Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records

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Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
The newspaper for BBC pensioners – with highlights from Ariel online

Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two
box office records
 Page 10

APRIL 2015 • Issue 2

                                    New State                  Remembering      Launch of BBC
                                    pension                    Ealing Studios   Studios
                                    Page 2                     Page 6           Page 10

 NEWS • MEMORIES • CLASSIFIEDS • YOUR LETTERS • OBITUARIES • CROSPERO
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
02 BENEFITS

  Looking ahead to 2016:
  changes to the State
  pension system
  On 6 April 2016, the State pension system is changing. You might already be getting your State
  pension, or you might still be a few years away from State pension age. Either way, it’s a good idea                                                Can you spare
  to know more about what is coming and how the changes might affect you.
                                                                                                                                                      five minutes?
                                                 get still depends on your National Insurance       Contracting out
                                                 record. You build up your National Insurance       If you were in a salary-related pension
                                                 record by making National Insurance                scheme at work (for example, ‘final salary’ or
                                                 contributions (these are usually deducted          ‘career average’), or you were in any type of
                                                 from your salary) or getting National              pension scheme at work before April 2012,
                                                 Insurance credits by claiming certain              you are likely to have been ‘contracted out’
                                                 benefits, such as Child Benefit.                   of the additional State pension scheme (part
                                                     Years in which you’ve already worked           of the current State pension scheme). Some
                                                 (and paid National Insurance) and years in         stakeholder and personal pension schemes
                                                 which you got National Insurance credits,          were also ‘contracted out’.
                                                 before April 2016, will still count in the            If you’ve been ‘contracted out’ at any time
                                                 new State pension scheme, as will the years        before 6 April 2016, your ‘starting amount’
                                                 in which you work (and pay National                in the new State pension scheme will include
                                                 Insurance) or get National Insurance credits       a reduction because:
                                                 in the future (up to a limit).                                                                       From time to time the Trustees of
  If you were born before                                                                           • you’ll have paid National Insurance             the BBC Pension Scheme ask you
                                                     You will normally need a minimum of 10            contributions at a lower rate; or
  6 April 1953 (women) or                        qualifying years on your record to get any State                                                     for feedback on the Scheme-related
  before 6 April 1951 (men)                      pension. But you don’t have to have 10 years
                                                                                                    • some of the National Insurance                  services provided.
  You will continue to get your State pension                                                          contributions you paid were used to               If you would like to tell us how
                                                 in a row – they can be years here and there.          contribute to your stakeholder or
  based on the current State pension system,                                                                                                          we’re doing and help us to improve
                                                 Generally the more years you have, the more           personal pension instead of the                our processes then take five minutes to
  even if you defer your State pension until
                                                 State pension you will get (up to a limit).           additional State pension                       complete the survey on our website
  after 6 April 2016.
                                                     The full amount of the new State pension          A reduction for being ‘contracted out’ also    bbc.co.uk/mypension.
     You can learn more about the current
                                                 will be at least £148.40 a week (this is an        exists in the current State pension scheme.          If you would prefer a paper copy
  scheme here: www.gov.uk/mystatepension.
                                                 illustrative figure for 2014-2015). Not                                                              please call us on 029 203 22811. All
     You also have the opportunity to ‘top
  up’ your retirement income by between £1
                                                 everyone will get the full amount – it will        Any questions                                     survey questions are optional and your
                                                 depend on your National Insurance record.          If you have any further questions visit           answers are confidential.
  and £25 a week through the State pension
                                                 You could get less than the full amount            www.gov.uk or call your local Pension Centre.        The survey will remain open until
  Top Up scheme. You have an 18-month
                                                 depending on the number of qualifying              You can find your local Pension Centre’s          30 June. We will publish the results in
  window to make a lump sum payment
                                                 years you have on your record and the types        number at www.gov.uk/find-pension-centre.         the October edition of Prospero.
  (between October 2015 and April 2017) and
                                                 of contributions you have made. You could
  the scheme will give you guaranteed extra
                                                 also get more than the full amount if you
  income for life.
     Register your interest now by emailing
  paid.caxtonhouse@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
                                                 have built up a certain amount of additional
                                                 State pension in the current scheme.                Go online to find                                Leslie Huss-Smickler
                                                                                                     out more
                                                     The qualifying years you have from before
                                                                                                                                                      has been elected as
  to receive more information when the
                                                 6 April 2016 will be used to calculate your
  scheme opens. Or visit
                                                 ‘starting amount’ in the new State pension
                                                                                                                                                      Pensioner Trustee
  www.gov.uk/statepensiontopup                                                                       There are lots of videos about pensions
                                                 scheme. This is the least amount you will
  to find out more.                                                                                  at the Department for
                                                 get provided you have at least 10 qualifying
                                                                                                     Work and Pension’s
                                                 years when you reach State pension age. You
  If you were born on or after                                                                       new YouTube channel,                             Leslie Huss-Smickler has been elected
  6 April 1953 (women) or on                     will be able to increase this amount if you         PensionTube. Visit                               as the Pensioner Trustee for the period
  or after 6 April 1951 (men)                    get qualifying years after April 2016 up to         www.youtube.com/                                 6 February 2015 to 31 December 2019.
  You are part of the new State pension          the full amount of the new State pension, or        pensiontube
  scheme. The amount of State pension you        up until you reach State pension age.

                                                                                                    Please send your editorial contributions, or comments/
                                                                                                    feedback, to: Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre,
                              Prospero is provided free of charge to retired BBC                    Broadcasting House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ.
                              employees, or to their spouses and dependants.                        Email: prospero@bbc.co.uk
                              Prospero provides a source of news on former                          Please make sure that any digital pictures you send are
                              colleagues, developments at the BBC and pension                       scanned at 300 dpi.
                              issues, plus classified adverts.
                              To advertise in Prospero, please see page 12.                         The next issue of Prospero will appear in June 2015.
                              To view Ariel online, please visit www.bbc.co.uk/ariel.               The copy deadline is Friday, 8 May 2015.

  PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
03

Do you need a                                                                                        NAO: toughest                               BBC history under
helping hand?                                                                                        years ahead
                                                                                                     for DQF
                                                                                                                                                 the spotlight
                                                                                                                                                 In February 2015, the
Applications are invited for grants from the Grace                                                   The BBC has so far                          BBC’s official historian, Jean
                                                                                                     exceeded its Delivering                     Seaton, published Pinkoes
Wyndham Goldie (BBC) Trust Fund, which exists to                                                                                                 and Traitors: the BBC and
                                                                                                     Quality First targets but
help those engaged in broadcasting or an associated                                                  it faces ‘significantly                     the Nation 1970-1987.
activity, now or in the past, as well as their children                                              greater challenges’ in the                  This study of a critical and turbulent
and dependants.                                                                                      latter years of the savings                 period in the history of the BBC takes
                                                                                                                                                 its title from one of the ‘Dear Bill’
                                                                                                     programme, according to a                   letters in Private Eye, ostensibly written
The Trustees, in their discretion, will           gym membership, sky digital, high mobile           National Audit Office report.               by Margaret Thatcher’s husband, Denis,
consider giving assistance towards                telephone charges or non-essential car costs       The public spending watchdog found          and fulminating against the BBC as
educational costs in small ways, such as          then you will be expected to be able to pay        that the BBC has made overall savings       ‘that nest of Pinkoes and Traitors’. The
travelling expenses, school outfits, books        for these yourself.                                of £374m so far, exceeding its target       phrase captures one of the many strands
and additions to educational awards.                 Those wishing to apply this year should                                                     of anti-BBC feeling at a time when the
                                                                                                     of £367m by 2013/14. Most of this
   Other grants can be made in respect of a       write for an application form to:                                                              corporation was under attack as
                                                                                                     was achieved by renegotiating existing
specific short-term unexpected need, which           BBC Pension and Benefits Centre
                                                                                                     contracts, limiting salary increases and    a public service from across the
is beyond the means of the beneficiary and           Broadcasting House
                                                                                                     reducing the number of more expensive       political spectrum.
not covered by aid from other sources.               Cardiff CF5 2YQ or visit the website
   The resource of the Fund is limited. So        where you can download an application              senior staff.                                   Jean Seaton’s compelling account takes
that help can be given where it is most           form: www.bbc.co.uk/charityappeals/                    The report concluded that this          up the BBC story in 1974, at a time of
needed, applicants must be prepared to give,      about/grants/grace-wyndham-goldie.                 was good value for money and so             national decline and disorder under the
in confidence, full information about the            Application forms should be returned no         far has had only a limited impact on        Labour governments of Harold Wilson
circumstances supporting their applications.      later than 31 July.                                audience perceptions.                       and James Callaghan. It culminates in
   It is important to recognise that the Fund        Applicants are considered annually in               But the NAO also concluded that         1987, during Thatcher’s energetic and
has been established to act as a safety net and   September and in no circumstances can              future savings ‘involve more significant    iconoclastic Conservative premiership,
not to fund expensive lifestyle choices. If you   continuing help over a number of years             and potentially riskier changes to          with the forced resignation of Alasdair
therefore have expenses such as holidays,         be promised.                                       organisational structures and ways          Milne as director-general, a convulsive
                                                                                                     of working’.                                episode that encapsulated the complex
                                                                                                         The 48-page report argued that if the   and often strained relationship between
                                                                                                     BBC is not able to make the majority
                                                                                                                                                 the BBC and the state.
                                                                                                     of its savings through ‘improved
                                                                                                                                                     During the intervening years, Britain
                                                                                                     productivity’, it will risk having to
                                                                                                                                                 experienced mass unemployment, trade
                                                                                                     reduce its scope.
                                                                                                                                                 union strikes, war in Northern Ireland
                                                                                                         The BBC’s target is to make annual
                                                                                                     savings of £700m by 2017.                   and the Falklands, and a fundamental
                                                                                                         Amyas Morse, head of the National       threat to the very existence of its public
                                                                                                     Audit Office, said: ‘The BBC has taken      service broadcaster.
                                                                                                     a systematic approach to how it can             At the same time, the BBC produced
                                                                                                     achieve future savings, but it needs to     memorable and groundbreaking
                                                                                                     keep the implementation of its plans        programmes, from Live Aid and the
                                                                                                     under review. This will lessen the risk     wedding of Charles and Diana, to iconic
                                                                                                     of the BBC’s having to make further         comedy (Fawlty Towers, Blackadder,
                                                                                                     reductions to scope by, for example,        Dad’s Army), drama (The Singing Detective
                                                                                                     cutting the number of new programmes        and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and factual
                                                                                                     it commissions or acquires.’                programming (Life on Earth).
                                                                                                                                                     Jean Seaton’s examination of these
                                                                                                                                                 years pulls no punches. Drawing on

 CROSPERO 184                                                       devised and compiled by Jim Palm
                                                                    devised and compiled by Jim Palm
                                                                                                                                                 previously unseen state and BBC papers,
                                                                                                                                                 as well as a wide range of in-depth
                                                                                                                                                 interviews, she deftly dissects the stormy
                    1                                              Complete the square by using the clues; these apply only to words             controversies and the magnificent
                                                                   running across. Then take these words in numerical order and                  triumphs of an institution that both
   2                                       3                       extract the letters indicated by a dot. If your answers are correct,          reflects Britain and has helped to
                                                                   these letters will spell out the name of a TV programme.
                                                                                                                                                 define it. Along with new insights into
  4                                  5                             Please send your answers in an envelope marked ‘Crospero’ to The              the BBC’s inner workings and frank
                                                                   Editor, Prospero, BBC Pension and Benefits Centre, Broadcasting
   6                                                               House, Cardiff CF5 2YQ, by 8 May 2015. The winner will receive a
                                                                                                                                                 acknowledgement of more recent and
                                     7
                                                                   £10 voucher.                                                                  shocking revelations of longstanding
                         8                                                                                                                       sexual abuse, she presents a detailed and
                                                                   CLUES                                                                         absorbing analysis of an institution at the
                                                                   1. In that place (5); 2. Contest (4); 3. Green area (4); 4. Fruits (5);
  9                                  10
                                                                   5. Underground worker (5); 6. Plaster base (5); 7. Somerset village (5);
                                                                                                                                                 heart of Britain and of the nation’s sense
                                                                   8. American lizard (3); 9. Vegetable (5); 10. Make a speech (5);              of itself.
                         11
                                                                   11. Moisture (3); 12. Adhesive (5); 13. Hidden London river (5);                  ‘This fine history makes Jean Seaton the
                                                                   14. Mammal (5); 15. Water escape (5); 16. Dairymaids (4); 17. Black (4);      country’s top navigator through the BBC practices,
  12                                 13
                                                                   18. Have faith in (5).                                                        its emotional geography and its outputs.’
  14                                 15                            Solutions to Crospero 183: Pest; Sober; Eye; Tow; Roe; Woe; One; Nor;             Peter Hennessy, Attlee Professor of Contemporary
                                                                   Straw; Mete; Ague; Corruption; Edna; Apex; Vales; Red; Elo; Ire; Tag; Men;    History, Queen Mary College, University of London
  16                                       17                      Die; Sense; Toes.

                    18                                             The Children’s Hour series were Toytown and Nature Parliament.
                                                                   The winner of Crospero 183 was Mrs E Beynon of Haverfordwest.

