[1] In the early 1950s, as The Goon Show was gaining popularity, its main writer Spike Milligan accepted an invitation from Eric Sykes to share his small office above a grocer's shop at 130 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd's Bush.
[2] Sykes originated the idea of forming a non-profit, co-operative writers' agency; Milligan then approached rising comedy writing partners Ray Galton and Alan Simpson with the proposal.
Comedian Tony Hancock briefly joined the collective and other members included Terry Nation, Johnny Speight, Dennis Spooner and John Antrobus.
[3] The venture eventually grew to include around thirty writers, with a support staff of twelve; by 1957 it had outgrown the Shepherd's Bush offices and moved to larger premises in Kensington High Street.
Wanting to move into production, Beryl Vertue opted to go with Stigwood becoming deputy chairman of his group;[4] she subsequently became a leading independent producer.