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Jonathan Hall Born in East Ham, London, on 22nd
September 1938, Jonathan spent the war years living in Leicestershire but returned south, to Romford
in Essex, when peace was declared. After completing his education, he joined the RAF for five years
and spent some time with the British Forces Broadcasting Service. A car fanatic, after leaving the
service, he spent two years working for the Ford Motor company. Jonathan joined Radio 390 on 10th
August 1966. Jonathan's official station biography mentions his interest in cars and says
that, at the time he was on 390, he owned two Ford Anglias, a 1935 Morris and a 1934 MG Midget. He
was also chairman of the Three Beacons Motor Club. After Jonathan's offshore days were over,
he worked on BBC local radio but his present whereabouts are unknown. Can anyone
supply
more recent information? (Many thanks to Jonathan Shirley for providing Jonathan
Hall's official Radio 390 biography and to George Morris for the photograph. There
are more photos of Jonathan in Edward Cole's,
Roger Scott's and David
Sinclair's albums and another recording here.)
Jonathan Hall on Radio 390's Teatime Tunes programme. Recording kindly provided by Lynne
Sims from Martin Lynch's collection (duration 1 minutes 13 seconds).
Guy Hamilton From Woodford Green, Essex. While still at school,
Guy sent a demo tape to his local pirate Radio Essex. In July 1966, at the age of 18, he joined them with no previous
broadcasting experience. Life on the Knock John Fort, Radio Essex's home, was fairly basic but it was all good
training. Guy stayed as it changed name to BBMS (Britain's Better Music Station) but when the pay cheques
started bouncing it was time to move on. He joined Radio 270 just before Christmas 1966. He was known as “Wise
Guy” and ended each show with “T.T.F.N” (“Ta-Ta For Now”). His theme tune was
Iechyd-Da by The Alan Price Set. This instrumental was written by John Walters then a member of Alan
Price's Set but later famous as John Peel's producer at Radio One. The smallest
of the radio ships, 270's Oceaan 7 was the only one to raise its anchor and steam back into port to collect
supplies. Initially Guy only stayed with 270 for three months. He left in March 1967 to work in advertising but he also
made a couple of short return trips to the ship during holidays from the new job. With 270's closure, he continued
his career in advertising while still doing the odd bit of DJ work on the side. By the time commercial radio had become
established in the late seventies he was running one of the biggest airtime sales companies in the country, while still
finding time to look after the occasional holiday relief DJ stint on one or other of his client stations (Radio
Orwell, Piccadilly Radio, Radio Hallam, Radio 210, BRMB and others). In 1981 he became the first Managing Director
of Wiltshire Radio. Real name Gerry Zierler, he now runs his own television airtime sales company,
Zierler Media which represents around twenty TV channels across the
UK and Europe. There is a short recording of Guy on Radio Essex in David Sinclair's tape
collection. There are some more recent photos of Guy, taken at the Radio Academy Celebration of Offshore Radio in
August 2007, here. (Many thanks to Guy/Gerry for updating us and for his kind
comments: “congratulations on a great website... all power to your elbow” He has also generously provided
some fascinating pictures from his personal photo collection, some memories
of Radio 270 and some great recordings. In August 2005 he organised a reunion boat trip out to Radio Essex's old
fort, Knock John, to mark the station's fortieth anniversary and has very kindly provided some fantastic
photos of the event.)
Guy Hamilton on Musical Magazine on BBMS one Sunday afternoon in late 1966
(duration 4 minutes 14 seconds)
Guy Hamilton closing down Radio 270 for the last time before leaving the station in
March 1967 (duration 38 seconds). With many thanks to the man himself for
both recordings.