                                                                                                                                                                        PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
04 LETTERS

  A wartime story                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Lime Grove                                         As an independent association of former
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   BBC staff, BBCPA AGMs always provide an
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    of the BBC, explaining that copies of films
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    are straight telecine transfers without any of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Like Nick Jennings, whom I remember,               opportunity for members to voice opinions        the sort of correction that would take place
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                I spent much of my career working in               about the BBC Pension Scheme and how the         on a live transmission. It also explained that
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Film Maintenance (later Film Engineering           Association can best help to ensure that our     correction was possible but would cost more.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Services). If you wanted to be a versatile         members’ views are known to the Scheme               Although I have not yet been able to check
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                engineer, it was an ideal place to work. You       Trustees and within the wider BBC.               all of the DVDs completely, I have already
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                had to know about audio tape recorders,               Last year, the corporation began to set       identified a number of problems. And this
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                both portable and static, sepmag bays,             about keeping in touch with former staff         raises some questions. While I understand
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                projectors and their power supplies.               through its Alumni project, complementing        that this can’t be a priority for the BBC, it
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The biggest problems by far were in             our capturing of the past through BBCPA’s        seems to me that if the service is offered it
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                dubbing theatres, where you had to have a          ‘Memory Bank’ initiative. As with the email      should be explained, before taking payment,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                film projector and several sepmag bays all         exchanges of other groups, such efforts all      that it is not a quality service. (Those of us
  I was working in the monitoring service                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       running in absolute synchronism, forwards          help to add a personal dimension to the          who used to work for the BBC like to think
  at Caversham Park, Reading, living at the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     and backwards at up to 4x speed. Each and          historic BBC programme archive.                  of it as a quality organisation! In fact, time
  Shiplake Hostel, working six days on two                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      every manufacturer had a different solution,          All members are invited to the AGM,           was when there used to be complaints that
  days off.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     and some more than one. The Keller was             together with friends and other ex-staff         engineers were demanding too high quality.)
     It happened in 1942 that Tony Abbey, who                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   one of the better systems, using toothed           who would like to know more about the            After all, a single copy costs many times that
  was on the same day off as me, decided to                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     rubber belts and electromagnetic clutches. It      Association. We don’t limit numbers, unless      of a commercially produced copy (one of my
  visit London for the day to look at bomb                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      consisted of eight transports, of which two        we pass the point where there is standing        own cost less than £10).
  damage. We caught the train from Reading                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      were polygonal prism telecines, and the rest       room only, so please join us on the day.             Second, were, or are, film and VT
  and arrived late morning. We walked to                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        sepmags. Each transport could be arranged to       Friends House has a restaurant open to           libraries separate and operating separate
  Trafalgar Square and went to St Paul’s                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        run either 16mm or 35mm film. The whole            visitors and there will also be an opportunity   policies re junking/retention? In one case
  Cathedral. Only part was open because                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         machine, running at 4x speed with 35mm             to meet friends for a cup of tea afterwards.     where I believed I was ordering a complete
  of bomb damage. From the whispering                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           modules installed, was a frightening sight!           If getting to the AGM is not convenient,      programme it turned out that I was only
  gallery it was closed. There was no workmen                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The whole thing, including the control          our Regional Meetings may suit you better.       getting a film insert and not the completed
  working at the time.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          desk, was housed in what had been the              This year we plan to hold these in Belfast,      programme which would have been on
     Tony decided to explore and somehow                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        dubbing theatre itself, a corner being             Birmingham and Leeds; in October as usual.       videotape. It would seem an odd decision to
  we managed to get into the inner skin of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      partitioned off to serve for voiceovers. The       Expect more information in due course, also      keep the film and not the VT, when the VT
  the dome. Workmen had installed double                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        desk itself was a nightmare. It was designed       on the website at: www.bbcpa.org.uk              would have kept both. It’s a small irony that
  planking so it was possible to walk around                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    by P&ID, later SCPD, by an engineer with no        Hugh Sheppard                                    I have preserved the audio tape of the studio
  the dome and after walking a few yards we                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     understanding of the principles of sound           Chairman BBCPA                                   part of the programme but the BBC hasn’t! In
  came to where the bomb had entered the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        engineering. From a zero-level input to                                                             fact I have audio tapes of part or all of four
  dome. It was possible to look through down                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    output, the signal went through 180dB of                                                            programmes altogether, video versions of
  onto the ground floor, somehow or other.
  With Tony always leading we got into the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                amplification, with the corresponding lousy
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                signal-to-noise consequences. This was             Information & Archive                            two of which could not be found.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Third, one programme preserved on film,
  chamber under the cross and we took turns
  to climb into the cross which has metal
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                because there were, at the time, many old-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                fashioned engineers in that department, who        Contributor Access                               with less bad picture and sound quality, is
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    out of sync after a midway point. I assume
  rungs inside.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 held the view that their job was to assemble       I am a former producer in the BBC TV Music       either the sepmag track had been damaged,
     The only person who could confirm my                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       kits of in-house equipment, rather than to         and Arts Department.                             or, more likely, there was a reel change and
  story is Tony Abbey. I hope he is still around.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               apply their skills to solving the problems            It was very pleasing to discover recently     the second reel was not synced correctly.
     The only reason I am telling this story is                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 posed by their customers. Working under one        that it is possible to get copies of old             Fourth, I would like to know whether the
  because of the TV programme that was on                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       of them, I nearly got shot for designing a PA      programmes from the BBC, because quite a         film transfer that was of really bad quality
  last week.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    mixer to meet my customer’s needs. I still         number that I made pre-dated the advent of       was itself badly undertaken or whether it
  Doug Dunderdale                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               remember a former colleague who designed           VHS and the possibility of making copies         transferred accurately the quality of the film.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                a portable mixer for Film Department. It used      during transmission or editing playback, or      If the latter it would raise a question about
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                in-house equipment and, with 24V worth of          recording off air. Also I had a few of my VHS    how well the film archive is stored, which
  Churchill in                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Ni-Cd batteries, was a two-man lift.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Lime Grove, in those days, was the main
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   copies stolen during a house move in the 80s.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I identified eight programmes that I really
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ought to matter to everyone.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        I have recently been learning to use
  Opposition              Remembering
                                                                                                    Winston Church
                                                                                                                                                                                               ill
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        MEMO RIES
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 07
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                base for the Current Affairs film crews, and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                for the assembly of their material. The Smiths
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   wanted to get copies of. Three were on
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   videotape and the quality of copy I received
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Final Cut Pro X, and the above prompted
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    me to learn, with the help of online video
  I very much enjoyed                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Yard workshop handled the engineering and          was excellent. The other five were on film       tutorials, how to apply colour correction
                                                                                                                                       of Winston
                                                                                                                       y of the death
                                                                                                   the 50th anniversar                 buried after
                                                                                 This year marks                      1965 and was
                                                                                                 died on 24 January        r of the 20th century
                                                                                                                                                  to
                                                                                 Churchill, who
                                                                                                      – the only commone                   Grahame                                                                                        The retired members’
                                                                                 a full State funeral                    timely then, that                                                                              Happy New Year!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          merged with the
                                                                                                       an honour. It was                   man.                                                                         newsletter is now                   is available
                                                                                  be accorded such                       memories of the                                                                                Prospero Society
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          newsletter and
                                                                                                        to Prospero his                                                                                                                 via email and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        to Prospero
                                                                                  Whatling submitted                                                                                                                    to all members
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        via post. With
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         news, puzzles

  reading ‘Remembering                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          maintenance. When the dubbing theatre was          and the quality ranged from reasonable           to the videos I have received. As a result,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Club members                                to
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 it is a great way
                                                                                                                                                    Chartwell                                equipment left               offers and suggestionsClub where ever you
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               with the
                                                                                                    at Chequers                                      There was no broadcasting           home in Kent,
                                                                                                                                                                                                              so           stay in touch
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     mobile you are.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Do keep
                                                                                     Mrs Churchill               who                                                                                                       live and however                                    the Club
                                                                                           now to Mrs Churchill,
                                                                                      We come                                                        at Chartwell, Churchill’s    from there we
                                                                                                                                                                                                       had to                                           in, and contact
                                                                                                            a ‘Hullo boys’,
                                                                                                                                 at Chequers.
                                                                                                                                                     when he broadcast                                                      your letters coming                         list. Contact
                                                                                      greeted us with                                  for the                                               in a van. Once                                        the subscriber
                                                                                                               Christmas Appeal                                with the equipment                         back              to be added to
                                                                                       It was her annual the Blind Fund (BWBF), travel had been unloaded, it went                                                            details below.
                                                                                       British Wireless
                                                                                                             for
                                                                                                                                    help blind        the van                         after the transmission
                                                                                                                been set up to                         to base and returned                                                   Offers                                  host of offers
                                                                                        a charity that had                                                                      Chartwell.                                                         website has a
                                                                                                                own radio set.                         and playback to                                                        The BBC Club                                     theatre
                                                                                        people own their the first BBC radio                                                         to keep ourselves                                               members including
                                                                                                                                                            We normally had                                the                available for our                             articles on
                                                                                        Churchill broadcast the charity on                                                         wander out into

  Winston Churchill’ by A                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          to poor to atrocious. In one case, besides
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       cooking ideas,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                rebuilt, the workshop moved to what had                                                             I can now, in a matter of minutes, make
                                                                                         appeals for funds
                                                                                                                for                                     amused but could                               was a series           ticket deals, gifts,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           and a lot more.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Why not
                                                                                                                                 a tradition                                    a fine day. There
                                                                                         Christmas Day,
                                                                                                              1929, starting             until           garden if it was                       there. As the                  health and therapies               membership from
                                                                                                          appeals    that continued                      of  linked, raised fishpondsmoved into the                            increase    the value of your               library,
                                                                                          of broadcast                                                                          they were                                                           your own     home,
                                                                                                                                                         fish got bigger,                                 the fish              the comfort of                             can get
                                                                          Winston the
                                                                                               1980s.
                                                                                                                    Day: the weather had
                                                                                                                                           was                                   We were told that                                                     anywhere you
                                                                                                                                                          next size pond.                              called them.             resource centre,                          members only;
                                        niece of mine mentioned                               It was Christmas               snowing and                                         when Churchill                                                       the content is
                                                              I told her that I                         terrible. It was                                  came to be fed                        there and called                 online! Much of                     need a NEW-style
                                        Churchill. When                                    absolutely                          snow    was   frozen                               fish  food                                                              you  will
                                                           asked me to share                                   days so that                               We found some response, so one of                                      in order to register
                                        knew him, she                                      been for some                              was the                                     no                                                                   which has an eight-digitTo
                                                           I decided to type                           Fortunately, Chequers                               the fish but got                  voice. There came
                                                                                                                                                                                                                     a            BBC Club card                                 100.
                                         my memories.                         of my into ruts. place to have a permanent set
                                                                                                                                                 of                                                                                                   back starting with
                                                stories for the benefit                                                                                    us imitated Churchill’s                       stood.                   number on the                                   0208
                           up some of the                                 for  them         only other
                                                                                                                    so   we  could    use a car to                      behind     us and there he                                         a  new    card, call the Club on
                                                      brother asked                                           gear,                                         chuckle                                              of               obtain                                        .co.uk

