Honiton Website The Information Database is produced here in East Devon, the South West of England by a local Devon resident Michael Parkin whom first came up with the idea many years ago in his hometown of Sidmouth where many of the local businesses at that time were not familiar with email or websites and domain names.
So Mr Michael Leonard Parkin decided that its no good sitting around but to get up and do something for the local Devon Community.
Michael had long discussions with a large webteam helping to get the UK online in Ottery St Mary Devon and the first database was started many years ago now the well known established Sidmouth Website http://www.sidmouth.ws w s standing for website, after a few years the domain www.sidmouth.com became available and now
this has become the preferred Sidmouth Comprehensive Guide to this beautiful Devon Regency Town by the sea.
Michael spends all his time getting around the Devon destinations keeping up to speed with all the changes in towns and villages nearby
It was suggested by a local business executive a few years ago that Honiton had nothing to assist the local Devon retailers, shop keepers, business and commerce that the Honiton Guide the information database was created in Ottery St Mary for Honiton Tourism and Business Directory the Honiton Town Website..
So the latest technology design website went live http://www.honiton.com
It was so popular for the towns shopping facilities by its design that Michael quickly had the Sidmouth Website updated to a similar specification.
The format is cost sharing making it a viable proposition to meet the demands of Devon Business and Commerce where all the fees go back to pay the professional web team in Ottery to maintain and update the Databases every day with the information that is supplied to them.
Michael comments that lots of main stream companies have tried similar from distant locations,yet here in the South West we have proved that we deal with local business on a one to one basis and give a great service to promote our Devon Commerce and Devon Business Links putting our Devon Towns Business in the forefront of thousands from around the world.
Michael is committed in helping local independent retailers to be seen and heard having joined his local chamber to air his views and support the towns local traders from the giants to keep our Devon High Streets viable so not every high street is a copy cat of the other shopping malls and business parks and shopping arcades.
If you want to promote your BUSINESS.
We can create websites and supply domain and email facilities.
We multi-list your company for a better promotional view of your companies profile.
EMAIL [ info@honiton.com ] [ http://www.honiton.com ]
EMAIL [ info@axminsterdevon.co.uk ] [ http://www.axminsterdevon.co.uk ]
EMAIL [ info@sidmouth.com ] [ http://www.sidmouth.com ]
Here is a brief look at the interview of Michael Parkin by Guy Peters.
This photograph was taken on location the day after Helen Mac Arther returned from her round the world trip and with Mark Austin ITN-ITV reporter now host of News at Ten with the camera crew and producer with Mike Parkin- Michael Leonard Parkin Sound Recordist with ITN from 1973 till 2005, before that Michael was with BBC TV NEWS,and BBC film Dept 1963-1973.andbefore this was at Shepperton Film Studios - Copyright M.L.PARKIN.Mike
Parkin-Michael Parkin-Michael Leonard Parkin the originator of the official Sidmouth Website by name of its domain http:// www.sidmouth.ws Sidmouth Website.
The town website helping to promote Sidmouth in Devon England for small business and commerce The Sidmouth Area District Directory with its unique multi-listings to locate the Business Name and link and show its Domain.
The image-photograph is Michael Parkin ITN Sound Recordist, just another normal day on the road with ITN-ITV NEWS, this was the day in 2006 when Michael Parkinson signed up with ITV to do his SATURDAY NIGHT chat show, we had not met face to face untill this interview, we had so much to talk about as Michael Parkinson new all colleagues that i had closely worked alongside when i Michael Parkin worked for the BBC back in 1963-1973 working closely with DESMOND WILCOX Manalive Documentary fame and Bradens Week which became the Saturday Nights Thats Life where Esther Rantzen became the celebratity of the show.So this is the image-photograph of us the two PARKY,s together.This photograph was taken on the rooftop of a london hotel after the PRESS RELEASE Michael Parkinson leaves BBC to join ITV.
