The fans' memorabilia

André de Raaij's Caroline South DJ roster August 1964 - January 1965

Correspondent André de Raaij has very kindly sent us part of a programme log he kept for Radio Caroline South. It covers the last few months of 1964 and the start of 1965.


AUGUST 1964
Programme schedule first week
last week
6-9am Early Show Bryan Vaughan
Mike Allen
9-11am The Sound of Music Bob Brown
Bryan Vaughan
11am-12pm Top Deck Mike Allen
Keith Skues
12-1pm Lunchdate Bryan Vaughan
Tony Blackburn
1-2pm Spin Around Tony Blackburn
Errol Bruce
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-Fri)

Caroline Top 50 (Sat)
Bob Brown
Bryan Vaughan or Mike Allen (alternating)
4-6pm
Big Line Up (weekdays)

All Systems Go (weekends)
Tony Blackburn

Tony Blackburn
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Mike Allen
Keith Skues
7-8pm Downbeat Tony Blackburn
Errol Bruce

 

Mike Allen

Bryan Vaughan

Tony Blackburn

Simon Dee

Keith Skues

Mike Allen.
Bryan Vaughan.
Tony Blackburn.
Simon Dee.
Keith Skues.
Photos courtesy of ‘Pop Went the Pirates’, ‘Radio News’, ‘Beatwave’ and ‘Who's Who in Pop Radio’.

Although the working pattern later settled into a regular two weeks on / one week off rota, at this early stage in the station's life things seem more random with some people doing short stints on the ship, others enduring extremely long ones. Bryan Vaughan appears to have spent at least six consecutive weeks at sea during August/September 1964.


SEPTEMBER 1964
Programme schedule 1st week 2nd week 3rd week 4th week 5th week
6-9am Early Show Bob Walton Keith Martin Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan
9-11am The Sound of Music Mike Allen Errol Bruce Bob Walton Bob Walton Keith Martin
11am-12pm Top Deck Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Eddie Anthony Keith Skues Doug Kerr
12-1pm Lunchdate Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn Bob Walton Eddie Anthony Tony Blackburn
1-2pm Spin Around Mike Allen Bryan Vaughan Eddie Anthony Bob Walton Doug Kerr
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-Fri)

Caroline Top 50 (Sat)
Bryan Vaughan Keith Martin Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan
4-6pm
Big Line Up (weekdays)

All Systems Go (weekend)
Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn Eddie Anthony Eddie Anthony Tony Blackburn
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Bob Walton Keith Skues Keith Martin
7-8pm Downbeat Mike Allen Errol Bruce Eddie Anthony Eddie Anthony Doug Kerr

During this period the disc-jockeys did not “self-op” (operate the equipment themselves). Someone else sat the other side of a window, spinning the records and balancing the audio levels. However, when Australian panel operator Terry Saunders left the ship to return home in November 1964, the DJs decided to introduce a self-op system - although not all could do it. Some of the presenters still needed a colleague to drive the studio desk for them.


OCTOBER 1964
Programme schedule 1st week 2nd week 3rd week 4th week
6-9am Early Show Doug Kerr Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Doug Kerr
9-11am The Sound of Music Keith Skues Bob Walton Errol Bruce Bob Walton
11am-12pm Top Deck Bob Walton Mike Allen Keith Skues Errol Bruce
12-1pm Lunchdate Keith Martin Bob Walton Errol Bruce Keith Martin
1-2pm Spin Around Bob Walton Mike Allen Eddie Anthony Bob Walton
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-Fri)

Caroline Top 50 (Sat)
Keith Skues Bryan Vaughan Bryan Vaughan Keith Martin
4-6pm
Big Line Up (weekdays)

All Systems Go (weekend)
Tony Blackburn Eddie Anthony Eddie Anthony Errol Bruce
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Keith Martin Mike Allen Keith Skues Doug Kerr
7-8pm Downbeat Tony Blackburn Eddie Anthony Errol Bruce Errol Bruce

November saw the return to the ship of Simon Dee. The station's first star DJ had fallen out with joint Managing Director Allan Crawford - Dee didn't like playing cover versions of the hits released on Crawford's record labels - but, when Keith Martin fell ill, Simon was invited back to the ship to fill the vacancy. Chris Jonns was only on Caroline South for one stint. He later became known as Ric Jonns on Caroline North.


