Spider
and beetles. We've no idea who the other two guys are in this pic...
Hi Chris and Mary,
I'm sorry I haven't replied before now but my server has been down for weeks. I've been playing musical computers, moving one to here and the other to there, but here I am now back on line and I must say I really appreciate the link. I just spent over an hour browsing your website and re-lived a thousand memories.
Please pass on my wishes and my e-mail address to any and every Caroliner.
One of our really staunch supporters died the other week... OLIVE BAKER of Ipswich. If any of the DJs remember her, say a little prayer.
I'm all right and still working for several Radio Stations along the Eastern seaboard of Australia. I help to set up Narrowcast computerised radio stations using a computer programme called SMARTSOUND, which was developed by a genius friend of mine called Phil Ward some 5 years ago. In technology terms, that's back in the Jurassic period but the darn thing is so dependable that I wouldn't use anything else. My own little Radio Station on the Gold Coast has been ticking away for the past 12 months almost unattended.
I had some recent bad luck when a former friend of mine and business partner did the bunk leaving me with $100,000 debt and a Funeral Business to learn about and run, some three hours from my home on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland.
All this while I'm trying to be Mum and Dad to my two young boys Jarrad and Corey who were left motherless when my wife Tina died of cancer some 4 1/2 years ago, aged 39. I just turned 64 and I was hoping I could be spending more time with the boys but that was not to be... but we'll get there, we always have.
My best wishes to you both and keep up the good work.
Sincerely,
GRAHAM "Spider" WEBB
With their late mother, Tina, Graham's sons Jarred and Corey
The following
are messages of support that Radio London received for Graham when the story
of his problems became public.
From Caroline's Colin Berry: (I assume by 'Keith', Colin
means Keith Skues.)
Please do pass on my best wishes, Mary. Graham was the most help to me when
I first began broadcasting.
We had several "speech delivery" sessions, and I will always remember his advice
to "hum deeply for thirty seconds before a news broadcast".
I did get an on-air message to him when he chatted with Michael Aspel on Family
Favourites many years ago.
We used to have some great drinking sessions, when I appeared with Keith at
the 100 Club.
Colin Berry
From: Caroline North's David Williams
Mary,
I was very sorry to hear the news about Graham Webb which you placed on your
site recently.
I spoke to Graham about a year ago (the first time in thirty years - the last
time was when I was working at the BBC and we spoke on the Family Favourites
link when he presented the Australian end of the programme) and he told me about
his running not one, but twenty radio stations on Aussie's Gold Coast!!
As the man responsible for hiring me and giving me my first professional job
in radio I am for ever grateful to Graham for that. He deserves all the support
he can get.
Please send him my regards
David
From Radio 390 (et al)'s John
Ross-Barnard:
Mary
Please send my very best wishes. Graham gave me a lift and a job when I needed
it. I recall he was living in a flat in Knightsbridge with four girls at the
time - 1965. He always was a lucky so-and-so and I wish him very well and hope
- no pray - that his good fortune will return soon.
Best regards
John Ross-Barnard
PS I still have a copy of the audition tape that got me the job with him!
From John and Christine Hatt (John
Aston - Radio Caroline et al)
Dear Mary,
I have just spoken to John, and he asks me say that we would be very grateful
if you could pass on John's wishes to Graham. Up until the year before last,
we always had an Xmas card from Graham, and when they stopped we were very concerned!
We would love to get in touch with him again!
Regards,
Christine
We are
sure all our viewers are impressed by Graham's courage in the face of terrible
adversity. He deserves every success, and yes, we are quite sure that with his
sort of determination he WILL 'get there'.
Chris and Mary would like to thank John Preston in Australia for his assistance with the photographs.