Debuting on 5 January 1963, this children’s mystery series from the BBC ran every Saturday for six weeks.
Written by David Turner (a scriptwriter for The Archers), the series was set in a modern co-ed comprehensive school in the Midlands.
The central location of the “mystery” was the chemistry laboratory (the “chem. lab.” of the title).
Here, during a lesson on qualitative analysis, Twink (Derek Williams), the dunce of the third form, is discovered to have gold in the mixture in his test tube.
Had he stumbled on a secret formula for making gold? Had someone put gold leaf in his mixture for a joke? Or was there a more sinister explanation?
Co-stars included Peter Sallis as Mad Willy the boilerman, Dandy Nichols as Mrs Dukes the cleaner, Manning Wilson as Mr Lions the science master (pictured), Reginald Smith as Twink’s pal, Wally, and Natasha Pyne as sixth former Susan.
Mad Willy
Peter Sallis Twink
Derek Williams Susan
Natasha Pyne Harry
Nigel Anthony Wally
Reginald Smith Mr Lions
Manning Wilson Mrs Dukes
Dandy Nichols Bugs
Roy Holder Mr Arthurs
John Quentin Roy
Bunny May Wilson
Anthony Singleton Miss Gibson
Margaret Elliott Baggy Brown
Ian Percy Jennifer
Delia Walker Headmaster
Kevin Stoney Gillian
Gay Parsons
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The central location of the “mystery” was the chemistry laboratory (the “chem. lab.” of the title).
