and supporters of met. He knew that, and it served him well. Geoffrey Lugg’s sudden early death, Derek and Bristol after initial training with music and the arts. When Geoffrey moved to Derek rose to become senior presentation travelled far and wide. One of the last Programme Operations Reserve in London in the new Commercial Television, the more editor and, after taking early retirement, took passengers on Concorde to New York, he 1951. From studio manager he became an conservative Derek remained faithful to a course in wine and worked for Harvey’s of journeyed from Iceland to South Africa, assistant producer in Religious broadcasting, Auntie BBC. Bristol. He returned to the BBC on occasion, Tenerife to continental Europe and notably for a wireless magazine, Faith in Soon he was rising through the ranks in deputising as chief assistant (programme further afield. the West, which featured poet John Betjeman Presentation at Lime Grove and then at information) and checking purchased In his long BBC career, Derek oversaw the and which became the origin of his Poems Television Centre. As one of the editors, he programmes prior to transmission. beginning, the middle and the end of so much, in the Porch. oversaw the unexpectedly dramatic opening of He began to enjoy a little leisure and came to but he left us to oversee his own end. I only Moving to television in 1959 Ken inherited BBC2 in 1964 and many of the other ‘firsts’ love the life on board a cruise ship. With his hope we met his great expectations. He was, ABC of Churches, a series made using the that were the lifeblood of broadcasting in that encyclopaedic mind, he soon became ‘Mr undoubtedly, a one-off impossible to forget. Bristol OB Unit. Ken recalled, ‘Once JB fascinating decade. Quiz’, with everyone wanting to be on his Tony Barnfield realised I was moderately competent and not a complete fool it all fell into place with drinks and jokes.’ Producer and poet seemed made for each other. They made three programmes a year from A to Z through the 60s. Planner of special programmes The traveller in Ken led him to attachments to Libyan and Pakistani broadcasting services Norman Taylor died suddenly on 13 January a production assistant in television drama. as consultant and adviser. aged 82. He had a long, distinguished and Working alongside Rudolph Cartier on Maigret Displaced by BBC re-organisation whilst exciting BBC career, retiring as assistant exemplified his close relationship with abroad, Ken then experienced several controller, Engineering Television International production departments. personally unsatisfactory years. Operations, in 1986 after 43 years’ service. In the transition years of television service Challenged to try a posting to Northern He had joined the BBC as a Youth in Training between Lime Grove and Television Centre, the Ireland in 1975, he found an unexpected in 1943, then saw service in the Royal Navy as newly-formed Crew 9 with Norman as its niche where, ‘in spite of sounding like the a radio/radar mechanic before returning to the manager was always in great demand for such Ulsterman’s idea of a typical Englishman BBC in 1949 to be posted to the transmitting programmes as Sportsview, Panorama, Hancock from south of Watford and west of Ealing’, station at Rampisham. At a time when the and Rudolph Cartier’s 1961 production of his own mix of ‘integrity, charm, and sheer Anna Karenina with Sean Connery and Claire niceness’ inspired their invitation to stay on. Bloom (recently re-released on DVD). Dr Who Ken’s other great love was music and this websites register another claim to fame; found expression in several of the many OBs, ‘Norman achieved miracles identifying Norman as the originator of the films and studio programmes he originated video howl-round that characterised the first at BBC Belfast. Not least of these were the and brought off things in one title sequence of 1963. last two films he was to make with John As Sir Paul Fox recalled after Norman’s Betjeman, both set in Ireland. afternoon that would cremation service, it was his diligence in the In 1985 Kenneth retired early to Bristol to interests of the programme that set him apart write and travel, notably to Sicily. His book normally have taken an from his peers. If Norman was in the Where Lemon Trees Bloom is a wise and production gallery, then the operational aspects wittily chosen anthology that stands as a firm engineer a week’s work.’ would be ‘all right on the night’. epitaph to the amusing and intelligent friend In addition to his other responsibilities, we all enjoyed knowing. Norman became involved more and more In later years increasing deafness deprived television service was expanding rapidly, he with the planning of ‘special’ programmes him of much enjoyment as a champion of joined the first television conversion course at such as the General Elections of 1959 and 1964, other musicians, as an accomplished pianist Evesham which led to his transfer to Alexandra Our World of 1967 and joint ventures with and as a party host at his flat in Clifton. Palace as a vision control engineer. the European Broadcasting Union such as On leaving the BBC he was once asked Appointed as a technical operations manager, US Presidential Elections. He also had what he would miss the most. His reply? his career blossomed as a member of the team technical responsibility for four Summer ‘The photocopier, the paperclips and the working on the Tonight project at the Marconi Olympic Games, two Winter Olympic London Lunch and remembering his Royal people – not necessarily in that order!’ Studio in Kensington in 1956. Referring to this Games, four Apollo Space Missions, two Navy days, The Batti Wallah Society. Barry Paine time in his autobiography, Alasdair Milne says, World Football Cups and numerous He will be greatly missed by many and we ‘Norman achieved miracles and brought off Athletics Championships. extend our sympathy to his wife Monique and things in one afternoon that would normally On retirement Norman became a Pension two daughters Anne-Marie and Valerie. have taken an engineer a week’s work.’ The year Visitor and also played an important role in the Bryce McCrirrick and Hugh Sheppard Alf Snowdon – with Tonight was followed by an attachment as Alexandra Palace staff reunions, the Engineering correction Alf Snowdon (obituaries, February issue) Brian Strong trainee sound engineer. He loved his work and He leaves behind his wife, Kitty, children, died in Penrith, Cumbria, and not Perth as working for the Beeb. Gareth and Helen and five beloved stated. Please also note that Alf went to the Brian Strong died peacefully on Wednesday, He met so many interesting and talented grandchildren. BBC’s Atlantic Relay station on Ascension 12 January 2011 in the Princess Royal people and lots of people throughout the He will be greatly missed by all and will be Island to relieve a sick member of staff and University Hospital, Farnborough, Kent, after Corporation knew him. remembered for many qualities, especially his not to recuperate. a short illness, aged 75 years. He retired as a senior studio manager, News generosity and sense of humour. Ken Shepherdson Brian joined the BBC in January 1956 as a and Current Affairs, in 1992. Helen Franklin March • 2011 • • 11 Book review Classifieds

