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Errol Bruce-Knapp
Hello Norm...
I was an orginal - on-air as Errol Bruce. Simon Dee and I bunked
together on the Mi Amigo. Tony Blackburn, Keith Skues and Bryan
Vaughan were on the same shift. Doug Kerr and Peter James were
also around at the time. I was flown out to the ship when Bryan
(Dermot Hoy) got appendecitis and was the only one who knew how
to drive the little Gates Board. Terry, an Australian operator,
was on his week off and nobody new where he was. I happened to
be in Alan Crawfords office at 6 Chesterfield Gardens, looking
for a job when the phone rang with the news from the Harwich Shipping
Office (the actual name I also forget, but Bill Scadden was the
agent) that Bryan had been taken off by the Frinton lifeboat.
Crawford said "just a mo" into the phone, covered the
mouth-piece and asked me: "Can yew droive a Gates Board?"
(He was from OZ and had orginally come up with the idea for a
British Off-shore Station - but that's another story you may or
may not know). I, being young and brash and desperately wanting
a job, nodded my head vigorously. He told the person on the other
end of the phone that he had someone and a hours later I was aboard.
Spent two years there and a year on the North with Tom Lodge,
Jerry Leighton, Don Allen. If you have the official Radio Caroline
book by John Venmore-Rowland, there's a picture opposite page
93 of the tender 'Offshore 1'. The four guys standing behind the
hatchcover are: (L to R) Bryan Vaughan, Peter James, myself and
Keith Skues. I just took a look at the 'stern shot' of the Amigo
on your site - the original antenna mast was a solid, tapered
pipe. I guess they replaced it after she put up on the beach on
the night of January 9th, 1966. [Norman Barrington's note:- No!
that was in 1972]
Good to find your page...
Errol Bruce-Knapp (ebk@nobelmed.com)
Miles R Wilson
mrjw@dmu.ac.uk.
Ex pirate radio jock some Radio Caroline and Radio Mi Amigo Roadshows
BBC local radio Keep me in touch with the guys. Long time no see
from the days of 64/65. Would like to add that I also worked with
Gerry Coard in Denmark and with Carl Kingston and many of the
lads who helped formulate the Radio scene in the 1960s and 1970s.
Would love to be in touch with those from the happy days of radio.I
still have many of the records from that period as well as some
of the classic Caroline and Mi Amigo promotions disks. I also
have some of the Offshore Broadcasting books and material produced
by Paul Harris.Who wants to buy a spotmaster with sea water in
it I worked in Europe in some great clubs including Daddys Discotheque
in Copenhagan Discotheque Downstairs in Herning and others too
numerous to mention. Im now driving a computer in the Alumni Association
Office in De Montfort Univeristy.- Can you please update my listing
Norm. Thanks.
Keith York
keith@selfgrow.iol.ie Hi, Keith York here (ex VOP, Atlantic 252
etc) Nice web page. You can include my email address in the entry
if you like in case anyone who knows me wants to get in contact.
Also have a page up myself which is rubbish at the moment, but
I'll probably do something interesting with the site when I get
some time (http://ireland/iol.ie/midnet/keith/keef.htm). Interests
here are anything radio. I noticed that jelle Boonstra signed
your book - do you have an email address for him? I worked with
Jelle at Radio Capitale in Brussels circa 1981 but lost contact
shortly afterwards and havent heard from him since. I know a few
ex caroline people here in Ireland who were probably ex-shipmates
of yours: Tony Allan, Brian McKenzie etc... Cheers, Keith.
Gabriel Conway
Xconway@macline.co.uk
My name is Steve Conway, and I am a Caroline DJ from towards the
end of the Lady's career - 1987-91. I worked mainly as a newsreader/DJ
on the Ross Revenge from 87 to 89, then left for a while, returning
to crew the ship (by then off the air) in late '91, just before
she ran aground. These days I run Line 1 Radio News, which updates
weekly by phone & web. You can find us at: http://www.line1.co.uk
A very brief overview of my time with Caroline, and the circumstances
that brought about her demise is at: http://www.line1.co.uk/caroline.html
and a full account of the ship's last ever day at sea, including
the storm, the drifting, the grounding and the rescue are at:
http://www.line1.co.uk/candle.html It's great looking at your
page - it's nice to see that some people from the good old days
are still around, and your photos are excellent. Regards Steve
Conway.