  Grahame Whatling in
                                                                                                                                                                                          Sunday, a group

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                been the projection room. There was a narrow       the picture quality being very poor, the         a significant improvement to the picture
                           family (my younger if they might also be broadcasting                                                                                On another lovely                                                  752 6666 or email
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           bbc.club@bbc
                                                                                            get there.                                                                                    outside. Churchill
                           too) – and I wondered reader?                                                                                                    people had gathered                    car and the group               Events
                            of interest to Prospero’s                                                                                                        arrived in his chauffeured                       they                                  calendar   is growing and
                                                                                                                                                                                                   them    if                      Our   events                               scheduled on
                                                                                                          was                                                                        He asked
                                                                                           ‘Mr Churchall
                                                                                                                                                             all clapped him.                                    get                                     are now trips
                                                                                                                                                                                          in and he would                           growing. There                                 theatre
                            Starting out like change so the same                                                                                              would like to come them around.                                       a regular basis
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         with lunches and
                             Churchill did not                                                                                                                                       show
                                                                                           certain that you
                                                                engineers always                                                                              his grandson to                                                       trips proving very
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             popular.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      a
                             two outside broadcasting                                                                                                                                                 le day                                                members enjoyed
                                                       broadcasts.                                                                                                                                                                      In December,                            at Club
                             covered his outside                                                                                                               The long, memorab                                                                        Christmas lunch
                                                                                            would appreciate
                                                               left the BBC,                                                                                                                    is a cinema.                         three-course                                   End
                                 One of the engineers                       time)                                                                              Underneath Chartwell                                                                         and some West
                                  I (young     and  unmarried at the                                                                                                         Churchill     invited   some VIPs                       Western House
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                friends     and   colleagues
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           old
                              so                                         the
                                                                                                          ny!’                                                                                                                        shopping, with

  the February edition                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             soundtrack had a hum and buzz throughout,
                                                                                                                                                               Winston

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                passage from there to the control room,
                                                                                                                                                                                          by a showing of

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    quality – not perhaps up to the standard of
                                                  with Bob Ottley,
                                                                                            female compa
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  at the
                              was paired up                                                                                                                    to lunch followed                                                      (met some new!)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              and a glance
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       and
                               other engineer.                                                                                                                  12 O’Clock High. had to arrive mid-                                                          in Regents Street
                                                       Chartwell was                                                                                                                                                                  Christmas lights
                                   My first visit to          Churchill himself                                                                                     That Sunday we send the van away                                                      on the way home!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Oxford Street
                               embarrassing because rushed up to                                                                   three generations            morning, unload
                                                                                                                                                                                          and                                                                       with some interesting
                                                      Bob                                        On arrival we discoveredin party hats, at a                                               Come lunchtime
                                                                                                                                                                                                                   we                      We started 2015                               in
                                opened the door. and my presence was                                                   family                                    until late evening. wondered what we                                                      the Poppy Museum
                                                                                                 of the Churchill                               with a                                                                                 trips including                                   House
                                explain who I was, boss was told off for                                  that  had   been set up outside,trying to were stranded and The uniformed                                                     Richmond       and New BroadcastingHouse in
                                                       big                                       bench
                                accepted, but my                                   that                              clamped into a
                                                                                                                                         vice,
                                                                                                                                                                 would do for a
                                                                                                                                                                                        meal.                      would                Tour and Lunch
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              at Club Western
                                                    Churchill beforehand                         model aircraft                Churchill called
                                                                                                                                                    out,                                       and told us he                                                    have upcoming
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        trips
                                 not informing
                                                       appearance!                                get it going. Winston                        soon get           chauffeur appeared                 in Westerham and                   January. We also                                    Albert
                                 I would make an                                                                        engineers, they’ll                        take us into a restaurant                              to                                            a tour of Royal
                                                                                                  ‘Here come the                                                                              a very grand feeling                       planned that include (February), Madame
                                                                                                                                                                  return later. It was

  of Prospero. We both
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             lunch

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                which contained the echo plate. Care               making it virtually unwatchable. In this         a BBC transmission, but a vast improvement
                                                                                                                                                                                                     Rolls Royce.                        Hall, including                                      and
                                  Downing Street             to the Cup Final
                                                                                                  it going.’
                                                                                                      I’m afraid I don’t
                                                                                                                              remember whether                     travel in Mr Churchill’s               one of the                     Butterfly and St
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Martins trip (March), have
                                  Churchill had gone a broadcast – and                                                 but aside from
                                                                                                                                           that                         Soon after we returned,                        had                Whitechapel Bell
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  foundry (April).They
                                   but was due to
                                                      make
                                                                                to  go             we did or not,                 of  my   most                                     told  us that Mr Churchill                                                    we    now    only have places
                                                                                                                            one                                     secretaries                                    film,                               popular
                                   nobody knew where
                                                                he planned                         it has always been                                                                     wanted to see the                               been so
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Hall tour and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          the
                                                                                                   memorable Christmas
                                                                                                                                  moments!                          said that, if we                                                      for the Royal Albert
                                    after the game.                                                                            back to the car
                                                                                                                                                  for                                       in after his guests                                                     foundry. You may,
                                                                     set of broadcasting               Later I had to go                         at an               we could creep                                                        Whitechapel Bell                             on 0208
                                        There is a permanent Street, so Bob and                                    and   noticed Churchill                           were     seated.                            later                                   also  contact the Club                list in
                                                                                                                                                                                                    appeared                               however,
                                    equipment at Downing                              with          something
                                                                                                                          Just then an Army
                                                                                                                                                  despatch
                                                                                                                                                                          Some tea and cake it was time for                                                       added onto waiting
                                                       A fast car was outside                        upper window.                            – covered in                                                                                 752 6666 to be
                                     I waited there.                                        if                             a terrible state                          and time passed
                                                                                                                                                                                              until                                                                  become available.
                                                               to dash to Chartwell,                 rider arrived in motorbike with badly                                                       playback. A BBC
                                                                                                                                                                                                                      lines                 case new places
                                     another set of gear plan. It was very risky,                                  and the                                            the broadcast and                    liaison  with                               for  a Fiver at Western our retired
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          House!
                                                 Churchill’s                                         wet   slush,                                   at  the                                     He   was                                    Lunch
                                                                                                                            The rider stopped and

  worked in London
                                      that was

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   case I already had a VHS copy but the first
                                                                                 lines to                                                                             engineer arrived. had tested the lines                                                                to welcome