A Life Rewound Venice, Giudecca apartment, sleeps 5. Fully equipped, very by Peter Morley quiet, vaporetto to St Mark’s. reviewed for Prospero Tel: 01260 227262, Email: by Michael Barton [email protected] Menorca. Detached villa sleeps In his absorbing new autobiography, A Life Rewound , TV Turn of the Screw ; it was to be done live at peak time and 2-7. Private pool. Close Es producer and director Peter Morley illustrates how he without commercial breaks! Britten confessed he knew little Castell/Mahon. Brochures/prices devoted his life to the moving image, kindled when he was about television but was intrigued and Peter had to come 01621 741 810 pr visit a rewind boy at a London cinema. His home had been clean that this was the very first opera he had seen! The www.menorcaholidayvilla.co.uk Berlin but his Jewish parents decided that Germany was whole event was a critical success and Peter’s shooting script no longer safe and sent him to England in 1933 to is a welcome addition to the Britten archive in Aldeburgh. Somerset holiday flat. Near be educated. But this was also a man for the long haul with several coast and Exmoor National Park. No doubt influenced by that traumatic period, one of major series under his belt. He produced This Week , ITV’s Sleeps two. Affordable rates. Peter’s most memorable documentaries for ITV was Kitty weekly current affairs programme; he filmed all over the Tel: 01643 704778; – Return to Auschwitz , in which Kitty Hart from world with Lord Louis Mountbatten and made countless www.cottageexmoor.co.uk Birmingham made a painful return to the camp with her trips to Broadlands, the family home, where he was even adult son David. given the Queen’s bedroom to sleep in. Seaview, Isle of Wight. Wanting Peter: ‘I explained that the crew and I would be His contract with the BBC offered him no such to get away for a break? Pleasant inconspicuous; we would keep our distance, simply hospitality. He was to make a major series about Europe, ETB 4* studio annexe, sleeps two observing them.’ It was a huge gamble. The two were The Mighty Continent , with Peter Ustinov, raconteur comfortably. Near beach and given radio mics and were free to wander. Three days later extraordinaire, who had his own ideas about treatment. village. For details contact the shooting was over and Peter had not spoken to them On the first day of shooting he favoured the whimsical ad [email protected] once. The programme won five international awards. lib but Morley insisted on a more disciplined approach. A or tel 01983 812180. Equally at home with the live OB, Peter distinguished compromise was needed fast so he penned this simple himself when he directed coverage of Churchill’s funeral credit: ‘Written and narrated by John Terraine, with Lake District. Historic watermill, for ITV. The research for 45 camera positions was typically personal comments by Peter Ustinov’. secluded in woods and fields, meticulous – including the famous last shot taken from As a footnote to his stint at the BBC, Peter had mixed sleeps 6, beautiful all year for the top of the Shell building as the steam train carrying feelings: ‘After all, I was a freelance, that rare breed almost walking, climbing and sailing. the coffin made its slow journey westwards. unknown in the BBC. I must have been looked upon as a Tel: 020 7387 6654; Cut now to the beach at Aldeburgh where Peter is trying visiting stranger.’ Email: [email protected] to persuade Benjamin Britten to let him televise his opera What talent to let slip through the fingers. Provence. Modern traditional-style A Life Rewound by Peter Morley three-bedroom villa (sleeps 6) with Bank House Books, price £20 inc p&p pool. Near enchanting mediaeval www.bankhousebooks.com village. From £550pw. More info: Google bafta/a life rewound Tel: 01908 561324 for brochure.