Howard G L Rose
Norman, My goodness! How are you - how long has it been?! No,
don't answer that.... , just to let you know thatI popped into
your site and just had to say hi. Regards,Howard G L Rose (Mi
Amigo.....long, long time ago....) The RADIO Magazine is published
every week by Goldcrest Broadcasting Ltd.Our Address: Crown House,
25 High Street, Rothwell, KETTERING NN14 6AD.Telephone (01536)
418558Fax ()1536) 418539web site: http://www.theradiomagazine.co.uke-mail:
radiomagazine-goldcrestbroadcasting@btinternet.com
Ron O'Quinn
Norman, I was really pleased to find your page. I was the program
director of Radio England in 1966. I would love to get a download
of the Spot "That Man" series that I had done....especially
the jock logo's. Incidentally, the "pinching" of jingles
was mostly started by Radio Caroline and Radio London. We, at
SRE, had two Pams packages, but we didn't expect that the other
pirates would act like "pirates" and filch them off
the air while we were doing transmitter checks. Best regards,
Ron O'Quinn
Keith Hampshire(Keefers)
Hi! My Name Is Keith Hampshire (Keefers).
My Web Site Is Hokee@Ican.Net
Mark Stafford
Dear Norman, Just visiting your site again, one of many visits
over the last six months after entering the world of web anoraks
!! I'm glad to say that I'm one of those who does remember you
from your Caroline days, both as Norman Barrington and Norman
Barrington-Smith (or was it Smyth !!). 1973 was the the era, I
remember it well. The early days of the return of the Mi Amigo,
the 389 International Service with Andy Archer, Steve England,
Paul Alexander and you among others. Then the Radio Seagull period.
I was a young anorak in those days and was glued to the radio
most of the time. So, now you know that you have not been forgotten
by the old anoraks. In fact it was the period from RNI in 1970
through to the mid 70's that inspired me most to become a deejay.
After around 15 years of pirating I finally made it to the legitimate
world of ILR in the early '90s. I spent around 2 years working
for Invicta FM and Invicta Supergold. Until I got kicked out for
being to old for FM in 1993 !! After that it's been a string of
RSL's and hopefully it should be a couple of weekend shows on
one of the new Kent local stations later this year. Anyway, just
a few words about your site. Being a jingle freak I love the old
jingle tracks, keep up the good work ! Finally, would it be possible
to give the brand new RBL site a link from your site. It features
extracts from the offshore interviews and documentaries which
we have produced over the last 10 years. Plus a few jingles from
our collection. You may be interested to know that we possess
a "Norman Barrington" Sonovox jingle which somehow got
done when someone was wallying around during a session in the
1980's. They were going through a few anorak names and somehow
yours came out ! How's that for fame !! I'd let you have a copy
as a wave file if I knew how to send one with an e-mail. I'll
work it out soon !! The RBL site is at rblradio Best regards Mark
Stafford RBL The Radio Broadcasting Library
Pierre Deseyn
Hi Norman, You may remember me from 1973. I was on that ship too
pretending to be a DJ! Had a couple of names like Jeremy Bender
and Pierre Van Gent that you may remember. It was great fun. Had
to go to the army then (april) and when that was over I did some
radio with AJ Beirens on RNI and after that a short while in Italy.
Gave it all up then and settled down. Got married and as of now
I'm a proud father of two girls (aged 12 and 14). I'm now system
engineer with EDS( computer firm) and that pleases me a lot. I
was happy to hear from you via the net and while seeing your picture
( in the good old Mi-Amigo studio) I was rather moved. Do you
know whatever happened to Tony Allan and Andy Archer? Have fun,
don't forget to laugh every day. Pierre
David Hebditch
dlheb@globalnet.co.uk
Dear Norman, I wonder if you can help me with the whereabouts of George Sanders?
I understand he was the engineer on the Mi Amigo until 1966. He
joined the BBC after taking a course at Amersham in 1968. Nothing
thereafter as of yet. Many thanks, David Hebditch.
