There are a whole lot of stories about the BBC Engineering Training Department at Wood Norton Hall scattered though the Tech Ops site Contributions and Conversations. Here are some more.
WNH in 1961
Dave Mundy
Here’s a nice picture of the main block control room as it was in 1961 (it is now the kitchen area for the new Wood Norton hotel!), and the continuity panel from the same era.
Main Block Control Room:
(Click on the pictures below to see a larger or clearer version of the picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Continuity Panel:
Training 1961
Dave Mundy
Just for old times sake, here’s a picture of TO11’s practice program of “Juke Box Jury” with Trevor Vaisey on camera, John Scott as David Jacobs, Tony Giles, Margaret Clifford, Jimmy Bruce, and a.n.other (smoking) Radio SM.
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Dave Mundy
Once upon a time, many years ago, in a distant galaxy called Wood Norton, a motley crew of adventurers were setting out on a lifetime voyage of broadcasting. We were indoctrinated into the art and methods of professional broadcasters and showed examples of the finest results that we should aspire to. The attached music track was the very first real stereo that most of us had heard.
Five years later, when I returned to this far-off land I managed, with the help of a senior lecturer, to copy all of these wonderful tapes including the Michael Bentine comedy sketches, the Northern Dance Orchestra with Roger Moffat, and the Radio 3 Italia Prize winner with 2-channel surround sound!
Training 1962
Pat Heigham
Pat Heigham, Geoff Fletcher, John Henshall, Alex Thomas
Here is the course photo for PTO 13 and names as far as we can recall.
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Back Row: Peter Hider, Michael McCarthy, Patrick Heigham, (?), Ian Perry
Middle Row: Ian Ridley, Julian Clapham, John Lopes, John Henshall, John Sandiford
Front Row: Mike Thomas?, Paul Salinger, J.C. Chris Glass, Frank Smith, John D. Ward, Eddie Baker
Alex Thomas
Julian Clapham’s father, John, was a leading authority on Dvorak.
John Henshall
Pat and I shared a room.
Eddie Baker (front row right) used to sing “Balls to Father Banglestein” on the way back from the pub in the back of Mike McCarthy’s van. One day he was called to Doc. Sturley’s office and “terminated”. We never saw him again – just a note on his bunk. I often wonder what happened to him.
Hugh Sheppard
Ah! The Sturley terminations. The triumvirate of Sturley, McEwan and the gauleiter (the warden, Major Basil Oldman), showed just how ‘absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Though when I met Duncan McEwan in later life, he seemed a very nice man.
At Evesham it was another matter, such as when he frog-marched Mike Pontin back to his Scott motor-bike following his late return after a puncture, to check if his tyres were so worn he might have expected it.
And Bob Booth, a lovely man from Brighton as I recall, had the Sturley treatment having poked fun at him in our end of course ‘review’. Instructors Henderson and Mackenzie saved the day for many of us.
Chris Wickham
I am reminded of a story told me by the late great Dickie Ashman R.I.P. He went to a session of the Scottish Country Dancing one evening which was a favourite of Dr and Mrs Sturley. Dickie entered into the dancing with great enthusiasm as was his wont and was emitting whoops and yells of pleasure. This did not meet with approval from Sturley who accosted Dickie and said, “Have you come here to scoff?” Dickie politely replied, “No thank you. I have just eaten.” He was fortunately passed the point of termination.
Pat Heigham
Calling him warden made the place seem like a prison, although ‘open’!
Having just come from secondary education, I resented WN as a schooling establishment (having spent six months in studios and boom operating on first class LE shows). I backpedalled a bit and in the middle of a photography exercise, got called to Sturley’s den, whereupon I was politely informed that if I wished to continue in the BBC, I had better pull my finger out!
(As I had been called away in the middle of the exercise, my photo plate reticulated,
and produced a lousy print – but I was able to write something sensible in my self-report on the exercise – I blamed Sturley!)
After that, I vowed to be the best I could in whatever job I got thrown into, it worked, as in one year, whilst Gram Opping I got a special merit award – two annual salary increments in the same year!