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                was needed.                                                                                         on what I received. If I, as an 80-year-old
                                                        was bad and the                               bent handlebars.                                                                       and                                             It is always a pleasure                         Don’t
                                      as the weather                                                                          over his despatch                        the Post Office                             for a                                              Western House.
                                                                                                      doorway, handed                                                                        and was present                                  members to Club                          an offer for
                                       BH untested.                 we had just decided at waited for reply.                                                           the day before                                                                                a Fiver! This is
                                          Time went by and                                Bob                                    ushered    indoors,    under
                                                                                                                                                                                 1  transmission.                            in               forget Lunch for               to have   a  two-course
                                                            to Chartwell, leaving                         Next I saw him one of Churchill’s                             Grade                           two secretaries,                      retired Club membersdrink for £5.00, available
                                       that I should go                            announced                                asked                                            After the broadcast arrived and said,                                                  a hot
                                                             when someone
                                        Downing Street, just arrived.                                  protest. Later, I                          despatch                                                                                     lunch including                        to 2.30pm. You
                                                                                                                             happened to the                             their outdoor clothes,                    is laid on                                      from 12 noon
                                        that Churchill had what to do.’                                aides what had                 Mr Churchill had                                        says that dinner                                  every Tuesday                               copy of the
                                                                                                                    told   me   that                                     ‘Mr    Churchill                           and  added,                                your    complimentary
                                           Bob said, ‘I know
                                                                                                                He
                                                                                       the left of rider. arrival and said, ‘Ring that
                                                                                                                                                       man’s                                       Arms hotel’,                                 can pick up
                                                                  small rooms to                                                                                          in the Westerham you would appreciate                                                          too.
                                            There were two                                              seen his                      and tell him that
                                                                                                                                                              he                                 that                                           Radio Times here
                                                                hallway – one was used
                                                                                          where
                                                                                                        Commanding Officerand is not leaving here                         ‘He was certain
                                         Downing Street’s                                                                                                                  female company!’                                                      Lottery                                     its own
                                                                 and the other was                       has had an accident that he is alright.’                                                        was also invited                        Don’t forget the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       BBC Club runs
                                         we kept out gear, other side of the hall                                                                                                                                                                                                         in amounts of

  Radio OBs, and I too                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             few minutes suffered from some sort of
                                                                                                                                                                               The lines engineer

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   The big advantage of the Smiths Yard                                                             novice, can do this I would have thought that
                                                                                                         until we are satisfied                                                                                         send                                          monthly prizes
                                         as a studio. On
                                                             the                                                                          at that time by                                          we were able to                               lottery with 15
                                                              Bob waited until
                                                                                      Churchill
                                                                                                              Chequers was staffed armed services;                          and had a car so unloaded the next day.                                                    £1,000 plus a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           quarterly
                                          was a toilet. So                                      he                                                                          the van away to
                                                                                                                                                                                                  be                                              £50, £100 and                                      020
                                                                   moved out as though                    members of the
                                                                                                                                women’s
                                                                                                                                                                                                     had stayed open
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          for us.                                             Call the Club on
                                          entered, and then                               back                                             from the Women’s                     The restaurant                            Bob                     jackpot of £10,000. entry is £5 per month.
                                          was going to the
                                                                  toilet but stepped                      I think it was volunteers  (WAAF). They
                                                                                                                                                        cleaned                                        for and, when                               8752 6666. Minimum
                                                                                          soon
                                                                pass. Sure enough, us that,               Auxiliary Air Force                          him over.             The meal was paid the drinks, he was
                                                                                                                                                                                                  for
                                          to let Churchill             came and told                       the driver and
                                                                                                                               the nurse checked                             offered to pay                   had paid for                                                 or comment?
                                           afterwards someone asked where he would                                                                   handlebars                                                                                    Got a question
                                                                                                                                straightened the                             told that Mrs Churchill                  very                                                                c.co.uk
                                                                 was                                       The chauffeur              know how story                                              was a long but                                    Email us at bbc.club@bb
                                           when Churchill
                                                                   replied, ‘The engineers                  on his bike. I don’t                                 a            the drinks”. It                                                                                6666.
                                           do his broadcast,                         to Chartwell                                          rider, but it was                  memorable day!                                                        or call 020 8752
                                            are here. I’ll do
                                                                 it here and go                             ended for the despatchDay.                                                                                                                                                                   2015
                                                                    consideration.                          memorable        Christmas                                                                                                                                                     FEBRUARY

  have a vivid memory                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              interference on the video image and I hoped
                                            afterwards.’ What

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                location was that it was next to the Club!                                                          a professional could do something as good
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        PROSPERO

  of covering a late evening broadcast from                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Frank Wood                                         to get a better copy. In fact my faulty VHS      in the time it takes to take film and track
  Chartwell by Winston Churchill when he                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           copy is vastly better, in spite of having been   reels out of the cans and sync them up
  was Leader of the Opposition.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    left undisturbed for some 30 years before I      on telecine. I don’t see how it can be a matter
     At the time I was paired with Nogs
  Newman. The gear was rigged in a                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              John Tusa to speak at                              made a digital copy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      A very helpful man in the I & A
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    of time cost as we pay the same for a half
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    hour as for an hour. Is it a matter of
  room which housed many of Churchill’s
  paintings, so we had plenty to interest us.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   BBCPA AGM                                          Contributor Access section got a response for
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   me to my first complaint about poor quality
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    equipment not available?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        The colour problems on the DVDs are
  The microphones were rigged in his study                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Sir John Tusa will be the guest speaker at the     film reproduction, from Odyssey, which I         not shot specific but pretty well consistent
  – it was a Grade 1 outside broadcast, and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     April AGM of the BBC Pensioners’ Association.      now understand is a commercial subsidiary        throughout the whole DVD, so correction of
  that meant two microphones, two sets of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       This is to be held at Friends Meeting House,                                                        one appropriate frame can be applied to the
  gear and two lines back to BH. After the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Euston Road, London on                                                                              whole video.
  broadcast, Churchill came to thank us and                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     16 April 2015 at 2pm. (Opposite Euston main-       ...it turned out that                                I realise the BBC can’t devote too much
  presented both of us with two cigars, one                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     line and tube stations.)                                                                            thought to old pensioned off employees, and
  to smoke and one to keep. I did smoke the
  smaller one and kept the larger one. I still
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   As a former Managing Director of World
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Service and of The Barbican Arts Centre, John
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I was only getting                               I’m very grateful for the opportunity at all
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    to retrieve these old programmes, but it was
  have it, but it is showing signs of its age.
     We had to carry all the gear through the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Tusa’s wealth of public experience began as a
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                main presenter of 24 Hours and of Newsnight.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   a film insert and                                intensely disappointing, for someone who
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    tried to deliver quality, to see such a poor
  front door to the van. Churchill had retired
  for the night but decided the draught was
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                His latest book, Pain in the Arts, champions his
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                view that Britain consistently undervalues the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   not the completed                                outcome. We don’t have much in the way of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    rights in this, but it is still the case that these
  too much, so he bellowed ‘Shut that b------
  door.’ He’d had enough of us!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                arts; a standpoint that is interwoven with the
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                ongoing debates about the next licence fee or      programme...                                     productions are the result of our work, and
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    that ought to matter.
  John Wallis                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   levy and the BBC Royal Charter.                                                                     David Buckton

  PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
05

Mob rule                                              It’s the Pitts                                         Does any other person                                   CONTACTS
May I start a campaign in Prospero for
MOB Rule.
                                                      Paul Jackson’s letter about early TV
                                                      newsreaders mentions Valerie Pitts (later              have this trouble?                                 Visiting Scheme
   MOB as in ‘Music Off Button’. Music                Lady Solti) and the various programmes                                              I sent an email to    Is available to BBC pensioners over 70,
disease now infests most programmes                   she worked on, but omits to say that she                                            the Radio Times       those recently bereaved, and anyone in
– especially if someone is talking, when              was the occasional presenter of South Today,                                        service helpline on   poor health. The scheme is a method of
producers seem to think that it is essential          whose regular presenter, when I was there                                            21 February 2015     keeping in touch and operates throughout
to have an underbubble of irrelevant music.           in Southampton in the early sixties, was                                             stating that I had   the UK. Visitors are BBC pensioners
                                                                                                                                                                themselves. If you want to be visited,
As a VT Editor I often mixed music into               Anthony Muncaster.                                                                   not received the     receive a phone call or meet up somewhere
programmes but always took it out either if              Paul mentions her marriage to James                                               then edition of      mutually convenient call 029 2032 2811.
the cfx were important or if someone started          Sargeant. I recall Valerie telling a story about                                     Radio Times.         The contact is the same if you would like to
to speak. Obvious really, that if you put a           this. She and her husband went to a grand                                                I received       become a visitor.
talking head into a programme you want to             awards ceremony in a posh London hotel.                                               a reply             Queries
hear what they have to say.                           The major-domo on the door recognised her                                             (22 February)       For benefit and pension payroll queries,
   We need a button such as the red button            as they approached, and without asking her                                            stating that they   call the Service Line on 029 2032 2811
to be made available to enable this music             name announced loudly ‘Mr and Mrs Pitts!’.                                            expected a delay    or email mypension@bbc.co.uk
to be turned off. Technically this is not very        Valerie approached him and whispered, ‘No,             in receiving the Radio Times overseas, but it      Prospero
difficult. The ultimate stupidity was a natural       that’s wrong, it’s Sargeant’. The major-domo           should arrive before the programmes start          To add or delete a name from the
history programme recently where the                  then roared out ‘As you were! Sergeant and             on a Saturday. I drew it to their attention that   distribution list, ring the Service Line on
                                                                                                                                                                029 2032 2811. Prospero is provided
presenter said ‘listen to the amazing call            Mrs Pitts!’                                            it seemed that Radio Times was no longer sent      free of charge to retired BBC employees.
of this bird’. I would have loved to but the          Peter Hill                                             via the Royal Mail as was indicated on the         On request, we will also send it to spouses
full symphony orchestra gloop drowned it                                                                     then label!                                        or dependants who want to keep in touch
out completely.                                                                                                  It followed that it was sent via the Dutch     with the BBC. Prospero is also available on
Ian Rutter
                                                      Sheila Tracey                                          Post Office, which may have explained the
                                                                                                             delay! I stated that I had visited the Belgian
                                                                                                                                                                audio disc for those with sight impairment.
                                                                                                                                                                To register, please ring the Service Line.
                                                                                                                                                                Alternatively, it is also available online
                                                                                                             Post Office distribution service here in
                                                                                                                                                                at www.bbc.co.uk/mypension,
And sound levels…                                                                                            Roeselare, but they had nothing on premises.
                                                                                                                 I was given information that my
                                                                                                                                                                under ‘Documents’.
                                                                                                                                                                BBC Club
Many others have made these points, so I know                                                                subscription was in order (25 February).           The BBC Club in London has a retired
I’m wasting my time complaining about sound                                                                  I duly thanked them for this information           category membership costing £30 a year
levels because the BBC is always right!                                                                      (27 February). I sent another email                or £39 a year for family membership.
    Today, listening to Desert Island Discs, it was                                                          (27 February) stating that I still have not        Pre-1997 life members are not affected.
impossible to hear the commentary, unless one                                                                received my copy. However, I received the          Regional clubs may have different
is being deafened by the music. I’m simply fed                                                        sals   Radio Times for Week 21/27 February on             arrangements. Please call BBC Club
                                                                               at the TV during rehear
                                                       This is a picture taken                w.                                                                London administration office on 020 8752
up with turning the volume up and down. I                                        Minstrel Sho                2 March 2015, and the next issue
                                                       for the Black and White                                                                                  6666 or email bbc.club@bbc.co.uk
have complained about this before!                                                                           (28 February/6 March 2015) on 6 March
    Another thing the public has complained                                                                  2015 – rendering both issues redundant!            Benevolent Fund
                                                                                                                                                                This is funded by voluntary contributions
about is the background music in dramas and           Sheila Tracey (whose obituary appeared in                  I was given information that they could        from the BBC and its purpose is to protect
trailers. Once, to my amusement, I complained         Prospero December 2014) is with George                 confirm that they are currently investigating      the welfare of staff, pensioners and their
I was unable to hear the music properly               Chisholm. I am the shadowy boom operator.              the delivery delays and would contact me           families. Grants are made at the discretion
because there were voices over. Whoever read it       In the shot are Stan Dorfman who was the               in due course and also investigate their           of the Trustees. They may provide
missed the point, and said I wasn’t supposed to       designer at the time and Simon the floor               despatch method.                                   assistance in cases of unforeseen financial
hear the music, so why play it?                       assistant is leaning against the left hand flat.           I bring this matter to your attention          hardship, for which help from other sources
    If you would like another complaint? I hate          It may well be Ian Gibb on the camera.              as other subscribers may have the same             is not available. Telephone: 029 2032 2811.
two presenters, as I spend all my time looking           Happy days, we did the Minstrels one week           experience. I should be grateful if you could      Prospero Society
at them, looking at each other!                       and the Billy Cotton Band Show the next week           help me and others in this matter in order to      Prospero Society is the only section of the
                                                                                                                                                                BBC Club run by and for retired BBC staff
    I have spent about 50 years trying to do          plus Crackerjack and other theatre shows               ascertain the latest position.                     and their spouses. Its aim is to enable BBC
something about some of these points with             thrown in.                                             Arthur Lincoln                                     pensioners to meet on a social basis for
zero result. But I know I’m right, as I used to       Mike Cotton                                                                                               theatre visits, luncheons, coach outings etc.
work for the ‘Beeb’ for 35 years or so.                                                                                                                         The Prospero Society is supported by
    I’m nearly 80 now, so you will be happy to                                                                                                                  BBC Club funds so as to make events
know that this will simply be the last ever of                                                                                                                  affordable. if you would like an application
my complaints.                                                                                                                                                  form please contact:
John Dixon                                                                                                                                                      Gayner Leach, BBC Club, BC2 B3 Broadcast
                                                                                                                                                                Centre, 201 Wood Lane, London W12 7TP
                                                                                                                                                                Tel: 0208 752 6666

Perceptions                                                                                                                                                     Email: bbc.club@bbc.co.uk
                                                                                                                                                                BBC SHOP discount
                                                                                                                                                                Get 10% off your order at BBCShop.com
I found the letters from Alan Muirhead and
Matt Spicer interesting for the memories they                                                                                                                   Enter code BBC0001 under ‘redeem
triggered. History, particularly remembered                                                                                                                     a promotion code’ at checkout
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history, is all about perceptions. Alan produced
an impressive list of people who were around                                                                                                                    Orders can also be placed over the phone
                                                                                                                                                                by calling 01788 821 107 and quoting
at that time, and they were also memorable to
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me, though often for very different reasons.
Maybe it was just me but at the time, I didn’t                                                                                                                  Terms & Conditions: Discount code
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find the little wax doll particularly effective.                                                                                                                off your order at BBCShop.com. Offer is not
The weekly programme Matt mentioned                                                                                                                             valid with any other promotional discount
was a general programme of Scottish events                                                                                                                      or offer and subject to availability. Only one
rather than a news programme, though it was                                                                                                                     discount code can be used per transaction.
consumed eventually by News Department in                                                                                                                       BBC Shop reserves the right to change,
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became Scotland 68 when the calendar changed.                                                                                                                   Standard BBC Shop Terms & Conditions
In terms of staffing, I took over as GPP from                                                                                                                   apply. Promoter: BBC Worldwide Ltd.
Matt for a couple of years then Alan took over                                                                                                                  Contact (UK) 01788 821107 (charged at
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Ken Stewart
                                                                                                                                                                                    PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
06 MEMORIES

  Ealing Studios remembered
  Oliver Bayldon, former art director and designer, shares his reminiscences…

