Happy Days: The Children of the Stones
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Stewart Lee: 41st best stand up and fan of Children of the Stones |
A while ago I was watching a few episodes of Stewart Lee's Comedy Vehicle, which was recently shown on BBC2. Stewart Lee is one of my favourite comedians, so I thought I'd take a look at his website, hopefully to view a list of forthcoming tour dates, and just to be generally inquisitive. By chance I happened to notice a link for a previous show that Stewart Lee had hosted on Radio Four back in 2012.
Happy Days: The Children of the Stones a radio documentary featuring an assortment of stone circle enthusiasts, fans, cast members and even one dissenting conspicuous refusenik |
It was called Happy Days: The Children of the Stones, and was a documentary which highlighted the production and location of a famous children's TV series, whilst combining the collective memories of writers, cast and fans along with thoughts and opinions about the legacy of Children of the Stones.
Back to the Future
In my time at Elbury Mount Primary School, there wasn't much which made me want to scarper home from school!With the possible exception of two TV programmes:
1. Spider-Man:
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Your friendly neighbourhood spider-man who I legged it home to watch on TV |
2. Children of the Stones:
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stones, science, folklore, unique artwork, a magus and an Austin Maxi... |
The Voyage Home
My way home had varied over the time I was at Elbury Mount. During the early to late 70's I lived at Cherwell Close, over in Tolladine.![]() |
The ruins of the old rebel base at Cherwell Close |
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The present day entrance to Elbury Mount Junior School |
At home time, I'd walk down Langdale Drive, up Ambleside Drive, where I'd either turn right and walk around Rydal Close, or I would carry on and turn right at Troutback Drive, then walk over the Gorse. It seemed a lot quicker than walking via Elbury Park Road and down Tolladine Road! That just seemed boring and slightly more laborious. The determining factor would depend on with whom I was walking home with at the time! Robert Isles, Simon Peters and Steven Kinchen all played their part in my reasoning!
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The Gorse: I trekked over there before the pavement slabs! |
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I was one of the children of the stones! I watched these slabs being laid by two mysterious council workers |
We eventually moved from Cherwell Close, over to the open spaces of Astwood Road and Brickfields Park.
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Astwood Road: a major feature being that you can drive through here at 30 miles per hour |
Stones, Wailing, Vampires and a Tardis
(plus a strategically placed Cushion)
Matthew, Sandra, Kevin and Margaret debating whether the legacy of Leo Sayer would last as long as the circle of stones |
Children Of The Stones was first broadcast on ITV (on my local TV channel, ATV) back in January 1977. I can remember watching the first episode with my sisters, Tina, Susan and Dawn in the front room of our house at Cherwell Close. My most striking memory was of the soundtrack.
At the very start of the programme was the HTV theme tune:
I've always liked the Harlech TV intro music. It's only several seconds in length, and was probably made using an old analogue synthesizer. To me it sounded kooky, and was befitting as a precursor of what lied ahead! I'm a fan of Boards of Canada, who were influenced by the music of TV programmes in the seventies and eighties. I'd like to think that music of the ilk of the HTV theme played it's part and inspired Boards of Canada.
The main theme, and incidental music of Children Of The Stones are possibly the most spookiest I had ever heard in my short life! The soundtrack was composed by Sidney Sager. The general theme throughout the show was a cappella of macabre disjointed voices, (The Ambrosian Singers) which were singular and collective, and when punctuated throughout the drama was ethereal, discordant and unsettling.
The drama surrounded the fictional village of Milbury, which was in fact the real village of Avebury, Wiltshire, which contains the largest stone circle in Europe, and is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Children of the Stones was filmed during the glorious summer of 1976.
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The village of Milbury (really Avebury, Wiltshire) |
An astrophysicist Adam Brake, (Gareth Thomas) and his son Matthew (Peter Demin) arrive at Milbury to investigate a large Neolithic circle of stones that surround the village.
Matthew (Peter Demin) and Adam Brake (Gareth Thomas) pointing out where flared trousers end and drainpipes begin |
Adam and Matthew examine the stones and discover that they contain mysterious properties. The villagers of Milbury are strangely amenable, overtly pleasant, and greet each other with a peculiar salutation, "Happy day!"
