Adventure on the High SeasOn hearing the sad news of the death of Alan Freeman today, I began to reminisce of the days when I, too, worked for Radio Caroline. The original pirate radio station broadcast to the British Isles during the mid sixties, bringing popular music to the nation's ears and revolutionising the music industry and the classical sounds of the BBC. Amongst many others, such names as come to mind are Radio Caroline DJs Tony Blackburn, Dave Lee Travis, Simon Dee and Ray Terrett. I remember there were also quite a few Americans and Canadians involved. Not many people realised that there were two ships; Radio Caroline North was in the Irish Sea about three miles off the Manx coastline.
My role was to pioneer a Radio Caroline programme named 'Wedding Bells'. The programme's purpose was really to generate (much needed) advertising revenue from mainland retailers and businesses. And it did! Following the introduction in 1967 of the Marine Offences Act, I recall that fateful day in March '68 when both ships were seized and forced off the air. Silence. The two ships that housed her southern and northern stations were towed from their moorings by Dutch tugs for an undisclosed destination.
Radio Caroline is probably the most famous of all the offshore 'pirate' radio stations and her story has become something of a broadcasting legend. It was all a great adventure and I'm glad to have played a little part in it.
Prior to the cruel 'sinking' of the pirate radio station, I took up other employment, got my degree in psychology, married the most amazing man, had our babies and went to live abroad. Returning to England in the early seventies, I was working for an established newspaper when I was approached by Eddy Shah (another great pioneer) with the news of him setting up his own local 'Messenger' newspaper. So with the pioneering spirit within, I relished the chance of being part of it! I left the Messenger Group after a few years to accept a position with a major newspaper, just before Eddy Shah made national news headlines himself, when he took on the union. Eddy and his subsequent 'chosen path' has been well documented and I'm delighted for him in his alternative and ongoing successes.
Ever the pioneer, in the early eighties I launched my own glossy magazine, it was way ahead of it's time, quite avant garde, was featured on TV and won an award. As we approached the millennium I had great plans for the magazine but personal tragedy struck, and the desire to spend all precious time with the people who mattered to me was far greater. This led to advanced studies in psychotherapy and the opening of the clinic. I'm still approached with requests to relaunch the mag - and I might add that it's tempting -but (just like Eddy) I am otherwise preoccupied 'writing the novels' and developing the clinic which now also specialises in loss and bereavement.
Now that's another story!
