Radio London tribute by Mary Payne
pp Chris and Mary Payne, Radio London Webmasters

(All photos supplies by Colin unless otherwise stated.)

Colin was, of course, an offshore radio pioneer, starting on the ill-fated Radio Atlanta. Unfortunately, I never met him in person, although we had exchanged a number of emails over the years. However, in 2020, during Covid lockdown, Gerry Zierler, aka Guy Hamilton on Radio 210, came up with the brilliant idea of holding online offshore radio-related meetings via Zoom. These 'Pirate Prattles' proved very popular and attracted participants from all corners of the globe. Gerry did his utmost to arrange them to suit those in different time zones. It was good to be able to see those at the other end of the conversation, instead of merely exchanging email and Colin and I were able to 'meet' via Zoom. His contributions to the Prattles, which continued into 2023, were always illuminating.

It was just a short while ago, on October 6th, that Colin emailed with the devastating news of having been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Infuriating, he understated, as I am in absolute top health with no medication, otherwise.

I was reviewing a few key points of my life, and thought of one at least I had taken for granted. I believe I was the first ex-pirate to be taken on BBC staff and the first to read the news (radio) and the first Australian to do so. It was one or the other, or both. I wonder if I'm right? The same regarding BBC World Service and possibly BBC Radio London too.  I have been around a bit in the course of all that and with my career here in Australia, both in radio and – of all things – managing and marketing retail centres: markets and shopping centres (malls). It's had its interesting moments, but now I have to finalise all that and put it in boxes. I'm afraid there's a lot to sort out. All my very best wishes and I'm not going just yet!   COLIN

Colin had been hoping he would make it to his 89th birthday on December 29th, but two months earlier, on October 29th, we received the very sad news of Colin's departure, from his niece Bronnie Wunhym.

My Uncle Colin Nichol, passed away yesterday (28/10/25) in Perth, Western Australia at Fiona Stanley Hospital, after a short illness battling end stage pancreatic cancer.

He was seen by nurses at his home prior to this and had a peaceful passing.

He had asked that I email you all to notify you after the event.

Colin was inspirational and made his mark on so many.

Much condolences to you all on losing a man who touched many people’s lives in so many different ways.

Thank you, Bronnie Wunhym (Colin’s niece)

Having perused some of Colin's emails to me (Mary), I felt it appropriate that I should include his personal views on working for Radio Caroline and Radio England:

I must have been the first to be offered a job on pirate radio – September 1963, or close to. I should have been first on air, but with Caroline arriving on the air before Atlanta, that wasn't to be.

When I arrived in the UK, I was already an experienced DJ in Australia, top in my State of Western Australia and Programme Director of the most successful station (I made it that way).

It was my opinion, from the start and all through, that Caroline, had it been sensibly (not even professionally, but just sensibly) run, it would have been so very much more. They had all that was needed and broke through, but never attained the structural / management / professional levels easily attainable, had they been more sensible and business-like. It was always my opinion that no-one thought it would last and all went in for what they could get in the short-term, working their own angles and not on the main game. In other words, Caroline was mostly a front or more accurately, a vehicle, for spin-offs. People wondered if anyone made money, but if they didn't, where did it go? We often asked that. I heard that Ronan ploughed money into land (unintended pun) around Shannon Airport. All I know is, I found it hard to take them all seriously, while at the same time, they were seriously unpredictable people.

On the lighter side, did I ever tell you the anecdote that, although Caroline was unrecognised by all official organs, the Post Office had to phone and ask for their mail bags back? They had run out, due to the number they had delivered to Caroline House! A van came to Chesterfield Gardens and took them away.

Colin sent photos of a 1965 visit to the Mi Amigo by Alice LaBrie Hille. Alice worked for Goodson-Todman, a US production company who made a programme similar to the UK's classic panel game, 'What's My Line', called 'To Tell the Truth'. A celebrity panel would attempt to guess guests' professions and one guest with a very unusual profession had been Ronan O'Rahilly. Ronan subsequently invited Alice to visit the Caroline ship.
On the deck (left) Colin (wearing the poloneck and white trousers), Keith Skues (white shirt), Paul Noble (stripes), Brian Vaughan (checks), Jon Sydney (black) and (right) showing Alice the extensive record library with Jon revealing his hairy knees! Colin did not explain what he was doing under the library table.