This photograph image was taken at the ITN News Studios at 48 Wells Street London circa 1980 showing the NEWS AT TEN newscaster ANNA FORD putting on her final make up for the live broadcast in the background DIANA EDWARD JONES the Director showing the QUEEN around the set, with MICHAEL PARKIN checking the comms and audio with the SOUND CONTROL this was just a few months before MICHAEL PARKIN went on the road for ITN as a SOUND RECORDIST on film camera crew 21. Well before the days of websites and the internet, when the SOUND RECORDIST would have to unload the film camera on the bonnet of the film crew car inside a black bag, then the film would be sent back by dispatch rider to be processed in the film lab for 45 minutes then edited for NEW AT TEN.At this time Reginald Bosenquet, Andrew Gardner,Gordon Honeycombe Alastair Burnet were also popular NEWS AT TEN newscasters. Photo image Circa 1980.
Michael Parkin BBC TELEVISION 1963 to 1973.
Alexandre Palace-Television Centre-Lime Grove Studios- Television Film Studios Ealing-Kensington House.
BBC TV News BBC 2 Manalive Bradens Beat- That?s Life Desmond Wilcox my boss for many yrs, and Esther Rantzen ITN 1973 ITN 48 WELLS ST LONDON W1 Sound Tecnician- ITN OB- ITN Studio Sound Optical Recording
1981 Film Sound Recordist ?ENG Sound Recordist until Sept 2005 working permanetely on the road around the globe for ITN-ITV News Gathering.
ITN-ITV 200 GRAYS INN ROAD LONDON Sept 2005.
2005 Michael Parkin Head of Sound Procam TV.
Local Website Co-ordinator putting the Devon Towns on the internet to help preserve the local shopping communities, save our High Streets becoming the same as the copycat high streets.Helping the local Devon traders and shopkeepers in EAST DEVON.
[ www.honiton.com ]
[ www.sidmouth.com ]
So Michael Parkin the local resident in East Devon not only having travelled the world from Royal Tours to Major conflicts to London Bombings the first hunger striker in Northen Ireland to standing on street corners outside all the major Courts covering the major news stories of the day, and seen history in the making now is dedicated in helping the local shopping high streets, in villages and communities to get there business seen by others, this in turn helps the local residents economy brings customers and visitors to these sometimes forgotton areas, where the effects of the large corporate names are dominating the area,if you feel that a advert to spread your wings, even if you have your own expensive website, linking through our websites and information pages, will inprove the position of your website and customer base, give me a call, toghether with the expertise and back-up of our team of web designers and IT consultants at East Devon IT in Sidmouth you can rest assured in a one to one CUSTOMER SERVICE.Iam happy walking the local Devon Streets seeing for myself the local trades and craftsmen whom weclome me with open arms to assist in putting them on the web.
Call me, i can help you and the full support of our LOCAL DEVON IT expertise.
Updating the LOCAL DEVON BUSINESS INFORMATION DATABASE.
Tel 07803 22 9 416
Email info@honiton.com
A few more photographs of Michael Parkin shown here from doing long hours of Camera Coverage during the Libyan Embassy siege from early tours with Diana
to Royal Tours on board the royal flight with the Queen touring Kenya to interview with Barry Humphries ,in Spain with Nigel Mansell, Jubilee Celebrations outside Buckingham Palace with Nicholas Owen presenting the live coverage doing better than he did appearing in Strictly Come Dancing onboard with Sir Richard Branson on his Virgin Challenger which we filmed the sea trials, very hard on my back with being thrown around the boat.Then I was assigning crews and facilities at a Liberal Conference in Scarborough to being in full NBC suit in Germany on a NATO exercise me being on the right of frame, Brent Sadler then at ITN since been with CNN news network and one of my Cameramen Sebastian Rich his published book
with a few lines about us in Nothern Ireland and the death of the first hunger striker Bobby Sands.to covering golf for the sports desk with Bernhard Langer to me at very young age at ITN film department transferring the audio tracks of the Thames TV programmes of the Sweeney.and more studio shots of Royals and Anna Ford and Alastair Burnet and myself Studio Sound Technician to being in full recovery red kit during a helicopter disaster and so many thousands of lifetime memories and pictures and press cuttings of being arrested and near misses around the world chartering aircraft and facilities to conflicts to May Day marches and Court coverage and live broadcasts to losing a great work colleague and friend Terry Lloyd a true gentlemen whom was shot by American troops in Basra.