[Norman's note:- Can anyone help Dave here?]
Chris Pearson
waah558@spidernet.com.cy
Great Web Site... interesting to note from your Visitors books
how many other ex-Caroline jocks have checked in!!! Bet there
were more, but not all of 'em will sign in!!! Chris Pearson (Caroline
1985) now with BFBS Forces Radio
Bob McWilliam
robert.mcwilliam@bbc.co.uk
Interesting to note that you now live in Peterhead, not that far
from John B. Mair another veteran of the Mi Amigo days. I take
it that you will be applying for the RA Peterhead/Fraserburgh
licence which closes for application on May 13? With only serving
45,000 on FM or 55,000 adults on AM, it is going to be difficult
to make a profit as the RA is offering, in what is ILR terms,
very high power - 2kW on FM and an incredibly 5kW on 882 kHz medium
wave. Reading about your days on the Mi Amigo, I too was on the
ship in the summer of 1972 assisting with repairs and then I got
the offer of a job as a DJ in Geneva. More recently I was part
of the project management team and launch programme director in
1992 for Q96 FM in Paisley. I am awaiting with interest the start
of 'Radio 864' from Greenore, Ireland. This project should have
been on-air months ago. A short note of introduction. Regards,
Bob. e-mail robert.mcwilliam@bbc.co.uk
Robert de Goede
ad.roberts@pi.net
Hi mate, It whas only by going to one of these meetings to see
some old fellow announcers, that "Herby the fish" told
me of your site. And I must say, I have spend the best of a rainy
Sunday afternoon watching what you had to offer. It was nice to
see that you have the same haircut, that I have for some time
now. God, its been ages ago, since I've seen any of you guys and
sometimes when I think back... I do miss those day's. As we get
older, the past seems to be wonderful for we do forget much of
the problems of those day's. Norm.. remember Record World at the
N.Z.Voorburgwal in Amsterdam? And the parties at the van Hogendorpstraat
in The Hague ( with Peter and Ellen. Gosh... thats ages ago. It
was nice to see that some of my old friends have seen your pages
aswel and that they are dooing o.k. I stoped working in radio
about two years ago (because of health reasons) but I do miss
it alot as its a planet of its own.If you see, or speak to Andrew
(Dawson) or Tony Allan (Smith) say hello from me will you? I hope
that maybe in the future we will all have a meeting somewere and
talk about the "good ol' day's... for now Norm..C.U.
A.J. Beirens
aj@innet.be
It's e-NORM-ous, Norm. Many congratulations on your absolutely
grade-A (and 7+'s) website; probably the coolest place for a 70's
person to surf to. Reading through the entries in your visitors'
book it was very gratifying to notice that the offshore stations
and the jocks have not been forgotten. Websites like yours, also
contribute to carve out the Watery Wireless Era's rightful place
in media history. To this day I'm still grateful that in a very
small way I have been able to be part of what is probably the
most exiting period in European radio history. Through "North
Sea Goes DX" and the "History of Offshore Radio"
on RNI, I for one have met many people, made many friends and
experienced among the best moments of a lifetime with the offshore-colleagues
from a multitude of stations (from RNI and Caroline to Atlantis
and the VOP). So, it's high time we all meet up again, Norman
(and any Watery Wireless Jock who reads this). On August 31st
1999 (!!) it will be exactly 25 years (a quarter century, a generation)
since the close down of RNI, Veronica & Atlantis off the Dutch
coast. German and Dutch offshore enthusiasts regularly organise
the so-called "Zeezenderdagen". Hence, it would probably
be a good idea to start your Missing DJ's Page, so that in 1999
we can get as many of the..er..'old'jocks together somewhere in
Western Europe. Not just the 70's jocks, but anyone, including
Mercur, Radio Nord, Syd, Big L etc.. even the new Israeli stations.
It would be monumental. There must be someone out there willing
to organise such a venue. Your unique Webside Vantage Point, Norman,
and some of the other offshore sites, could be instrumental in
turning a 1999 Offshore Reunion into a success. Any of the ex-colleagues
reading these few lines: love to hear from you. AJ
Herbert Visser (Herbie the Fish)
hbhjv@magigimmix.xs4all.nl
Hi Norman, I must give you a compliment with your nice website.