One Sunday evening, I had hitched a lift back with Mike McCarthy and finding no spaces on the drive, Mike parked in the reserved staff spaces at the top. Major accosted him at lunchtime: “Mr.McCarthy,
your car’s in the top ten!” “Great,” says Mike, “When do I get the gold hubcaps!”
Geoff Fletcher
Remember Hilary Sturley? TO 19
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
STO 13
Paul Kay
During STO 13 course Dave Mutton stood by Major Oldman and told him not to make trivial criticisms about us. Someone said, “Watch it, Oldman”: he took it in good spirits. I heard a lot of nasties about Sturley, some of them true
(see also: Personalities – more from the Crews.)
STO 41
Mike Cotton
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
The model of the Gaulaiter used at meetings when he was absent. Background music ” Puppet on a string” The mouth opened and closed.
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
TO 18
Peter Cook
TO 18 end of course photos:
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Here is a photo of Doug Coldwell. We did the lighting exercises together.
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Training 1964
Geoff Fletcher
Sound has always been a bit of a black art to me – but here I am on TO19 working(?) in Sound Corner in the Phoenix. Bob Foley went on to achieve great things on the audio side , I stayed on cameras for many years, but what happened to Simon Fone? He was an OB man and I last met him at a TO19 25 years reunion. His opening words to me as we parked our cars next to each other on arrival were, “Hello Geoff. Where’s that fiver you owe me?” – which made me smile.
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Geoff Fletcher, Neil Dormand, Tony Grant
These photos date back to June 1964 – TO19 – and feature Mike Chislett, Bob Foley and Bob Gillies with Tony Grant on piano in one of them. The location is Studio 13 behind Pear Tree.
We were rehearsing our contribution to the TO19 production programme.
(Click on the pictures below to see a larger or clearer version of the picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
And when you have finished …
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Another item from the Fletcher filing cabinets.
The Major (and other ETD Staff)
Barry Bonner
The Major……..we were trying to relaunch his boat!
We succeeded in launching the boat, but despite the efforts of Geoff Thonger and Tony Philpot the outboard engine wouldn’t start. The boat ended up going downstream powerless with a couple of us frantically paddling it back to shore!
Mike Jordan
We carried his boat up from the river and put it in the swimming pool as an “end of term” jape on TA22.
Mike Giles
Where’s his duffle coat? I don’t think I ever saw him without it!
Tony Crake
I thought the man with the beige duffle coat was a Mr Skelton who was the security man… lived in the Cottage at the rear entrance ..?
Mike Giles
You may well be right. I certainly recall him scuttling around in the dark and I fancy he had a wooden hut, with railings outside, where you could get Radio Wood Norton by strapping a pair of cans between the railings and the conduit feeding the outside light.
Geoff Fletcher
On TO 19 we called Skelton “Creeping Jesus” as he was always creeping about and turning up unexpectedly. Didn’t he have an annoying corgi dog which yapped a lot?
Dave Jervis
“The Twelve Days of Christmas” was sung, if my memory serves me correctly, by an STO course choir in, maybe, December 1969.
Each verse was ‘modified’ to refer to a member of ETD staff, and from verse two onwards the choir mimed an action or adopted a pose pertinent to the new lyric.
If I recall correctly, it started with..
On the first day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
A Major in a Pear Tree
On the second day of Christmas
My true love sent to me
“Right men” Talbot-Smith (action of pulling his cuffs up his forearms)
and A Major in a Pear Tree
Etc. Etc.
Later verses featured :
Big Bad John Sheppard (a choir member in the back row stood up on a block for this line)
Sweeeet Bah-reee Powell (the fifth day….. the choir placed their hands over their hearts)
Gill “Ah-Ha” Walker (a hand held delicately to the mouth for the “Ah-Ha”)
… I cannot remember the actions for:
John “Jargon” Greenwood
John “Babbling” Brooks
…and I can’t just recall the other 5 verses at the moment….
… and nowadays …
Wood Norton Book
Jeff Booth
I wonder how many secrets it will unearth?
(Click on the picture below to see a larger or clearer version of this picture:
Click the “X” button (top right) to close the newly opened picture.)
Barry Bonner
Here’s a secret! No photography allowed it says! So you haven’t seen them, OK?