Keith Hampshire Born on 23rd November 1945, in East Dulwich,
south London, Keith started in show business while very young. He appeared on stage in a children's dancing
show at the age of four. When he was six his family moved to Canada. He became a professional singer as well as
working on radio and television. For details of his music career see the
Canadian Music Encyclopedia. In May 1966 he came back to England and joined Radio Caroline's
South ship two months later. Known as “Keefers” his shows were Keefers' Uprising (the
Breakfast Show) and Keefers' Commotion (the Afternoon Show). He used a number of different
theme tunes. One of them was David's Mood by Jack Eely and the Courtmen with the words “alright you
guys, rise and shine” from Reveille Rock by Johnny and the Hurricanes spliced onto the start. He also
used Sidewinder by Wes Dakus and The Rebels, a Canadian band with whom Keith once performed. He ended each
programme with “join me tomorrow for three solid hours of finger-snapping, toe-tapping, knee-knocking,
thigh-slapping, knuckle-cracking, finger-popping, leg-pulling, wrist-twisting, tongue-tangling,
foot-stomping rock'n'roll music brought to you by me, Keefers.” After the Marine Offences Act became
law, Keith left Caroline, returned to Canada and joined station CKFH Toronto, where he worked with another ex-pirate,
Errol Bruce. There is an audio clip of Keith on CKFH in the
Rock Radio Scrapbook. He has since had a
successful singing and television career and now lives in Ontario where he still does voice-over work. Keith has his
own web-site at www.keithhampshire.com. (Many
thanks to Keith for getting in touch “live from the shores of lovely Lake Simcoe in Ontario Canada” and for his
kind comments about The Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame. Keith has also sent some fantastic
photos from his personal collection. There are more detailed biographies on both
Keith's web-site and the
Radio London one. Keith visited
London in May 2005 and met up with some of his old colleagues. There are photos here.
There are also some photos of Keith taken at the Radio Academy Celebration of Offshore Radio in August 2007
here. Thanks to Stuart Aiken for the theme tune information.)
Keith Hampshire ending “Keefers' Uprising” and starting “Keefers'
Commotion” just six hours later. They worked hard these guys! Tape kindly provided
by Thule Thulesen who recorded it in Denmark on 10th August 1967 (duration 2 minutes 2 seconds)
Keith Hampshire on the last ever “Keefer's Commotion,” 3-6pm on
13th August 1967. Many thanks to the man himself for providing the recording. The
voice at the start of the clip belongs to Tom Edwards
(duration 2 minutes 16 seconds)
Richard Harris Not the actor of the same name, this Richard Harris
was General Manager and a disc-jockey on Britain's second offshore radio station, Radio Atlanta. Although the
ship was anchored outside the territorial limit, almost all of Atlanta's programmes were recorded in studios in
London so Richard never actually broadcast from the ship. Atlanta launched in May 1964 but financially times were tough
and in early July the station merged with the rival Radio Caroline, to become Radio Caroline South. Richard did not stay
on with the station under the new arrangement so his career as a pirate broadcaster was extremely brief, although he had
fond memories of that era, as can be seen from this interview. He died in a motoring accident
in January 1993. (This photo is from ‘Broadcasting From The High Seas’, published by Paul Harris
Publishing. It is from Martin Lynch's collection and has been kindly donated by Lynne Sims.)
Richard Harris presenting the Musical Mailbag show on Radio Atlanta, 27th June 1964. In the early days of offshore
broadcasting the legacy of the BBC style of presentation was still very much in evidence. Also apparent on Radio Atlanta
were plugs for records on labels owned by station boss Allan Crawford such as the Lynne Collins and Kenny Bardell tracks
in this clip. Listener Chris Levy, whose request is included in this recording, has contacted
The Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame (duration 3 minutes 28 seconds)
Dee Harrison On 15th August 1967 the Marine Offences Act came
into force on mainland Britain. Under the new law it was now illegal for British subjects to work on offshore radio
stations. On board the two Radio Caroline ships, just ahead of the law, there were major staff changes as disc-jockeys
left rather than risk prosecution. In fact the Act did not take effect on the Isle of Man for a couple more weeks but
most of the established DJs left Caroline North on the 14th. Others arrived to take their place but, because of the
new legislation, there was an air of secrecy and little was known about them. Dee was one of these new broadcasters
and all we know is that he was a 21 year old from New Brighton on Merseyside. His theme tune was Eleventy-One
by Mike Vickers. Dee only stayed with the station for a short time although his offshore career resumed in 1972 when he
joined Radio Northsea International off the coast of Holland. Here he broadcast as Mark Slate
a name taken from the sixties TV series The Girl from UNCLE. Mark Slate was the lead male character played by
another Harrison - Noel Harrison. (Has anyone got a better photograph of Dee? This one comes from a
newspaper clipping kindly provided by George Morris. And any more information would also be welcome. You can just about
see another picture of Dee with his Caroline North colleagues in the disc-jockeys' photo
album.)