After the grounding of the Mi Amigo in January 1966, Caroline was loaned the ship Cheeta II byMrs. Britt Wadner, who owned and operated the Swedish Radio Syd. Colin lived aboard for several weeks, overseeing efforts to get equipment up and running and return Caroline to the airwaves.

Colin thought this somewhat out-of-focus photo taken in the mess aboard Cheeta ll was taken by a Swedish crew member. The date, Colin felt, was probably circa March 1966 and looks like it was some sort of celebration.

Colin with Britt Wadner and Ronan O'Rahilly in the studio aboard Cheeta ll

Colin Continues:
My time with Britain Radio/Radio England (I call them by the names as I knew them at the very beginning) was brief and I went to Luxembourg - either early June or July '66. It was the same day as the first reading of the Marine Offences Bill in the House.

The individuals I met and worked with both on and off the Olga Patricia were good people. There was nothing wrong with them, other than that they had no idea of the audience they were about to try to reach. I was concerned, as I had been employed by Peir-Vick to pass on my "expertise" and to advise. As it happened, no-one wanted advice or any input from me - as Johnnie Walker has since reminded me. I knew even before we went on air, that the stations would not connect with the UK audience. I kept telling them the impact would be alienating. UK audiences were just not ready to be blasted by "boss jocks", therefore, I was worried. Not only about that, but the fact that the set-up seemed shaky from the start. There were no beds or bunks on the ship, which was an indicator that something was not together. (I'm glad we didn't know at the start that the hold we slept in had carried American bodies back from Vietnam). From early on, I was disquieted about the whole thing and said so to friends. Something was not right. However, you expect hiccups and I decided to watch events and pursue Radio Luxembourg.

In 2009, the 45th Anniversary of the of the launch of Radios Atlanta, Caroline, City and London, Richard Curtis's comedy, 'The Boat That Rocked', known overseas as 'Pirate Radio', was released. Suddenly, the subject of Watery Wireless was everywhere and BBC Essex staged a third pirate recreation broadcast from LV18 in Harwich. The lightship had been used for location work for the film, which unfortunately, did not make the final cut. The Radio Academy staged a commemorative event in London, attended by ex-pirates from around the world. I interviewed a number of ex-renegades for a major Saga Magazine feature and Steve Wright chose Radio London as his Website of the Day.

Unfortunately, 'The Boat That Rocked' tended to be perceived as factual, and provoked erroneous assumptions internationally. A Focus Features essay, written by Simon Frith in the wake of the film and titled 'Ahoy, Pirate Radio', was published online. I felt compelled to write to the editor about its error-strewn contents. Having read what I'd written, Colin sent his own comments to the editor. Sadly we were unable to post them on the Focus website, as neither of us had US postcodes.

The 2009 feature is still available, sadly minus our comments, or any corrections, but I have included a .pdf of my and Colin's comments, below.

Rest in Peace, Colin. We shall miss you.

Mary

Tributes recieved:
From Gerry Zierler
"I am so sorry to hear the terrible news. Colin and I stayed in close touch for a long time after our lockdown Pirate Prattles – and about our mutual mate, Keith Martin, who was in decline himself and died in 2024. Would you please pass on my deepest condolences to Colin's family.
Many thanks, Gerry

From Colin's Radio Atlanta shipmate, Dermot Hoy, known on air as Bryan Vaughan.

"Hello Mary, This is very sad indeed. Colin had emailed me only a few days ago to give me the awful news of his diagnosis. He was a close work colleague of mine in offshore radio and a very good friend to my wife Jean and myself for well over 60 years. We first met in the Dean Street, Soho offices of Radio Atlanta, in early 1964. Although Colin lived in Perth and I live thousands of kilometres away in Sydney, we had kept in close touch and visited each other over the years. He had expert knowledge of the early years of Atlanta, Caroline and pirate radio in general and was keen to spread the message of those fabulous days long ago. Now he is at peace and I will miss him greatly. I know he has a close family who have cared for him, especially in recent times.
Cheers, Dermot (BV)

Other online tributes to Colin:

The Pirate Radio Hall of Fame

Offshore Echoes

Freotopia

Herald Online

**************

Focus Features

Mary and Colin's responses

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