Joan Marsland, one time "mother" floor manager at BBC Lime Grove has died
The Guardian has today reported of the passing of 84 year old Joan Marsland, who until 1979 was the principal floor manager at BBC TV Lime Grove, where she made sure participants for programmes like Panorama, were in the right place at the right time. Affectionately known by all as "mother", she was kind, a good listener and a friend to many. Her unform trademark was the wearing of studio headphones wherever she went.
Joan had started out in theatre stage management, after war service, and graduated to the BBC. Here she worked on light entertainment and children's shows like Blue Peter, before moving to what was then the Television Talks Department headed by another great broadcasting legend, Grace Wyndham-Goldie.
Talks later evolved into current affairs, and until the Lime Grove studios were demolished a few years ago, much to Joan's regret, (who by then was retired but still watching over the the BBC buildings, from her flat in Shepherd's Bush), the studios had a busy programme slate.
The former Gainsborouigh film studios, were shared by Current Affairs for Nationwide, and Sports department for Grandstand, and a whole host of other programmes.