Life in the TV news profession is so different as you are assigned a job by the news desk and finish being with colleagues and work mates 24-7 sometimes for months in very difficult working environments having to make the best of it. A few months ago another old colleague gave me a very early photograph with the then well known boxer Cassius Clay whom changed his name, photograph taken with me appearing from left of frame, there must be so many more photographs and Cuttings that I have not seen,one funny story outside the London High Court covering a major news item, pushing and shoving in the crowd iam trying to get my boom microphone in to hear the release of the Lady, not until I saw the front page headlines and photograph on the well known daily paper my long boom was pushing the Police mans helmet off, so he was holding on tight, but from my position some 18 feet away I was un aware of this situation but it made a great picture image. So being a webmaster helping and talking with local business in Devon to encourage them to join the business Database that I started from scratch many years ago you can see iam the man for the job well used to meeting and talking with clients and a very good organiser and hoping to improve the plight of the small business against the dominance of the retail giants in Devon and improve the economic development and regeneration of local shopping in Devon communities and towns and villages in Devon and the South West.
From being very keen on sound at my parents home in Eltham with making my own DJ desk and early tape recorders to joining Stage Sound in King Street Covent Garden
to working at Shepperton Film Studios to joining the BBC film Department at TFS Ealing to Alexandre Palace, working on Man alive my boss Desmond Wilcox, Bernard Braden Esther Rantzen, joining ITN in 1973, and my late cousin Dennis Main Wilson being responsible creating Till Death Do us Part, Rag Trade, Sammy Davis Junior shows, 6 five special Hancocks Half Hour putting many on tv, as when he originally joined the BBC after the war he started off as a talent spotter with Willian G Stewart and was given the nickname Dame May Witty by Sammy Davis when he visited the UK and Dennis would organise the production of his shows,to following my dad around all the London theatres working for Stoll Moss Empire and H.M Tennent the production companies making the sets,I used to find it fasinating on his weekend Saturday Sundays following him and helping out to my life now of teaching and training the new comers to the Television Industry in Sound Training and techniques making them proficient to become Sound Recordists and Sound Supervising and answering the everyday technical issues associated with Broadcast Audio Equipment and looking at new technology.
So you can see I still lead a very busy hectic lifestyle.
MICHAEL PARKIN
Stage Sound Recodrding Company 1960
Shepperton Film Studios, British Lion
BBC TV Film Dept
BBC TV NEWS Alexandria Palace London
BBC TV Manalive
BBC Bradens Beat- to That’s Life
ITN NEWS-1973-ITV NEWS to SEPT 2005, before the legislation of AGEISM.
Procam Television- Broadcast Television Crews-Broadcast Kit Hire-London-Manchester-Dubai. Head of Sound.
Michael Parkin started life training to be an architect, but soon followed his lifes ambition by joining Stagesound Recording Company in King Street Covent Garden in 1960 on quarter inch tape recording and film dubbing on 16 & 35 mm film for BBC Schools programmes. From here he joined Shepperton Film Studios with British Lion Films in the post sync theatre, then he joined the BBC TV on the training scheme in 1963 at Television film studios at Ealing from here he was quickly posted to Alexandria Palace for BBC TV NEWS, like most jobs at the BBC you are posted to all operational areas including Lime Grove Studios, Television Centre, then a position came up with Desmond Wilcox on the BBC television documentary Manalive as his personal film assistant where Esther Rantzen was a researcher, Bernard Braden came back to TV after a break from radio and Desmond was asked to take control of a new Saturday series called Bradens Week, where Esther and other researchers would read out consumer stories, soon Esther and Desmond became a couple and the new programme That’s Life took off.
Michael after a few years moved on when the BBC TV News moved into the Television Centre where Michael was a dubbing editor laying tracks for the news and mixing the audio commentary and effects tracks of the BBC news items ITN in 1973 was looking for Sound Technicians and Michael joined doing hire of services commercials,optical recordings for the Sweeney TV series and was Sound assistant on the studio floor for the flagship ITN news bulletins lunchtime, early evening news, and the well known News at Ten, working alongside many well known newscasters and presenters Reginald Bosenquet Andrew Gardener Alastair Burnet Robert Key Leonard Parkin John Suchet Anna Ford Selina Scott and Trevor Mac Donald around 1980 Michael was promoted to a location film sound recordist where the Sound Recordist solely working on the road newsgathering where you would have to change the film stock in a black bag on the bonnet of the crew car with rubber bullits and petrol bombs thrown inplacesBelfastBelfastandLondonderry,soon the first Electronic News Gathering cameras were taking over for instant pictures and sound the RCA camera and Sony 330 cameras with the Sound Recordist would carry the video umatic tape machine in war zones like Beiruit middle east crisis,during the death of Northern Irelands first hunger striker Bobby Sands Michael recalls being there for the funeral where he was welcomed by the family, have tea and cakes, if you film us putting on our masks when the courtage starts we will shoot you, have more tea and cakes with Bobby, there he was in the next room with in an open coffin.
