Cockleshell Bay


Cockleshell Bay is a stop-motion children's television series which was shown at lunchtime on ITV during the early 1980s. It was made by Cosgrove Hall for their parent company, the ITV broadcaster Thames Television. Other children's programmes in the same ITV time slot on the remaining four weekdays included Let's Pretend, Jamie and the Magic Torch, and Rainbow – the latter in which Cockleshell Bay began as a regular story feature.
Twins Robin and Rosie Cockle were the main characters. They lived at the Bucket and Spade guest house run by their parents Helen and Christopher. The family had moved to the Bay from a city because their parents had wanted to leave city life behind, and their father no longer wanted to work in a factory. Although Robin and Rosie frequently argued with each other, it was clear that they much enjoyed each other's company. Gran Routy helped out at the house. Robin and Rosie's friends included Mr. Ezikiel Shipham, Mr. McGinty and his donkey Fury, as well as Ben Gunn the "pirate seagull". In the later series Robin and Rosie had a baby sister called Holly.

Transmission guide

Series 1 (1980)

  1. 6 May 1980: A Fresh Start
  2. 13 May 1980: Names
  3. 20 May 1980: The Pirate Seagull
  4. 27 May 1980: Buried Treasure
  5. 3 June 1980: Arrow is Arrows is Arrows
  6. 10 June 1980: Mortar This than Meets the Eye
  7. 17 June 1980: Ben Gunn Strikes Again
  8. 24 June 1980: Round and Round and Up and Down
  9. 1 July 1980: The Grand Old Duke of York
  10. 8 July 1980: Spring Cleaning
  11. 15 July 1980: Land Ho
  12. 22 July 1980: The House That Robin and Rosie Built
  13. 29 July 1980: Happy Birthday Gran Routy

    Series 2 (1981)

  14. 24 March 1981: Fishy Things
  15. 31 March 1981: The Disappearing Peas
  16. 7 April 1981: Something Beginning with P
  17. 14 April 1981: The Pirate King
  18. 21 April 1981: Footprints in the Sand
  19. 28 April 1981: Bumps and Twangles
  20. 5 May 1981: Beachcombing
  21. 12 May 1981: Rosie the Ballerina
  22. 19 May 1981: A Day in the Sand Dunes
  23. 26 May 1981: A Couple of Carpenters
  24. 2 June 1981: A Cart Made for Two
  25. 9 June 1981: The Grown Ups' Secret
  26. 16 June 1981: Cockleshell Bay Concert

    Series 3 (1981)

  27. 28 September 1981: The Mystery of the Talking Donkey
  28. 5 October 1981: Mr Ship's New Crew
  29. 12 October 1981: Ben Gunn Goes Missing
  30. 19 October 1981: Shirts, Socks and Sunshine
  31. 26 October 1981: Mr Ship's African Adventure
  32. 2 November 1981: Robin and Rosie at the Gallop
  33. 9 November 1981: Gran Routy Bowls Them Over
  34. 16 November 1981: Rock and Roll Robin
  35. 23 November 1981: Robin and Rosie Hit the Trail
  36. 30 November 1981: Tea Time Troubles
  37. 7 December 1981: In the Cart
  38. 14 December 1981: The Boatyard Sailors
  39. 21 December 1981: A Cockleshell Christmas

    Series 4 (1982)

  40. 29 March 1982: The Cockleshell Cooks
  41. 5 April 1982: Deep Sea Divers
  42. 12 April 1982: Football Crazy
  43. 19 April 1982: The Birthday Secret
  44. 26 April 1982: Fury Comes to Tea!
  45. 3 May 1982: Robin the Vet
  46. 10 May 1982: A Dressing-Up Day
  47. 17 May 1982: The Eight-Wheeled Cockles
  48. 24 May 1982: Nurse Rosie
  49. 31 May 1982: Stage Struck
  50. 7 June 1982: Cockleshell Keep-Fit
  51. 14 June 1982: The Well-Groomed Donkey
  52. 21 June 1982: Carnival!

    Series 5 (1983)

  53. 4 January 1983: Dust Sheet Dramas
  54. 11 January 1983: Dad's Marathon
  55. 18 January 1983: Gypsy Rose Routy
  56. 25 January 1983: Flying High
  57. 1 February 1983: The Treasure Hunt
  58. 8 February 1983: Alleys and Dobbers
  59. 15 February 1983: Ben Gunn Gets Busy
  60. 22 February 1983: Another Boxing Day
  61. 1 March 1983: Mr Cockle's Common Cold
  62. 8 March 1983: It's in the Air
  63. 15 March 1983: Words, Words, Words
  64. 22 March 1983: Long Ears and Tall Stories
  65. 29 March 1983: The Cockleshell Easter Fayre

    Series 6 (1984)

  66. 10 January 1984: Tyred Out
  67. 17 January 1984: Ostriches and Obstacles
  68. 24 January 1984: Squeak, Squeak!
  69. 31 January 1984: Holed in One
  70. 7 February 1984: Robin and Rosie Clean Up
  71. 14 February 1984: Tea Trays and Tumbles
  72. 21 February 1984: The Vikings are Coming!
  73. 28 February 1984: Skates Alive!
  74. 6 March 1984:
  75. 13 March 1984: Easy as Toffee Apples!
  76. 20 March 1984: Iceberg on the Port Bow
  77. 27 March 1984: A Frosty Day
  78. 3 April 1984: Under Canvas

    Series 7 (1985)

  79. 16 April 1985: Footprints and Floorcloths
  80. 23 April 1985: The Attic
  81. 30 April 1985: Paste and Paper Everywhere
  82. 7 May 1985: Moving In
  83. 14 May 1985: A New Friend
  84. 21 May 1985: Donkey is on the Loose
  85. 28 May 1985:
  86. 4 June 1985:
  87. 11 June 1985: The Baby
  88. 18 June 1985: The Magpie Braves
  89. 25 June 1985: Lost and Found
  90. 2 July 1985: Drawing and Winning
  91. 9 July 1985: A Puzzle... and a Party

    Series 8 (1986)

  92. 8 April 1986: Holly on the Loose
  93. 15 April 1986: Taming of the Lion
  94. 22 April 1986:
  95. 29 April 1986: The Puppet Show
  96. 6 May 1986: Mr Cockle Cooks
  97. 13 May 1986:
  98. 20 May 1986: A Day at the Chariot Races
  99. 27 May 1986: Storms at Sea
  100. 3 June 1986: Ben Gunn's New Feathers
  101. 10 June 1986: Dr. Mario
  102. 17 June 1986: Blow Me Down
  103. 24 June 1986:
  104. 1 July 1986:

    VHS releases

Credits

; Writer and Narrator : Brian Trueman
; Music : David Rohl, Stuart J. Wolstenholme
; Animation : Andrea Lord, Steve Moss
; Puppet Design : Bridget Appleby
; Illustrations : Josie Yee & Ivor Wood
; Sets & Props : Chris Walker
; Puppet Construction : Peter Saunders
; Camera : Jim Noble, Jane Hilcks
; Film Editor : John McManus
; Executive Producer : John Hambley
; Director : Jackie Cockle
; Producers : Mark Hall, Brian Cosgrove
; Copyright 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, & 1986 Cosgrove/Hall Productions Ltd
Thames Colour Production