Adam and Matthew unpacking their sound system for an illegal Bay City Rollers outdoor rave |
Adam and Matthew have two allies, the museum curator Margaret, (Veronica Strong) and her daughter Sandra, (Katherine Levy) who are also trying to uncover the secret of Milbury. They discover that an ancient, mystical source of power from outer space is being tapped into by a sinister magus, Mr. Hendrick. (Iain Cuthbertson)
Margaret (Veronica Strong) and Sandra (Katherine Levy) |
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Adam and Margaret trying to unearth the secret of the stones |
Adam and Matthew discover that within the circle of the stones, the village is caught in a rift in time, and plan to escape from Milbury by trying to ascertain the unearthly power behind the stones, and break Hendrick's control over the villagers.
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Hendrick showing Sandra and Margaret his ursa major supernova lighting concept |
Children Of The Stones was written by Jeremy Burnham and Trevor Ray, and was directed by Peter Graham Scott. The role of Adam Brake was played by Gareth Thomas, who went on to star in the cult sci-fi TV series, Blake's Seven.
Adam Brake portrayed by Gareth Thomas |
The role of Matthew was played by Peter Demin, who was the ripe old age of 17 when Children of the Stones was made.
Matthew Brake (Peter Demin) |
The role of Sandra was played by Katharine Levy, who was only 14 at the time of filming. Katharine Levy has appeared in other TV productions like I Claudius, Robin of Sherwood and The Day After Tomorrow. She has also trod the boards in many Shakespeare plays.
Sandra, played by Katharine Levy |
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Mr. Hendrick (Iain Cuthbertson) praising Carl Sagan and the cosmos |
Iain Cuthbertson, who played the role of Mr. Hendrick, is another charismatic actor who I also remember playing the villain, as Roderick Scunner Campbell in the ITV show, Supergran ("Is there nothing she cannae' do?" )
Dai the poacher portrayed by Freddie Jones (before Freddie was trapped within the circle of the children of Emmerdale Farm) |
The role of Dai, the poacher, was played by one of my favourite character actors, Freddie Jones, who has been a mainstay in British film, TV and theatre for many years. I think that Freddie Jones cameo in the movie Firefox, (starring Clint Eastwood) was by far the most engaging role of the film!
The ensemble are mesmerised by the ancient morris dancing ritual |
Children of the Stones ran over seven episodes. Every week I would leg-it straight from school to get home to watch the human stones, and hear the seminal wailing voices, from in front, or behind one of our living room cushions. The aforementioned cushions had been on alert the Saturday before during Doctor Who, and the late-night Hammer horror movie on BBC2!
I found Children of the Stones very creepy. I was captivated by the paranormal themes like folklore, lay-lines, pagan worship and those ominous, stark imposing stones.
Back in 1977, Adam and Matthew investigate the circle of megalithic stones using an oscilloscope, an Olivander wand and pair of Beats by David Soul headphones |
Amid all the supernatural shenanigans, I was enthralled by the use of science which was touched upon throughout the series. The lead characters, Adam and Matthew used scientific investigation, analysis and conclusion to understand how to evade Hendrick, and effect their escape.
Mr. Hendrick Complete with a frilly shirt and an atomic clock |
Sandra, (Katharine Levy) Matthew (Peter Demin) and Kevin (Darren Hatch) Another ordinary day at school studying quantum physics and celestial mechanics |
Close Encounters
of the Meningitis Kind......
In the first week of September, in 1977, I was eight years of age. I had just started my second year at Elbury Mount Primary School. Our classroom was on the ground floor, at the very end of the corridor, opposite Mr. Byland's class.
