2002

The Glamorous Life of an Offshore DJ

A Twelve-hour trip from the Fredericia and a bus trip on Christmas Day for Martin Kayne

At Christmas 1967 the tender from Caroline North was held up by bad weather. We arrived on the Offshore 3 in Dundalk and got the bus to Dublin (a very scarce service on Xmas Day). We went to a hotel hoping the restaurant could serve us lunch. The head waiter said they had been booked up solid for ages and there was no chance. However when we told him about our 12-hour voyage in rough seas he asked where we had come from, we of course told him! We ended up sharing a table with two old ladies. We had a wonderful meal and it also became evident that these retired ladies also listened to the station.

Wonderful memories, it was certainly true that Caroline North did broadcast to a much wider section of the community than Caroline South. It was not uncommon to play a record by the Stones followed by Jim Reeves. The kids used to call school "The Slave Cave"; there was something there for everyone on 259m.I believe I started to exist on the same day at the MV Galaxy as we both had our respective keels laid on 27th October 1943, though she was actually launched/baptised sometime later.
I have attached a photo for your scrap book. I don't do real 'wireless' anymore other than local RSL's and a hospital radio show. The photo was taken at the 30th birthday celebrations of the Folkestone Hospital Broadcasting Service.

My involvement with the birthday show was that my partner Rosemary and I agreed to provide the buffet in the hospitality room so that presenters past and present could be interviewed about their experiences with the station. I was doing this under the impression that the present station manager would be presenting the show. However, the committee had other ideas, as my memories of the station and the town went back further than any other serving member.

Here I am pictured with former FHBS station managers. Left to right - Audrey Wind, now chairperson with Folkestone Operatic and Dramatic Society. Dominic King, who now has a daily show on BBC Radio Kent. Folkestone Mayor Dick Dickinson. Present station manager Matt Curtis a director of local RSL radio group Silversound Radio and Hythe FM. You will notice facilities still exist to play vinyl, though normal programming involves CD's and computerised Ruduga music playout system.

"I would shut my eyes as the wind blew and the ship rolled and the records jumped..."

The smell of polish brings back fond memories for John Newstead

When I was young, back in the Sixties, this time of year was always special.

We used to live in the back kitchen of our two-up, two-down in Cadishead, Manchester, because it was always warm from the stove. Except on Sundays. This was when the big Ecko radio in the front room was turned on for Two-Way Family Favourites. At nine in the morning, the fire in the front room was lit and the radio turned on and left to warm up for twenty minutes before I (aged twelve) was allowed to touch it. If my father was out, my mother would let me tune to Caroline North.

So at 10.00 o'clock with my bacon on toast and cup of 'Bev' coffee (containing chicory) I would listen to Don, Bob or Jerry. After a couple of hours, the radio used to warm up. As my mother polished it every Wednesday with Johnson's wax polish, the front room used to smell of polish. I would shut my eyes as the wind blew and the ship rolled and the records jumped, and imagine what would the Caroline crew give to be safe and warm in my front room. But then they ate meat on a weekday and drank Coca-Cola all the time!

I hope that the remaining Caroline jocks who are in contact with you read this, and may I say thanks for those Sundays in my front room.


Your L(knee)der

From Knees Club Founder, Mary Payne, husband Chris, and all the Club Officials:

President Ray Ennis

Vice-President: Bud Ballou

Club Officials: Lynn Boyd-Leslie, Pauline Miller, Jenny Royal

Newest members: Jon Myer, Fab Alan Field

Chrisbut Greetings 2002, to all our club members and to patellae everywhere, hoping that you will all continue knocking together peacefully in the Knee Year.

For all of you, here's a special Chrisbut prezzie. ''I like knees' by Sir Sydney Saitheswaite and the Garbage Collectors, courtesy of 'Jimmy the Ferret'.

Christmas Annual 2002
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