BBC Television - Lime Grove Studios - Time capsule

Lime Grove Studios was a film studio complex built by the Gaumont Film Company in 1915 situated in a street named Lime Grove, in Shepherd's Bush, west London, north of Hammersmith and described by Gaumont as "the finest studio in Great Britain and the first building ever put up in this country solely for the production of films".

In 1922, Isidore Ostrer along with his brothers Mark and Maurice, acquired control of Gaumont-British from its French parent. In 1932 a major redevelopment of Lime Grove Studios was completed, creating one of the best equipped studio complexes of that era. The studios prospered under Gaumont-British, and in 1941 were bought by the Rank Organisation and became a home on many occasions to the Ealing comedies. The famous British film The Wicked Lady (1945) was also made at Lime Grove.

In 1949, the BBC bought Lime Grove Studios as a "temporary measure" - as they were to build Television Centre at nearby White City - and began converting them from film to television use, reopening them on 21 May 1950[1].

Lime Grove would be home to many BBC TV shows over the next forty-two years, including: Nineteen Eighty-Four, Quatermass II, Steptoe and Son, Doctor Who, Nationwide, Top of the Pops and the 1950s soap opera The Grove Family took the name of its title family from the studios, where it was made. The last live programme was The Late Show on 14 June 1991 from studio D. A children's magazine style programme Studio E was broadcast live from the studio of the same name from 1955-ca.1958 hosted by Vera McKechnie.

In 1991, the BBC decided to consolidate its London television production at BBC Television Centre and close its other studios including Lime Grove. On 26 August 1991, a month after the studios were closed forever, the BBC transmitted a special day of programming called The Lime Grove Story featuring examples of the many programmes and films that had been made at Lime Grove in its 76 years as a place of film and television production.[2] Television Theatre close by, near Shepherd's Bush Green, closed the same year.

The studios themselves were put on the market and eventually were bought by a development company which demolished the studios and redeveloped the area for residential housing.

This film footage is from the Archive Collection held by the Alexandra Palace Television Society.

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[contactortip]

I too noticed the rather non delicate handling of the films the opening was rather like the the demolition of the studios !! I thought they could have had gone about it with a bit more sence, to open one up there rather than take them to a laboratory seems rather silly.

[aptsarchive]

@contactortip It did seem like they didn't give a care in the world about the films. I'm amazed that they were not taken to a film lab BEFORE they were opened!

[badfighta]

I saw this when it was on in 1993 , i never thought i`d see it again!

[blackpoolbarmpot]

Remember - the 'shot' we saw may have been 'stage managed', maybe, the 'GENUINE' Film was 'Profesionally' removed by (e.g.) "The British Film Institute" and properly handled, BEFORE the 'actors' had a go at it! (No disrespect intended). Remember.... TV & Radio are meant to be entertainment to the masses.

Remember also that Nitrate Film, not only 'Decomposes with age but is also highly inflammable too !!

[aptsarchive]

@MrBacktothenineties Studio D was the first studio commissioned by the BBC, which went "live" on 21st May 1950, equipped with three ex Tel-OBs CPS Emitron cameras and used for children's programmes. Mrs Atlee, Wilfred Pickles and Jennifer Gay (the Children's Television announcer), were all featured in the opening programme with Mrs Atlee declaring the studio "open".

[wrtlpfmpf]

I wonder if the film that didn't survive was the one she handled so badly. They really should have asked someone before.

[tubeie07]

I was 'shuddering' when the host was unpacking the film boxes - I would have thought with the knowledge we now have of nitrate film more care would have been taken, but oh well! What a marvelous piece of the past and great forthought from the Gaumont company to think up a time capsule for the future. When I see Gaumont productions from now on, I'll remember those studios...