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A long time ago, in a stone circle far, far away....... Alan Richard White: an impressionable Elbury Mount pupil complete with a Luke Skywalker haircut and a home knitted jumper |
I wasn't very happy at the start of the second year at Elbury Mount. In my first year I was in Mrs. Pratt and later Mrs. Davies class. At the start of my second year I was pulled aside, and told that I would be separated from the rest of the second year. Instead of being with my friends, a 'select' few of us from the second years was placed in a class of third years. I felt like I was being punished by the school, by being split from all my friends in the second years! I wasn't allowed to leave the big playground, so consequently, I couldn't see my mates across the divide in the little playground! It felt very strange for quite a while. At the start of the term I would wander around in the bottom corner of the big playground. I felt alienated, but it didn't take me too long to settle into my new class. I found some new friends, and my teacher, Mr. Baker was a down to earth character who inspired me to learn and ask questions. We would discuss all kinds of topics, mainly what interested me at the time, so it was mostly science fiction, like Close Encounters Of The Third Kind, Star Wars, and Doctor Who, which I really enjoyed at the time. We were both interested in ufology, so Mr. Baker and I would discuss Jimmy Carter's close encounter with a UFO!
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We Are Not Alone Mr. Baker and I had a few interesting conversations about UFO sightings..... |
It was at about this time that I got ill. I woke up one morning with a swollen head, a rash, and a huge headache. It started off with the mumps, however, I got progressively worse. I was later diagnosed with meningitis, which at the time was frightening to me. I had whooping cough some time previously, which in retrospect is really hard to believe? I can certainly remember not feeling very well, coughing a lot, and taking red and yellow medicine. It just seems difficult to think that I had whooping cough.
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The mumps: much the same symptoms as space mumps |
One of my most distinctive memories of meningitis was of feeling physically weak. As my condition deteriorated I lost my strength, I've got some pleasant memories of struggling find the energy to walk. It's kind of strange to read about the mumps and meningitis now, where it seems as though it's not really considered that serious anymore? Yet at the time when I had meningitis I had never felt so ill. However, I eventually recuperated and returned back to some semblance of normal life at home and at school.
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Lin Chung and his rebel alliance battling the empire in The Water Margin |
By contrast, my other vivid memory of meningitis was of watching the cult Japanese TV series, The Water Margin (based on the classic Chinese Novels) on BBC2. I enjoyed watching Lin Chung and his band of outlaws galloping on horseback around Liang Shan Po, getting into all kinds of battles in their quest to rob the rich and feed the poor! There was a lot of sword play, but very little martial arts, and Bert Kwouk's narration reminded me of Pink Panther films. It seemed light years away from Adam and Peter Brake caught in the stone circle, driving around Milbury in an Austin Maxi trying to solve the mystery of the sinister Mr. Hendrick!
Towards the end of the school term our class day trip was at St. Ann's Well, in Great Malvern. We went by train (an old boneshaker diesel multiple unit) from Worcester Shrub Hill to Great Malvern, then walked uphill to St. Ann's Well, where we had a nice cool drink of water!
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St. Ann's Well, Great Malvern home to a water leak and an elaborate basin |
I bought my mum a small collectible stone rabbit, then rounded off the day by walking down the hill, and having an outdoor swim at Malvern Lido. However, I got my arm caught in the safety rail around the pool, and had to get a lifeguard to jimmy my arm out with a crowbar!
Notes From 1977 - 1978
May The Force Be Moving With You....
We moved from Cherwell Close to Astwood Road in 1978. I wasn't exactly sure of a precise date? But thanks to a couple of issues of Star Wars Weekly, I've been able to narrow it down to at least a few weeks in 1978.![]() |
Marvel Comics: issue #1 of Star Wars Weekly a moisture farm, a jedi hermit, a new hope and a self-assembly x-wing fighter |
Star Wars was first released on the 25th May 1977, I didn't get to see Episode 4: A New Hope (I feel so silly for the whole 'Episode 4: A New Hope' thing, it's Star Wars for crying out loud!) when it was first shown at the Odeon, Worcester. However, I did eventually get to watch Obi-Wan Kenobi and his blue light sabre a couple of months later when Star Wars returned to the Odeon during the summer holidays. From the first moment I saw that triangular star destroyer chasing the Alderaan diplomatic cruiser across Tatooine I was hooked!!
