Diary of MASCRO Film productions©
As written by Precious Robinson nee' Matthews
Day 1. 10 years ago my life changed, I was originally a presenter of little known London TV channel "Islands TV". The channel was to allow everyone in the UK of Caribbean origin to keep up to date with life in the Caribbean. Was I based in the Caribbean? Heckers like, in a small studio in Richmond-upon-Thames.
But on August 10th 2005, (10 years ago to the day) I together with my best friends from school banded together to start this company. We spent 3 hours in my local pub in Dorking arguing about the name. "What about Matthews, Ross and Scott?" I asked "Precious, that sounds like a blue chip solicitors" Claire Stewart nee. Scott responded. "Our maiden names? I like that Suzanne, but as Claire said it sounds like we're lawyers" "How about the 1st 2 letters of our maidens names? Let's see…MA for me RO for Suzanne and SC for Claire."
Anyway that's how we came up with the name. That's back then now to the present.
Yesterday we held our weekly meeting on Scripts, and filming the local people on a project called "London is my home" Myself and Claire turned up on time and as usual Suzanne turned up 15 minutes late, by the time she did arrive a bottle of Pinot had already been polished. But what happened yesterday, the reason she was late is why we decided I/we would write this diary along with the filming we are undertaking. 14.15 yesterday afternoon Suzanne finally arrived with a grin from ear to ear. "Ladies, I have just had the weirdest conversation and 1 I never thought I would ever have and I have an idea." she said.
14.45 She finally told us who she spoke to and what her idea was. "Randir Singh? WOW! What is he up too?" Claire asked. "Well in his own words right? "Sorry to be a cliché Suzanne but I took over my parents shop and still there today, but as owner, my parents died in a car crash in 1993. Anyway I'm married and have 2 children, 21 year old boy and a 15 year old girl." And you see he asked me a few questions and wanted to know what everyone from school was up to." "So what's your idea?" I asked her. "Well how about we do a mini film series about school life, you know we weren't the only people to go to Grange Hill and came out the other end" "What like a Where are they now?" Claire asked "Yes I like it, but we could call it Where are you now?" I said.
So it's the 11th August 2015 and whilst Claire and Suzanne are setting the camera up for us to do our piece of "Where are you now?" we have also decided to write what we are doing, and have been up to.
Precious Robinson. Okay I married Andy Robinson, he was not a Grange Hill Alumni he was what I say "A country bumpkin" he went to school in Bedfordshire, an all-boys school. I have 1 child, Caleb and he is 12.
I lost contact with Claire in 1992, she went abroad but I'm sure she will delve deeper in this diary herself and on the DVD. I always kept in contact with Suzanne as I worked with her "Long term" on Islands TV. I still today am shocked that she and Glenroy are together from what they were like at school, but it is clear that they are made for each other.
Well we have our jobs to do to ensure this works, I have contacts from my time at Islands TV and so I have advertised in the Evening Standard and I have started a page on social media sites. Claire is conducting the interviews (If we get a response) and Suzanne is writing the questions. She has stated that there will be 3 generic questions and then dependant on whether they are teachers or students we will ask them "Who was their favourite student/teacher?"
Claire Stewart. Just reading through this whilst Precious makes a cup of tea. I will tell her it looks generic in fact I will let her read this ha ha ha. Anyway i'm married to Chris Stewart, the love of my life from school and like school I still call him Stewpot. We've been married since 2001 and I have 2 children from my 1st marriage to a bloke called Dave Grant, Zoe and Stephen 1993 and 1995 respectively. Me and Stewpot have 1 child together born 2003 called Aaron Lee. I went to the US in 1992 and this is where I met Dave. Yes he is American and his accent is why I fell for him. So why was I in the US? I was a model and I would never know why Dave fell for me and my charm(s) .
Many magazines on any shelf wanted me and I just did them. Chris will not allow any "Adult" material of me in the house, but that was because my eldest Zoe was bullied because a teacher was overheard talking about my body in front of a student who went on and bullied my little girl.
I still model, but now mainly for clothes. Well that's me for now, well until Suzanne gets these questions to me. TTFN!
Day 2. Couldn't be bothered to write this yesterday. Well it's going to be a busy day. Suzanne Ross. I wanted to write in the font Freestyle script but Precious being McClusky esque told me off . On a serious note I am so excited at this, both Precious and Claire have both forgotten to state in this diary that I will be meeting Randir again as I want his "Official" answers for "Where are you now?" Before I write my piece and having already recorded my piece, I want to just write in here that along with Glenroy and my kids I love both Precious and Claire the same. WOW! I can't believe the rebellious Suzanne has these feelings. So I am not 1 for marriage but I have been with Glenroy since school. I can't believe that "Pogo" Patterson helped me with Glenroy (not that he knew his), sorry I have just shouted at Claire and Precious with their cooing over what I have written. I hope Pogo answers this because the annoying little…Brat (Precious wouldn't let me swear ) because I actually want to thank him.
Anyway my 3 kids are 24, 19 and 15 all girls much to Glenroys annoyance but he is happy that they have his love of Reggae…anyway Shantell, Kymberlie and Jackie M. Yes M is part of her 1st name. Before 2005 I was in fashion retail and managed my own store for 5 years. I was unemployed for a couple of months, so I knew I was right. Mr Hopwood and Smart will be gleefully told. Only joking, I am an adult now, not the stroppy teenager.
I supposed I had better write down the questions we are going to ask (If anyone answers)
What years were you at GH?
Who was your bestfriend? And do you still talk to them?
Would you do anything different during your time at GH?
We obviously will ask them some personal questions, but we think the 3 above questions are important for our film.
Day 3. Precious writing. As Suzanne wrote, yesterday was a busy day. We held another meeting and decided we would do this in stages. We will ask the students and staff of the 70s or earlier to begin with, then the 80s, 90s and the naughties (If that's correct? Well I am closer to 50 then I would like to think) So I contacted the Evening Standard and informed them that the advert needed changing. The social media pages have also been updated, great news is the page has had 143 views and 12 likes. I have added a snippet of the advert here.
WHERE ARE YOU NOW? Did you go to Grange Hill in the 1970s? Student, teacher or staff. Do you want to be part of something special? Contact MASCRO Film Production
I as well as Claire and Suzanne are proud to be reading this in tomorrows edition. Suzanne and Claire has also gone to meet Randir, it is currently 12.05 (rounded up from 03). Randir didn't have the time to come to the studio so recording him at his shop will allow him the time we need. From what I remember Randir didn't have it easy. Claire telling me last night that he was also bullied by "HIM." I know who she is talking about, he was a vile person who in fact deserves no more of my time and electric in writing this. But I do wonder if he would dare respond? Is he still alive? Or was he killed because of the vile words he so often spouted at school? No doubt he went to prison.
What teachers will respond? Will a certain teacher that Claire once had a liking for respond? (Insert heart) She will kill me, if she reads this section. Well I have work to do and both Claire and Suzanne would be angry if I don't do my work, but I now have a couple more questions How many other GH alumni are still together? And will both Stewpot and Glenroy get roped into doing their part? (Laugh). When we have their recordings along with Randir they won't be released until the 80s as that's when we started GH. Well this section of the Diary has been complete. A new diary will be started when we have responses.