Broadway, Worcestershire. On the New Entry Course sometime in 1956, Ron Peverall, Peter Norman, Dick Bellefontaine and Mike Cotton
I think it was taken by Pete Norman and that we had borrowed bicycles for the day.
They were so short of staff in 1956 after ITV had opened up that the fact I knew what Ohms law was got me a job!
Out of my £8 18 6d a week (before tax) I paid £3 for b&b and was saving up to get married!
Hampton House where we were ‘billeted’ for the New Entry Course in 1956. We fed at Woodnorton, which brings to mind a story about Colin Dixon and his car.
One Sunday morning he had been working on it and was in a hurry to get to Woodnorton for lunch and whilst speeding down Evesham High Street , a wheel went bowling by – his!
With commendable ingenuity he went into the local pub and with the aid of some hefty lads, lifted up the car and replaced the wheel. A jack not being part of his equipment.
He made it for lunch.
Crew 7
Back row
Derek Saunders, Chris Holcombe, Mike Bond, Bob Baxter, Tom Blake, Mike Jarrett, Phil Hill, Terry Wild, Steve Turner, ?, Chas Snare, Alan Fogg
Front row
Dave Hammond, Bob Wright, Cyril Wilkins, Peter Norman, Phil Warren, Peter Granger, Mike Cotton, Robin Luxford. Taken I think by Peter Norman.
And a few weeks later….The question mark above is Tony Briselden, who says – “The picture was taken by Peter Norman and myself on a 5×4 MPP in Riverside 1. He and I both joined the Beeb from Ilfords”
Mike Jarrett at work at Riverside.
Mike Cotton and Vince Campbell on the right – but who are the other two?
B&W Minstrels – on the side set whilst the stage was being reset. George Chisholm and Sheila Tracey on Tronbones, Mike Cotton on the boom, Stan Dorfman at the back of the set and Simon ? the floor assistant (call boy in old money) on the left. It could be Ian Gibb on the camera.
And much later –
“The Floor Assistant in Mike Cotton’s photo of the Black & White Minstrel Show is me.
Waves of nostalgia!” – Simon Wadleigh
When Crew 14 found out that the sound department had recruited the first female since the war time gram ops, it was an ideal opportunity to get ourselves some help in organising our busy social life, keep us up to scratch with time sheets etc etc.
We put in a sealed bid to John Lightfoot for the services of this new recruit and to our surprise we received a memo back stating the terms of employment and what he, JL, wanted in return.
When Joanna Buick turned up we discovered that she fitted in perfectly with our routine and could also make Delia’s squidgy chocolate cake to perfection..
This picture was taken when Jo entertained us, our wives and family, to Sunday lunch. As can be seen, a good time was had by all.
orty years of Mike Cotton – hasn’t changed a bit…