After many TV commercials, issue one of Star Wars Weekly was released by Marvel Comics on February 8th 1978. It was ten pence, and I bought it from Derwent Newsagents. (By Elbury Mount) It had a model x-wing fighter which you could construct yourself! There was a comic strip serialization of Star Wars, plus a competition where the prize were many Star Wars collectibles. (toys) The question was simple, (paraphrasing) What is the famous jedi good luck adage? (I didn't know the answer....)
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Star Wars Weekly issue #10: The rebel alliance move on a Saturday morning from their old base on Dantooine to a new stronghold on Yavin IV |
Above is issue #10 of Star Wars Weekly, which was released on 12th April 1978. We moved from Cherwell Close to Astwood Road on the Saturday of this comic's release. The last few weeks over at Cherwell Close seemed very surreal. I found it very difficult sleep in the days leading up to the time we moved. The night before, I hardly slept at all. I kept peering out through my bedroom window into the murky twilight. My mind played tricks on me. I kept seeing a mysterious spectral figure sat under an adjacent street lamp! (I thought it was a tramp) By the time I finished looking in-and-out of my bedroom window dawn had broke, and the mysterious grey spectre had melted away
Saturday morning eventually arrived, so we took the short trek via Tolladine to Rainbow Hill. On the way over I kept thinking about Star Wars Weekly. I desperately wanted to get my comic, but my mum wouldn't let me get it. I asked as we walked past the Astwood Road Post Office. I begged, pleaded and mithered, but to no avail! What a miserable Saturday it was. It stayed dry for a couple of hours through the morning, then it poured down of rain all day. I was absolutely gutted! I stopped buying Star Wars Weekly after that. Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, The Fantastic Four, The X-Men, The Avengers and Thor helped fill the void left by Star Wars Weekly.
You're Smurfin' Out of Ease......
My world was turned upside down in the summer of 1978. A song that released on Decca Records changed the way I looked at pop music. It featured an old man dressed in black, with white hair, a beard and spectacles singing with some blue bodied, white hatted, elf-type creatures called smurfs. The Smurf Song was released in the first week in June. Father Abraham was the man with the beard who also featured on vocals.To this day, I have no idea why I liked the smurfs, but I did. I was obsessed with them. My mum bought me the record from Boots. I couldn't wait to watch them smurfin' on Top of the Pops on the Thursday evening. The Smurf song had been a smash hit all over Europe. I had dreams of the Smurfs conquering the UK charts. It seemed only a matter time before it was number one, but alas, my smurf dreams were shattered by the unlikely duo of John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, with some black satin pants fairground-themed duet entitled, "You're the One that I Want" which topped the charts from 17th June to the 12th August. According to Noel Edmonds, (on the Top of the Pops 1978 Christmas Special) it topped the charts for nine weeks. To this day I hate that song, and utterly despise Grease. But on reflection, I think I'm leaning in the same direction towards The Smurf Song.....
Here's a list of top 100 UK chart singles from 1978
Pick your favourite or not-so-favourite tunes from back in the day click here
Just to think, I Feel Love by Donna Summer (and Giorgio Moroder) was released on GTO Records in July of 1977. Now there was a record that really did turn my world upside down! I used to listen to that track on my mum's radiogram. My favourite bit of the tune was at the middle, in the instrumental breakdown. It's probably as close as I've ever been to being in a tranced out state!
Just for the sake of parity, I'd like to point out that The Muppets were in the charts in 1977 with Mah Na Mah Na & Halfway Down The Stairs.
Here's a list of top 100 UK chart singles from 1977Pick your favourite or not-so-favourite tunes from back in the day click here
Back to the Future Part II:
Walking (Home) With Dinosaurs....