Michael stories, press cuttings and photo library are endless as he has worked with so
Casssius Clay, Parkinson so many Royals as Royal Rota Press Crew with Charles and Diana, from Politicians, pop stars Michael has had access to so many buildings and places of great interest, worked with so many well known names like Alastair Stewart Jon Snow Peter Snow Kate Derham Mary NightingaleLeonard Parkin Trevor MacDonald Martyn Lewis Norman Rees James Mates Sandy Gall Brent Sadler Michael Brunson Michael Nicholason Mark Webster he has been to so many priveliged locations and seen history in the making travelling on the same Royal Flight as the Queen to Kenya Bangladdesh Pakistan, been arrested in Nigera followed by the secret service agents arrested in Prague,worked on Channel Four News Channel Five News, GMTV breakfast show lives around the UK, travelled on high speed ribs at sea, travelled in the cockpit of Concord, flown on Nato exercise combatHelicopter visual flying,flown in the RAF Nimrod, filmed disasters,winched off by helicopter from royal naval ships after interviewing H.R.H Prince of Wales.
On the first inaugural flight from London City Airport filmed the London Eye being winched into place when the huge German cranes cable slipped and it was another two weeks before it was then ready to be lifted vertically into place, sometime later Michael worked on the live GMTV breakfast show live broadcast with it moving and Eammon Holmes presented it from the capsule, been down seeing the channel tunnel excavated, in underground war command bunkers. Nato exercise wearing NBC suit being in gas chamber filmed in F1 racing cars round a test circuit so Michael has lead an interesting life for 32 years with ITN Michael has also lost great working colleagues like Terry Lloyd whom was shot in Basra, Michaels last major stories were the announcement of the Olympic Bid in Trafalger Square with Mark Austin whom now is the presenter of the flagship news at Ten to the next day covering again with Mark Austin the London Bombings. Michael knows about the changes in Technology from film to umatic tape, to the first one piece Camera the Sony Betacam,where the recording tape is in the camera, from film stripe sound, from 405 lines Black and White Television to 625 Colour to stereo, and surround sound to hard drives and digital audio, Michaels knowledge and training is now being given to the new hopefuls joining the broadcast media across the uk.
Michaels love of Sidmouth in Devon started from Holidays in the area then finally settling here in 1991, but owned property here since the early 1983 with a great interest in local business and websites Michael has created with full IT support of East Devon IT in Sidmouth the towns favourite Sidmouth Comprehensive Guide,this has greatly attracted tourism and visitors to the town where most of the towns business has realised this is the way forward and created by local business joining the huge database, including Honiton, Seaton Axminster Ottery.Its great that the town is seen in a different perspective than the officials, that have not travelled the world ,and Michael experiences give him a great platform view of knowing what others want to see on the town website.
Michael is an active member of his local chamber of Commerce and gets a great deal of pleasure helping small individual retailers the chance of a web presence for very little cost.
Some of the areas most sought after business with their own websites have realised that Michaels professional databases do help others find their expensive websites.
[ www.michaelparkin.co.uk ] [ contact@michaelparkin.co.uk ]
[ www.sidmouth.com ]
[ www.honiton.com ]
[ www.axminsterdevon.co.uk ]
[ www.seatondevon.co.uk ]
[ www.otterystmarydevon.co.uk ]
[ www.eastdevonlife.co.uk ]
[ www.devon4business.co.uk ]
HONITON GUIDE Honiton Town Guide
LONGWALL
SID ROAD
SIDMOUTH
DEVON
EX10 9HN
Call Monday to Saturday 8am - 6pm
TELEPHONE - 07803 229416
EMAIL - [ info@honiton.com ]
Michaels relation "Dennis Main Wilson" known as Dane May Whitty that name was given to Dennis by Sammy Davis Junior on his visits to the UK and the BBC shows
Dennis would oversee as well as producing "Hancocks Half Hour" "Rag Trade" and the well known "Till Death Do us Part".