NOVEMBER 1964
Programme schedule 1st week 2nd week 3rd week 4th week
6-9am Early Show Bryan Vaughan Doug Kerr Doug Kerr Bryan Vaughan
9-11am The Sound of Music Bob Walton Errol Bruce Bob Walton Errol Bruce
11-12pm Top Deck Errol Bruce Doug Kerr Doug Kerr Simon Dee
12-1pm Lunchdate Keith Martin Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn Bryan Vaughan
1-2pm Spin Around Bob Walton Errol Bruce Doug Kerr Chris Jonns
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-Fri)

Caroline Top 50 (Sat)
Bryan Vaughan Doug Kerr Bob Walton (ST)
Doug Kerr (T50)
Simon Dee
4-6pm
Big Line Up (wd)

All Systems Go (we)
Errol Bruce Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn Errol Bruce
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Keith Martin Doug Kerr Doug Kerr Simon Dee
7-8pm Downbeat Errol Bruce Errol Bruce Tony Blackburn Chris Jonns

 

Garry Kemp

Paul Noble

Keith Martin

Chris Jonns

Doug Kerr

Garry Kemp.
Paul Noble.
Keith Martin.
Chris Jonns.
Doug Kerr.
Photos courtesy of ‘Disc & Music Echo’, ‘Radio Caroline’, ‘Pop Went the Pirates’, Sue Field and Colin Nicol.

Paul Noble had joined the station's technical team in September but got his big break on air in December.


DECEMBER 1964
Programme schedule 1st week 2nd week 3rd week 4th week before New Year
6-9am Early Show Doug Kerr Simon Dee Doug Kerr Bryan Vaughan Doug Kerr
9-11am The Sound of Music Tony Blackburn Errol Bruce Bob Walton Bob Walton Errol Bruce
11-12pm Top Deck Bob Walton Bryan Vaughan Tony Blackburn Paul Noble Garry Kemp
12-1pm Lunchdate Doug Kerr Simon Dee Doug Kerr Bob Walton Doug Kerr
1-2pm Spin Around Chris Jonns Errol Bruce Tony Blackburn Bryan Vaughan Garry Kemp
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-F)

Top 50 (Sat)
Bob Walton (ST)
Doug Kerr (T50)
Bryan Vaughan Garry Kemp (ST)
Doug Kerr (T50)
Bob Walton (ST)
Paul Noble (T50)
Simon Dee
4-6pm
Big Line Up (wd)

All Systems Go (we)
Tony Blackburn Errol Bruce Tony Blackburn Bryan Vaughan Errol Bruce
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Bob Walton Bryan Vaughan Bob Walton Paul Noble Simon Dee
7-8pm Downbeat Chris Jonns Errol Bruce Paul Noble Bob Walton Garry Kemp

January saw the return to the ship of Keith Skues - last aboard in October, when his stay had been cut short by an injury. During rough seas a metal splinter had lodged in his eye. He had been rushed ashore for medical treatment and had to spend time in hospital.


JANUARY 1965
Programme schedule 1st week 2nd week 3rd week
6-9am Early Show Doug Kerr Bryan Vaughan Garry Kemp
9-11am The Sound of Music Errol Bruce Keith Skues Doug Kerr
11am-12pm Top Deck Garry Kemp Paul Noble Simon Dee
12-1pm Lunchdate Doug Kerr Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn
1-2pm Spin Around Garry Kemp Keith Skues Garry Kemp
2-4pm
Soundtrack (Sun-Fri)

Caroline Top 50 (Sat)
Simon Dee Bob Walton (ST)
Keith Skues (T50)
Simon Dee
4-6pm
Big Line Up (weekdays)

All Systems Go (weekend)
Errol Bruce Tony Blackburn Tony Blackburn
6-7pm Caroline Club Requests Simon Dee Paul Noble Garry Kemp
7-8pm Downbeat Garry Kemp Bob Walton Doug Kerr

Bryan Vaughan writes: “I am amazed that someone took the trouble to list the programmes with so much detail. I have always had a memory that, in the early days, I once spent about six consecutive weeks on the Mi Amigo. I know that there were extreme weather problems at one stage and that we sometimes lacked enough staff, so that might explain it. Some DJs could not stand the conditions at sea and did not last. Terry Saunders did a lot of the panelling for people like Simon Dee, Mike Allen, Eddie Anthony and others and I also helped out at times. Keith Skues, Tony Blackburn, Errol Bruce & Paul Noble could certainly ‘self op’. It is a fascinating glimpse of ‘a pirate's life’ in 1964. Cheers.”
 
At some point Radio Caroline South attempted late night programmes on 199 metres but André was not able to monitor them. He says: “I don't know about them. Reception must have been awful in winter. Radio Moscow already starting blasting in at 4.30pm during what was arguably (to me) the most interesting programme, together with Downbeat.” Can anyone supply information about late night programming?

With grateful thanks to André.
 
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