Back in 2013, on my many nightly journeys back home on foot from Newtown Road, I would often walk via Ambleside Drive and Brickfields Road. In the teeming rain or the swathing silvery twilight, my Elbury Mount home time memories would flood back as I retraced my primary school time-loop footsteps. I would reflect on my happy memories, and the friends I had encountered through my life. To me it was a trip down memory lane, where I would often reminisce about Elbury Mount Primary School and it's glowing throng:![]() |
Ambleside Drive and Elbury Park Road |
Claire Green
Tina Moore
Lisa Chamers
Sharon Werth
Lisa Knibb
Nicholas Sherwood
Michelle Dyke
Michelle Dyke
Christopher Dyke
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Eskdale Close and Ambleside Drive |
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Troutbeck Drive |
Lisa Butcher
Sharron Price
Andrew Orr
Wayne Jones
Robert Isles
Mark Davis
Bernice Harris
Ian Trainer
Karen Dargie
Richard Munslow
Sean Crump
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Rydal Close |
Bridget Hill
Jason Bills
Alan Mansell
Robbie Gowen
Kim Tasker
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Poplar Avenue and Brickfields Road |
Rachel Russell
Derek Heeks
Jenny Moule
Jon Cartwright
Angela Roddis
Angela Roddis
Russell Moss
Darren Wells
Richard Maggs
Sharon Curnock
Lee Bullock
Debbie Turberfield
Lee Virgo
Michael Wood
Colin Stone
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Brickfields Road and Lime Avenue |
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Cedar Avenue |
Debbie Olsen
Caroline Merrell
Beverley Burton
Dave Hook
Steven Clark
Peter Kears
Robert Clayton
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Oak Avenue and Redwood Close |
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Oak Avenue |
Russell Oliver
Wayne Minnis
Jo Tryner
Julie Miles
David Ballard
Trevor Bell
Paul May
Christopher Doughty
Carol Ward
Cheryl Gormley
Joyce Farmer
Graham Dargie
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Thorn Avenue |
Back to the Future Part III:
Rewind Back to 1977.....
It was interesting to listen to Stewart Lee's BBC Radio Four documentary about Children Of The Stones, in particular the thoughts and opinions of the writers, cast, fans and Stewart Lee himself.
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Children of the Photoshopped Stones... |
Adam and Margaret taking a stroll and meeting some of the locals |
Margaret (Veronica Strong) Adam (Gareth Thomas) and Mr. Hendrick (Iain Cuthbertson) |
Children of the Stones is of it's age. It has the look of a TV show that was made in the 70's, but irrespective of the hairstyles, and fashions of the time, it's the quality of the production which stands apart. It transcended the boundaries of being just another kids drama. The finished article was an accomplished production which children and adults could both watch. Children of the Stones had a great script, with smart direction. The production was enhanced by the performance of an adept cast of experienced actors, where the finished article was absorbing, without being cliched or patronizing.
Matthew, Adam and Mr. Hendrick pitching an idea for a TV show called 'Antiques Roadshow' |
The sinister Mr. Hendrick who later held the producers of Children of the Stones to ransom with the negatives of the show |
(right) the controlling Mr. Hendrick (played by Iain Cuthbertson) with his butler (left) Link (played by the marvellous character actor John Woodnutt) |
Matthew (Peter Demin) and Sandra (Katharine Levy) |
Kevin (Darren Hatch), Sandra (Katharine Levy), Matthew (Peter Demin), Dr. Lyle (Richard Mathews) and Mrs. Crabtree (Ruth Dunning) |
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Mr. Hendrick giving Adam an ultimatum, "Join the circle or Matthew gets enrolled at Samuel Southall Secondary School...." |
come and join the circle at Samuel Southall Secondary School We have a prospectus..... |
I love the picture of the painting from Children of the Stones! I've been trying to track down the original which apparently was in Avebury Manor but the National Trust team have no knowledge of it. If you ever hear anything about where it is I would love to know - I would like to get a few professional prints made for CotS fans!
ReplyDeleteSaw it at manor in 1979 , was not there in 1989 but owner of manor had changed
DeleteVery much enjoyed your memories of the show, Children Of The Stones - it was and still is one of my favourite programmes and even now conjures up many feelings of life at that time. So thank you for sharing your thoughts. Just as an aside, the image of the painting on your site is the reverse of the original, ie, the serpent's head should be to the right and not the left. I was also under the impression that the painting was still at Avebury Manor (I saw the origin there back in 1978) but perhaps that's no longer the case. Happy Day.
ReplyDelete