Dennis was bought up in Eltham Well Hall area then he married and moved to Blackheath untill his retirement from BBC Television.
Dennis Main Wilson 1924 till 1997.
Desmond Wilcox Michael's boss for many happy years whilst Michael worked for the BBC TV on the BBC documentary series "Man Alive" and continued till the revival of Bernard Braden on Bradens Beat where Esther would read out the consumer stories with John Pitman, then Esther and Desmond married and the show becamethe Saturday Night favourite "Thats Life"
Michaels BBC Television career 1963-1973 BBC Television and BBC Television News then Michael moved to ITN in 1973.
More BBC Television Memories.
Whilst Michael worked for the BBC on the "Manalive* documentary programme many names come back to my memories Angela Huth now a well known author Jean La Chard Jim Douglas Henry Bernard Braden and his wife Barbara Kelly John Pitman Esther Rantzen Trevor Philpot another was a young secretary Doris Dwight she had a well known brother Elton John we were all based in the Kensington House building of the BBC just behind Sheperds Bush Green all these programmes were shot on 16mm film.These were early days for BBC 2. "Thats Life" programme was the centre of attraction for Saturday Nights.I was very young and had just managed to afford to buy a new Austin Healey Sprite where occasionally Desmond would borrow it leaving me his Jaguar 3.4 so he could get around not being recognised with Esther in the early days of there relationship.At that time a very large gentleman called Aubrey Singer whom was the head of the new BBC2 used to live just behind Olympia and i used to give him a lift to Kensington House some mornings on my drive in from Old Bexley Village my parents home to Kensington House you can imagine it was a tight squeeze in my sports car.
My days at Shepperton Films Studios Squires Bridge Road Shepperton was a long drive across county from Bexley to Shepperton no M25 then was in my new Fiat 500 which was £399-00 brand new as i could not afford the extra £70-00 to buy a Austin Mini.Shepperton was a main film production studio but a long way each day from my parents home so when the BBB TV offered me a job which first started at TFS Television Film Studios Ealing i was delighted then to be placed at the Alexandria Palace The main BBC TV NEWS centre was a great privalige.Loading up the Bell & Howell 16mm film projectors with the reversal film stock.
To the complete transformation here in 2007 with hard drives and flash memory cards and technology changing everyday high definition cameras Sound Devices Hard Disc timecode recorders and the latest Sony Digital equipment my life has seen so many changes and the training courses i now give to new recruits in film making and broadcasting in Sound Recording on SQN mixers from video producers now doing the whole thing and using wireless technology my life as Head of Sound is constantly changing in keeping others up to speed with technology and offering clients the best procedures and equipment and technical backup for the new world of television.
With such an extensive career in broadcasting from 1960 to date, from film and optical sound tracks from the SWEENEY Thames Tv programmes that ITN would transfer the optical sound recordings when Michael first joined ITN in 1973 and being the Sound Technician on the studio floor for the flag ship News at Ten Michael worked closely alongside many well established names from Cameramen Sound Recordists Directors Floor Managers to Newscasters to Presenters to Journalists to reporters it is hard to mention all but a few names come to mind from Studio Sound to location crew on the frontline of news gathering worldwide.
Mark Austin-Nicholas Owen-Tony Carthew-Robert Hall-Mark Webster-Brent Sadler-Keith Hatfield-John Suchet-Martin Lewis-Rory Mc pherson-Peter
Fairley-Graham Miller-Anna Ford-Gordon Honeycombe-Trevor Mc Donald-Reginald Bosenquet-Andrew Gardener-John Parker-Leonard Parkin-Norman Rees-Ken Reece-Richard Lindley-Robert Key-Ray Maloney-Peter Snow-Peter Scissons-Jon Snow-Katie Derham-Terry Lloyd-Mary Nightingale-Alastair Stewart- CarolineKerr- and so many Satelite truck engineers-technical co-ordinators- field editors-video producers.