  I
         n 1902, the original White Lodge
         building on Ealing Green was
         purchased for film production, and
         Ealing Studios were founded. Since
  that date this site has been in continual
  use for production. As demand increased,
  new studios were added in 1931 and
  straightaway began to produce a regular
  output of popular films hastened by the
  introduction of sound.
     By the 1940s this included such popular
  classics as Scott of the Antarctic and The Cruel Sea
  as well as the famous Ealing Comedies. Today
  this is what most people mean when they
  talk about classic Ealing films. However by
  the 1950s the producers had been affected
  by the growing impact of Pinewood and
  Elstree and were facing liquidation.
     In 1955, Ealing Studios were purchased
  by the BBC. From that date they became the                                                                                        Ealing Film Studios.                                   Ealing Studio 2.
  heart of BBC filming, editing and dubbing
  for 40 years.
     At first the stages were mainly used to             to be edited in-house later. These stages were    times over the years for anything from          serials like Downton Abbey and as a successful
  shoot film inserts for electronic productions,         also essential for many set-ups involving         flooded mines to drifting boats in thick fog    Film School for aspiring directors and crew.
  including such regulars as Z Cars,Troubleshooters,     complex visual FX. Furthermore, enclosed          as in Poldark, not to mention its used when     This irony is not lost as we hear that a major
  Doctor Who, Dickens serials etc, as well as such       studios offered security and reliability.         drained for lower depths of basements and       planning application has just been approved
  wholly filmed dramas such as The Singing                  Ironically, as cameras and film stock          cellars to multi-storey sets.                   by Ealing Council, to turn the whole
  Detective. By the 1960s, to service these ever-        improved and monochrome evolved into                 Meanwhile, as television’s influence         Forum/ABC Cinema site into a massive
  increasing demands, it had recruited and               colour, more and more filming moved out           grew, cinemas became less profitable. Today     housing/shopping scheme with minimal
  trained many fine cameramen and crews                  onto location so that exteriors could be shot     [in 2014] there is not one single cinema        cinema presence!
  with the famed Tubby Englander as over-                on site and not reproduced in TV Centre.          remaining in Ealing, despite the borough’s      Extracted from an article which first appeared
  riding influence. Many such trainees later                One of the joys of Ealing was its tank,        recent rapid growth and an increasing           in THE VETERAN, the magazine of the British
  became independent lighting cameramen,                 which was used, together with Denham              demand. One by one, each cinema was shut        Cinema and Television Veterans.
  moving into big feature films and taking               Studios, for several scenes in the great          down, converted, or simply demolished.
                                                                                                                                                            The next issue of Prospero will include
  their editors with them.                               1953 movie The Cruel Sea. Later during its        When the last house of make believe
                                                                                                                                                            Oliver’s stories of location recces and
     Ealing Studios were an essential part of            BBC times, TFS (Television Film Studios)          was demolished in 2008, its 1930s neo-
                                                                                                                                                            filming around the world. Does anyone
  BBC Television, having none of the set-and-            was run as a separate entity within BBC           classical façade was saved, propped up in a
                                                                                                                                                            else have memories of shooting on
  strike turnover of electronic studios that             Television. Tony Cornell was its regular          scaffolding frame like an abandoned set.
                                                                                                                                                            location that they would like to share?
  operated like a production line. Here, sets            designer/consultant helping to keep the              But Ealing Studios still exists and
                                                                                                                                                            Send us your memories using the
  could be built, lit, and shot out of sequence          show running. I used the Ealing tanks several     continues to thrive, being used for major TV
                                                                                                                                                            contact details on page 2.

  Connie celebrates a century
  An amazing BBC pensioner celebrated her 100th birthday on 29 November last year.

  B
             orn in Leeds, Connie Suffell was a          1pm, they were married at 2pm and she was
             musician who played with the BBC            back on the bandstand by 7pm!
             Northern Symphony Orchestra in                  He worked in Africa for Sudanese
             the 60s and 70s. She started on the         Railways. Connie joined him in Khartoum
  piano at age six but when she was nine she             in 1937, where their daughter Diane was
  was given a half-sized fiddle – she NEVER              born, in 1940. She sailed to England, back to
  called it a violin.                                    Africa, then home again several times during
      From Thirsk, aged nine, she travelled alone,       the war and has vivid memories of the Nile.
  by train, to Harrogate for lessons, practising in          She started playing professionally again
  an empty carriage on the way home.                     in 1953 – now with saxophone and Spanish
      By the age of 12 she was leading (!) a             guitar as well as fiddle – in summer season
  small group of older musicians in Blackpool            with stars like Alma Cogan and David Whitfield.
  and playing in churches, cafes, cinemas,                   Then came the Liverpool Philharmonic and
  theatres and competitions nationwide. She              then in 1960, the BBC Northern Symphony
  still has certificates with extraordinary marks        Orchestra, playing in the Proms under Reggie
  – 99 out of 100!                                       Stead and every kind of programme.
      She started a full-time musical career after           Her husband died in 1967 and the
  finishing school. Photos of her wearing a              BBC offered her more work beyond
  pink taffeta skirt, with a Marcel hairwave,            retirement in 1974, but she wanted
  won many small jobs, in Hull, Leeds,                   change and sold her beloved fiddle.
  the Isle of Man and festivals in Blackpool             Connie’s an extraordinary woman, lives
  and Lytham.                                            in her own flat, dresses like a 25-year-old,
      At one of these engagements she met her            still cooks all her own meals, is fiercely
  future husband, Reg Humm. They married in              independent and could talk for England!
  1936 – she was playing on the bandstand at             James Latham                                                               Connie, bottom left.                                    Connie at 100.

  PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
OBITUARIES                          07
Ed Stewart’s                                      his wife in Caernarvonshire. He excelled
                                                  at school and went on to study Maths and
                                                                                                     foreign language services. He also made
                                                                                                     documentaries on topics ranging from             First woman to manage
‘No 1 Pick’                                       Physics at the University College of North         Edward Elgar, the Wall Street Crash, Lloyds of   a local station, then on
                                                                                                                                                      to Woman’s Hour
                                                  Wales, Bangor, before spending two very            London and North Sea Oil. He had a special
                                                  enjoyable years in the RAF, where he became        interest in East-West affairs and produced
                                                  a pilot officer                                    features on both the CIA and the KGB. His
                                                  and navigator.                                     commitment, energy and knowledge were a
                                                     It was by chance that he then joined the        great asset to World Service.
                                                  BBC, leading to a lifelong career in television.      Derek had a consuming interest in the
                                                  Soon after he started in 1954, Stan joined         two World Wars. In 1981, he took his
                                                  an experimental unit in London where he            then 81-year-old father back to the area of
                                                  became the first person in the UK to use a         Northern France where he had fought in
                                                  radio camera. With his airforce background,        the trenches during the Great War. Later, to
                                                  he was chosen to go up in a Gannett to film        commemorate the 50th anniversary of the
                                                  the aeroplane landing on the Ark Royal.            D-Day landings, he was asked by WHSmith
                                                     During these early days in the BBC he           to write a book on the subject.
                                                  worked on shows such as Saturday Night Out,           Apart from his BBC work, Derek’s great
                                                  broadcasting from the summit of Snowdon            love was cycling. He cycled all over Europe
                                                  on one occasion. He filmed Churchill’s funeral     and Britain. It was on a trip to Finland by
                                                  from a helicopter and Princess Margaret’s          bike that he met his future wife, Raija, at a
                                                  wedding from Buckingham Palace. He also            midsummer’s dance in Helsinki. Three years
Peter Simpson’s BBC career spanned 35
                                                  worked on the first series of Doctor Who. He       before his retirement he rode from John
years in the Gramophone/Music Library,
                                                  became known as ‘Stan Tele-cine’.                  O’Groats to Lands End.
where he worked in virtually every post and                                                                                                           One of the first people I met on joining
                                                     He became an engineering manager,                  Shortly after leaving the BBC, Derek and
gained an enviable reputation for customer                                                                                                            BBC North Region in the 1950s was
                                                  working almost entirely on outside broadcasts,     his family moved to Evesham, then later to
service amongst his many ‘clients’.                                                                                                                   Sandra (Sandy) Chalmers who has died at
                                                  which enabled him to travel and meet all sorts     Broadwell, near Moreton-in-Marsh. Although
   Peter was born in Vauxhall in 1940 and                                                                                                             the age of 74 after a short illness.
                                                  of people at events held in stadiums, theatres,    he gave up cycling, he was a keen walker,
moved into his grandmother’s house in                                                                                                                     As teenagers, she and her elder sister
                                                  concert halls, chapels and churches. He was        doing anything up to 10 to 15 miles when
Battersea aged six. His grandmother, and                                                                                                              Judith were regular performers with Children’s
                                                  proud to be the first Welsh speaker on the         well into his 70s. Sadly, his last few years
then mother, were both caretakers of the                                                                                                              Hour, which was to be the launchpad for
                                                  technical side of the BBC in Cardiff.              were blighted by illness.
local URC church, where Peter subsequently                                                                                                            their highly successful careers. Sandy had
                                                     He saw enormous changes during his                 Derek was from a Welsh family and
became an Elder.                                                                                                                                      the broadest of smiles, a ready northern wit
                                                  time in broadcasting; perhaps one of the           was always proud of his Welsh heritage.
   Music was his great love. His musically-                                                                                                           and typically she introduced me to almost
                                                  most significant was the advent of the colour      It was appropriate that at his funeral, his
associated career began at Novellos,                                                                                                                  everyone in the canteen.
                                                  television. Stan was experimental in using         coffin was draped in the Welsh flag. He is
delivering sheet music to great conductors                                                                                                                Sandy stuck to radio – first as senior
                                                  colours to illuminate audiences during the         survived by Raija and their two children,
and musicians. Two years later, in 1962,                                                                                                              announcer in the north and then, in 1970,
                                                  early Max Boyce shows. On a number of              Karin and Owen.
he started at the BBC as a messenger in                                                                                                               with the new BBC Radio Manchester and her
                                                  occasions he was nominated for a BAFTA for         Mary Raine
the Gram Library, graduating to the Music                                                                                                             own daily phone-in. A passionate enthusiast
                                                  lighting direction, winning one in 1994.
Library for Radio 2. Here he was to gain a                                                                                                            for ‘community’ radio, there followed a
                                                     It was no easy decision for him to leave the
reputation for being a well-informed and                                                                                                              groundbreaking appointment to Stoke-on-
thorough researcher, finding music for
                                                  BBC, but after almost 35 years, he decided to
                                                  become a freelance lighting director in 1988
                                                                                                     Robin Adams                                      Trent as the first woman in Britain to manage
several long-running programmes including                                                                                                             a local station. The station’s audiences were
                                                  and discovered new challenges and pleasures.       I first worked in studios with Robin Adams
Desert Island Discs. As his reputation grew, he                                                                                                       among the highest in the country – a fact
                                                  He worked until he was 70.                         when he joined TV News at AP in the early
was often asked for by name by the many                                                                                                               not unnoticed by radio executives in London
                                                     He is survived and greatly missed by            1960s. He was great to work with and
programme producers, who had developed                                                                                                                who appointed Sandy as Editor, Woman’s Hour.
                                                  Gwyneth, his wife of 57 years, who                 approached everything he undertook with
an affection and respect for Peter’s work.                                                                                                            She immediately refreshed the output with
                                                  he met on a BBC treasure hunt, his four            drive and enthusiasm. I remember once
   When Peter retired in 1997, Ed Stewart                                                                                                             a down-to-earth touch, including hitherto
                                                  children, Rhian, Bethan, Dilwyn and Iwan,          having to persuade him not to take perfectly
wrote a tribute in Ariel: ‘…Peter Simpson                                                                                                             ‘taboo’ health issues.
                                                  13 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.         serviceable equipment apart just for the fun
was the one we turned to for an instant                                                                                                                   And she created It’s Your World, an
                                                  Rhian James                                        of it! However, his enthusiasm extended well
record withdrawal…. We got the records but                                                                                                            international phone-in series which
                                                                                                     beyond the workplace and several of us had
he got into trouble for skipping bureaucracy.’                                                                                                        combined World Service and Radio 4
                                                                                                     cause to be grateful for his help with DIY, or
Poor Peter!                                                                                                                                           audiences as they questioned people like
   Outside the BBC, his many interests            World Service                                      fixing cars.
                                                                                                         His technical abilities were soon
                                                                                                                                                      Margaret Thatcher and King Hussein. All new
included steam railways, trams, local
history, concerts, theatre groups including
                                                  documentary maker                                  recognised and he was seconded to P.I.D.
                                                                                                                                                      territory for Radio 4.
                                                                                                                                                          Thinking ‘outside the box’ was always a
                                                                                                     to assist in equipping the new studios at TC
Wimbledon Theatre, The Music Museum,                                                                                                                  Chalmers strength, and when BBC network
                                                                                                     Spur, ready for TV News to move in 1969.
and the Harry Roy Appreciation Society.                                                                                                               radio in the late 80s was facing tough
                                                                                                     It must have been during this time that he
   Peter met his wife-to-be Beryl late in life,                                                                                                       competition it was Sandy, now in charge
                                                                                                     cultivated excellent contacts with other
and they were married in 2011. Sadly, Peter                                                                                                           of publicity, who launched her next big
                                                                                                     departments, including Designs Department
had been previously diagnosed with cancer,                                                                                                            initiative, Radio Goes to Town. This touring
                                                                                                     and Technical Investigations Department, all
and he died in October last year.                                                                                                                     radio festival went to 40 cities in the
                                                                                                     of which were very valuable to TV News in
   Peter was a quiet, modest man but his                                                                                                              UK, taking shows from all the networks
                                                                                                     the ensuing years.
impact will never be forgotten: he will be                                                                                                            to audiences who had never previously
                                                                                                         Later, as the result of yet another BBC
very much missed.                                                                                                                                     seen them. She also persuaded the DG to
                                                                                                     re-organisation, he became Manager Base
Beryl Simpson & John Sykes                                                                                                                            surrender the basement of BH and create the
                                                                                                     Operations (TV News), a post he held
                                                                                                                                                      first ever BBC visitor centre; it was opened by
                                                                                                     for several years. He then left the BBC to
                                                                                                                                                      the Queen in 1997.
                                                                                                     pursue a very successful career in the wider
Stan Tele-cine                                                                                       broadcasting industry with companies
                                                                                                                                                          On leaving the BBC Sandy worked
                                                                                                                                                      tirelessly for the older generation; first as
                                                                                                     such as ‘Basys’ and later Drake Electronics,
Stanley (Stan)                                                                                                                                        Director of Communications with Help
                                                                                                     eventually being based in Denver for
Jones, who                                        Derek Blizard, for many years a journalist                                                          the Aged and then as a peripatetic trainer –
                                                                                                     several years.
worked in the                                     and documentary maker in World Service,                                                             generously handing over her skills to those
                                                                                                         With gradually failing health he finally
BBC for                                           has died aged 84.                                                                                   who need help to use and understand
                                                                                                     settled in the Philippines where he lived in
34 years, has                                        After National Service and Oxford (where                                                         the media.
                                                                                                     quiet retirement until dying on Sunday, 8
died aged 84.                                     he got a degree in Russian and French),                                                                 Sandy is survived by son Richard,
                                                                                                     February, shortly before his 70th birthday.
   Stan was one                                   Derek joined the BBC early in his adult life.                                                       daughter Becky and five adored
                                                                                                     His funeral was held in the Philippines,
of eight children                                 In Central Talks and Features, Derek wrote                                                          grandchildren – Emma, Freya, Kate, Daniel
                                                                                                     which was his wish.
born to a slate                                   scripts on a wide range of subjects, cultural,                                                      and Olly.
                                                                                                         Another good friend and colleague gone.
quarryman and                                     social and political, for use by the BBC’s                                                          Michael Barton
                                                                                                     Ken Oxley

                                                                                                                                                                           PROSPERO APRIL 2015
Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records Wolf Hall breaks BBC Two box office records
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