I was a big Caroline freak in the 1970's, and worked on board
the Ross Revenge myself in 1986/1987. These days I work for Radio
Noordzee in the Netherlands, THE legal follow up from the former
offshore station Radio Noordzee Internationaal (same owner, even
the same building from where the landbased programmes were recorded
before they went out to the MEBO). And we're doing a better job
these days, because Radio Noordzee from the MEBO never got a market
share in Holland than 5 percent. Now, we're having 9.5 percent
marketshare.... And Marc Jacobs is our morning jock... maybe you
know him as well... Take care, Herbert Visser (Herbie the Fish)
Bert Bennett
Nice to find an old piratecolleque on the internet
Bert Bennett <b.wijfjes@rtvoost.nl>
Ronnie Dolman
Greetings from one of dutch D.J.s in 1973
Ron .
Martin Verdoorn
Yo Norman,Long time no see, now i have buy a computer, and find
you on the internet.By your visit in Holland and the MV Communicator
a coupple of years ago you give me a note with your site and e-mail
adress.After three years i try it out, please can you send me
the photos you have been taken on the ship.With greetings Martin
Verdoorn from the MV Communicator
Martin Verdoorn <m.verdoorn@zonnet.nl>
Holland - Saturday, January 29, 2000 at 22:37:12 (GMT)
Joel O'Brien
Greetings from the colonies...I would listen to Caroline while
I was in Berlin in the mid 70's....and also did a couple of shows
as JACK O'Brien with the "Berlin Service" of RC....Is
Rohanan O'Rielly still around...? Cheers...Joel O'Brien
Joel O'Brien <theobriens@adelphia.net>
Dave Owen
Hi Norman, never met you but followed you later, love
the site, great pictures of Seagull, shame I came over to the
office in that year but was told I was not wanted! Feel like I
missed out. Joined the boat later when it moved back to the UK
in Autumn 74. Went back for a stint in 87 on Caroline 558 and
last weekend did a Sat PM gig at the Maidstone studio (on the
Astra Satellite). Did not play Santana, but next time think I
might, that's if they ask me back. Spoke to Steve England only
a few weeks ago and he is doing well. Before I went to the Mi
Amigo I was with Steve on Radio Atlantis. Just a quick mail to
say great site, great jingle collection, great photos, brings
it all right back again. You won't recognise my mail address as
I used another name on-air. All the best Norman and thanks for
a great site Dave
Dave Owen <DaveWright4@aol.com>
Jack McLaughlin
Hi Norman...Congratulations on an excellent site. As an 'original
Pirate DJ' with Radio Scotland I am amazed at the amount of interest
which the Internet has created. Old tapes which we hoped had been
forgotten have suddenly emerged to our amusement and even embarrassment!!
Having experienced Radio Scotland, Britain Radio, Radio 270 and
Radio 390 I was incredibly fortunate to experience such a wide
range of 'piracy'. My main memories are of '242' and I wonder
if any of my former colleagues are accessing your site. The Internet
has given us an opportunity similar to that which Ronan spotted
in the 1960s - that is the chance to create unique and outstanding
broadcast without the shackles of terrestrial restriction. My
partners and I are in the process of launching Radio Scotland
Worldwide which will use Internet, Short-Wave and Satellite to
deliver entertainment and news services to the global community.
Keep up the good work Norman and I would be pleased to hear from
anyone who remembers the old days.All the bestJack McLaughlin
(The Laird O'Coocaddens)
Jack McLaughlin <jackmclaughlin@hotmail.com>
Tony Allen
dear norman,we just had this little reunion with chicago, chris
dick, robin, tony, elija and also saw graham and bob noakes. it
was really fun and we hope next time you will be there as caroline
is being revived and graham is doing programs and so is tony and
robin and dick are joining too. ronan is still there and mike
hagler and barry everitt have been approached as well, cool huh?
so how about it norman? are you going to join in because we both
certainly have.
tony allen and elija <doris.allan@virgin.net>
regents park, UK - Sunday, April 14, 2002 at 11:04:28 (BST)
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