Lagos, Algarve. Small townhouse, 2 bedrooms, roof terrace, near beach, from £150pw. Also large apartment. Contact 07956 181613; [email protected]

Paphos. A/C studio apartment, sleeps 2/3, spectacular balcony view, from £95pw. Amenities adjacent. Taxi/car hire arranged. Filming at the Berlin wall with Peter Ustinov Tel: 01455 635759; (Morley extreme right). www.cyprusapartments.net

West Dorset. Recently renovated 3-bedroomed cottage with gardens in quiet village close to Beaminster and Lyme Bay coast. Tel: 0118 341 566.

Prospero Classifieds, The next issue will BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting House, appear in April Cardiff, CF5 2YQ Please enclose a cheque made payable to: BBC Pension Trust Ltd. Rate: £5 for 20 words In a covering letter please include your pension number. With Mountbatten in Mandalay, Burma. Kitty returns to Auschwitz – Birkenau. FOR SALE. BBC Broadcasting Books BBC East Reunion Calling all regional and other printed material. 1928 to 1990. Including rare books by TV pioneers Asa Briggs and other well known Our next reunion lunch will be held on Were you one of the pioneers of regional authors. BBC Yearbooks, Wednesday, 15 June 2011 at the Oaklands Lunch-time Lectures, The Listener television? We're making a documentary for Hotel, Yarmouth Road, Norwich. and other ephemera. Everyone who attended the 2009 reunion will BBC4 tracing the history of regional TV in Approximately 4m shelf run. automatically be sent a booking form around England, and we need your help. We want to tell Detailed list on request. Offers late March. (If you’ve changed either your the story of how TV moved out of London and, please for the complete ARIEL SUBSCRIPTIONS home or email address since our last meeting, via regional news magazines and regional opts, collection: Jeffery Boswall, then please let us know.) All former BBC East documented how we lived. We'd like to hear Birdswell, Stoney Steep, UK: 6 months £26 staff and freelancers are welcome. from you if you worked in the English regions in Ham Lane, Wraxall, N Somerset BS48 1JZ. 1 year £50 For further information contact John Lewis the 50s, 60s and 70s, either for BBC or for one on 01603 715850 or email of the ITV regional companies. Contact Lucy Email: Overseas: 6 months £36 [email protected] [email protected] Smickersgill, at BBC Leeds (email: 1 year £60 [email protected]; tel: 0113 2247141). Tel: +44 (0)1275 853 418 Please phone: 0161 485 6540

12 • • March • 2011