Leaving all that behind in 2005 sept due to age,before the law changed to greener pastures in becoming Head of Sound & Broadcast Trainer at a major broadcast hire facilities company,setting up a department,purchasing and updating technical facilities,liaising with production companies and sorting out technical queries over the phone with distant clients.Writing up technical procedures for staff handbooks,ensuring that Sound Equipment is up to full specification its still a very busy Michael Parkin that thrives on the buzz of Broadcasting.Its a great life.
Moving on with the times and changing world of Broadcast Facilities Hire Companies having trained so many new company recruits into being Professional Sound Recordist?s the digital age of Sound Devices 744T hard drive recording device and Digital Wireless Microphone?s from Sony Broadcast distributed by Total Audio Solutions where I have spent hours purchasing new equipment and dealing with SQN in the Isle of Man and putting ideas forward for better facilities on ENG Electronic News Gathering Audio Mixers from years working in the field I hope they will put my suggestions into the next new model SQN mixer with its excellent PPM Meters which I prefer to others flashing LED?s on Sound Mixers.
With my love and enthusiasm of training students after such an extensive Broadcast career dating back to 1960 it was with delight to be invited to train students and become a Principal Technical Officer in a new 9 million pound development for a university where they have HD High Definition TV Studio with Panasonic P2 Camera?s on Vinten Tripod Pedestals with PortaPrompt and Kinoflow Parabeam Studio Lights on dimmers with studio talkback audio mixing console and wireless microphones.
Tape less production studio on P2 Cards and Server Based Technology with High Speed Data Links to an online editing facility with Avid and Final Cut Pro is offering the students excellent training facilities for the future in television production. I have seen dramatic changes in technology from quarter inch tape and film recording for TV News Bulletin?s and optical tracks to U-matic VT recordings to the first RCA ENG Camera and Sony 330 camera?s with a large BVU recorder that the sound man carried around the war zones like a brick on your shoulder to the Sony Betacam with tape in the camera to Panasonic DVC Pro at ITV News on Camera and Sound to Panasonic P2 tape less system with Stereo Sound and Surround Sound in 5.1 & 7.1
The High Definition TV Broadcasts are stunning since 405 lines to 625 lines from Black and White TV to Colour TV and the start of BBC 2 and my happy days of Alexandre Palace in North London with the BBC News Television Service for 10 years to 31 years at ITN now part of ITV and the overnight shifts driving round the countryside as hire of service crew from ITN working for GMTV setting up audio rigs and wireless microphones for the GMTV Breakfast News.To meeting Michael Parkinson the day he signed for ITV Chat Show now he?s moving on from the photo seen above.
Every job seems to require more use on Wireless Microphones and the crew carrying more equipment with lots of programmes being created on tighter shooting budgets with a Camera Operator Producer doing the sound with wireless microphones strapped to the camera. The more channels of television and the world wide web internet and TV news online more stations less budgets. So many ex colleagues from ITN ITV news have changed channels some to Algerzeera in Doha.
Multi-skiller?s as Camera/Director Shoot and Edit for TV News with satellite links and satellite phones and rigging the IFB and lights on your own with constant hops on/off planes around the globe they seem to run out of the annual hours working agreement and finish in October leaving the base crews to sweep up the rest of the years work that?s what they call a Senior Camera Person sitting at home with the firms Camera Car. Whatever?s next I wonder.
HIGH DEFINITION TELEVISION 1080/50i
Training BA & MA students at University in FILM & TV Production - Tapeless Workflow onto Server.
Control Room with 50 inch plasma multi-image monitor.
Control Room Record/Replay/Final Cut Pro and Graphics/ Adjacent room 32 seat Final Cut Pro Fibre Channel on 5 of machines.
High Definition 4 Camera TV Studio with Portaprompt - Wireless Microphones - Boom - Vision Mixing - Green Screen - Final Cut Pro editing - Kinoflow Studio Lighting-Broadcast PPM Sound Desk- Location Broadcasts Camera Kits 1080i HD Cameras - Location Stereo Mixers - Wireless Microphones - Dedo and Diva Light Kits -Tracks - Dollies -Jibs - Glidecam all under the supervision of Broadcast Professionals.
BENTLEY & MORGAN
Bentley our 4 year old Newfoundland with our baby girl Newfoundland MORGAN approaching 6months old sitting in Michael's favourite spot on the Esplanade on SIDMOUTH DEVON seafront OCTOBER 2008.