a clip of Dee Harrison from one of his very first shows on Radio Caroline North. It is
the evening of 14th August 1967 and most of the familiar voices have just left the ship ahead
of the impending legislation. Recording kindly provided by Steve Kirby (duration 3
minutes 19 seconds)
Mike Hayes Like so many of the offshore stars of the sixties, Mike
got his first taste of radio while serving in the forces, in his case in the RAF. He was stationed in the Middle East and
broadcast in his spare time with the Aden Forces Broadcasting Association. On his return to the UK, he looked around for
more radio work and had a brief spell on Radio City. But it was with Radio 270 that he really made his mark, joining in
1967 to present The Mikey Mo Breakfast Show and Mikey Mo's Evening Show. He writes: “It may
be interesting to know that Paul Burnett and I were in the RAF in Aden at the same time
and both worked on the Aden Forces Broadcasting Association in 1964/65 and in fact did a
‘humourous/satirical’ show together for a while called Saturday Review. When I read in 1966 that
some DJs had been fired from 270, I rang Paul and got one of the jobs. Funnily on 270 we never worked together, we did
the same shows on alternate weeks. Breakfast open-up till 9.00 and afternoons 15.00 till 18.30. It was a great year
1967.” Mike's theme tune was There Is A Rainbow Round My Shoulder by the Ted Heath Orchestra. He was on
shore-leave at the time of the station close-down. He had intended to return to the ship for the last day but,
as can be heard on the Vince Allen audio clip, bad weather prevented this. Instead Mike
used his contacts with the RAF. He persuaded a helicopter pilot to fly out over the North Sea and drop a bag of
pre-recorded goodbye messages to the guys on the ship. Packed in with the tapes was a note warning the DJs not to
mention how they had been delivered. Unfortunately the bag did not land on the ship. It landed in the sea and sunk. The
farewells never arrived, nor did the warning. Unaware of the message, the disc-jockeys thanked the helicopter pilot
on air for his efforts. As a result, questions were raised in the House of Commons about what the RAF was doing supplying
a pirate radio ship! After his time at sea, Mike moved to Germany. He now lives in Holland and told the
Radio London website
“I'm retired from real work and am working in movies and TV now and then.” He has a web site which
includes some recordings dating from his time on Radio 270 at www.mike/hayes.nl. (Photo kindly provided by George Morris. There are more pictures of
Mike in Guy Hamilton's, Roger Scott's and
David Sinclair's Radio 270 photo albums. There are also some recent pictures of Mike
attending a radio convention in Amsterdam at www.offshore-radio.de. Many thanks to Mike for the email.)
Mike Hayes on Radio City from the summer of 1966. Tape kindly provided by Ray Andrews
(duration 1 minute 21 seconds)
Mike Hayes on two Radio 270 promotions for the Guy Hamilton show. Recording courtesy of Gerry
Zierler (duration 51 seconds)
a clip from the Mikey Mo Breakfast Show on Radio 270, Sunday 25th June 1967. Tape kindly provided by Martyn Webster
(duration 2 minutes 45 seconds)
Phil Hayton was born in 1947 in Yorkshire and educated in America
and Britain. After leaving school he planned to spend two years doing Voluntary Service Overseas in Jordan but, when the
Six Day War broke out, this was cut short and he had to come home. He needed something to occupy his time and, being
interested in broadcasting, wrote to Wilf Proudfoot, the Managing Director of Radio 270, asking for work. He was offered
the job of newsreader with the princely wage of £8 per week. Phil joined the ship in the spring of 1967. As well as
reading the news, he also got involved in the making of commercials and ended up presenting some shows as well. He claims
he got his first programme because one of his colleagues decided he had enough, jumped over the side and started to swim
for shore! Fortunately he was picked up by a fishing boat who took him the rest of the way but it left the ship one
man short. Phil took over. His theme tune was Countdown by Dave ‘Baby’ Cortez. Phil was fortunate that
he never suffered from sea-sickness because the Radio 270 ship was notoriously bouncy. On one occasion Phil was the
only broadcaster in a fit state to present shows and had to take care of the entire day's output single-handed.
He stayed with 270 until the closedown in August 1967. Following the legislation the BBC opened up the first of its chain
of local radio stations and Phil joined Radio Leeds, intending to stay for the summer before resuming his education. His
plans changed when they offered him a job as a producer. He went on to work for the BBC for 37 years, mainly in television.
For ten years he presented BBC-1's main news bulletins, later appearing on News 24 and BBC World. He abruptly
quit the Corporation in September 2005 because of a personality clash with a colleague. Details on the
Media Guardian site
(registration may be required). (Many thanks to Phil for his help compiling the above information and
to George Morris for the photo.)
Phil Hayton on Radio 270 on the night of 9th August 1967. Recording provided by
Ray Andrews (duration 2 minutes 24 seconds)
Phil reading the 9am news on Sunday 25th June 1967. Tape kindly provided by Martyn Webster
(duration 1 minute 15 seconds)
