November 30th 2011 Meeting

The latest Radio Caroline Southampton support group meeting took place at the Netley Victoria Club, Netley Abbey on Wednesday 30th November. We were pleased that the Sponsor of the 60s and 70s show Peter Smith made the long journey from Essex to see us. We were also delighted to meet three of Radio Caroline’s DJs Peter Antony, Mike Brill and Ray Copeland who told us lots of interesting stories about their early days in radio. Albert and Georgina Hood again brought along a great selection of Caroline merchandise to sell including lots of Caroline Christmas cards and Alan Beech gave an update of the restoration work on the Ross Revenge. It was also nice to see Mike Mack from the local station Skyline Gold who spoke briefly about Simon Dee’s visit to his station just before he passed away. Thanks to everyone that came along at a busy time of year and for helping us to raise more money for the restoration of Radio Caroline’s ship the Ross Revenge. Our next meeting will take place next March and we welcome anyone that would like to join us.

Sponsor Peter Smith with Albert Hood

Mike Brill and Roland Beaney

Peter Antony, Ray Copeland and Mandy Marton

Chris Martin setting up his video gear

Ray Copeland, Peter Smith, Mike Brill, Peter Antony and Roland Beaney

Peter Smith, Mike Brill, Peter Antony and Roland Beaney

Mike Brill telling us about his early days in radio

Ray Copeland

Peter Antony telling us about his Radio Luxembourg days

Local station Skyline FM presenter Mike Mack sharing his memories of Simon Dee

Albert Hood with the large Mi Amigo poster

All together now, cheese!!

September 28th 2011 Meeting

At this meeting we had a good mixture of supporters and presenters travelling from all over the UK to share their stories and views about radio in general and especially Radio Caroline. The picture further down the page shows many of them in front of the bar. You may also be able to pick out a couple of faces of presenters from the past, Ian Miles and Steve Essex. We were grateful to Albert and Georgina Hood who arrived with a great selection of Caroline merchandise and set up a sales stall. Alan Watts is a regular to our meetings but we were pleased to meet two more Caroline presenters Andrew Austin and Rocking John Cronnolley who travelled down from Bolton. We now have three regular visitors to our meetings who travel from Wales in a Taxi including Alwyn Anthony from Pontypridd who's claim to fame was winning a pair of Tom Jones trousers back in the 60s and is to be featured in the Pontypridd Observer pictured with several of the Radio Caroline DJs.

This time we celebrated another anniversary of the 60s and 70s show broadcast on Radio Caroline from 9pm to midnight on Tuesday nights, Barry James and Clive Garrard thanked the listeners for supporting the show and Andrew Austin joined in by telling us a story about Barry's large collection of CDs that he used to take to the old Maidstone studios. There was also a special mention for Peter Smith who has been sponsoring the show since the start and for all his support to the station, sadly he could not make it to this meeting.

Dave Lockyer gave an update of the work with the replacement of the mast, Alan Beech also spoke about the work on board the Ross and Mandy Marton continued by interviewing Barry James and Albert Hood.

Chris Martin, Andrew Austin and John Cronnolley

Graham Hodgekiss, Alwyn Anthony and Roger Taylor

Mandy Marton, David and Andrew Webb

Alwyn Anthony and Clive Garrard

David Webb and Ian Miles

Barry James with Linda & Steve Britain from Leicester plus Mike Terry

Roland Beaney, Clive Garrard, Barry James and Albert Hood

Roland Beaney, Clive Garrard and Barry James

Tony Chennery (centre) Ashley Atkins (right)

Andrew Austin telling us a few secrets about the 60's and 70's crew

Dave Lockyer giving us the latest info on the Ross Revenge masts.

Presenters posing with Alwyn Anthony for a welsh newspaper

Alan Beech, Steve Essex, Barry James, Ian Miles, Clive Garrard, Alan Watts,  Andrew Austin and Jon Cronnolley

Alwyn Anthony, Clive Garrard, Georgina and Albert Hood

Clive Garrard, Georgina and Albert Hood plus Barry James

David Webb, Mandy Marton, Clive Garrard and Roland Beaney

The grand gathering

June 29th 2011 Meeting

"The Radio Caroline Support Group (Southampton Branch) met at the Royal Victoria Social Club in Netley on 29 June 2011. Some regular members were unable to attend, including Roland Beaney, who was sadly taken ill on the day of the meeting. We wish him well for a full and speedy recovery. Mandy Marton is to be commended for the excellent job she did, stepping in a short notice to host the event. Grateful thanks must also be extended to her daughter, Lydia, who helped with technical matters, handling the finances, and running the raffle.

In addition to setting up the equipment, with assistance (or was that hindrance?) from guest speaker, Chris Cooper, Mandy also undertook the first presentation of the evening, giving a very interesting slideshow of the recent time she spent on Radio Seagull, on board the lightship Jenni Baynton, off the coast of Holland. After this, she interviewed Chris, who talked openly and candidly about the time he spent on Radio Caroline over Christmas 1989 and into the New Year 1990, including stories of nudity and a fire onboard the Ross Revenge!

Although a smaller gathering than usual, a good time was had by all."

report from Chris Mould

Goodies ready for devouring

Aptly named building opposite the venue

Taxi all the way from Wales

Group including Mandy Marton's daughter Lydia, far right

Group including Chris Cooper, far right

Mandy Marton and the Jenni Baynton slideshow

Mandy interviewing Chris Cooper

Mandy chatting to Albert Hood

Mandy, Alwyn Anthony (centre) and Chris Beeching (seated right)

March 30th 2011 Meeting

We are always delighted to meet presenters past and present at our meetings. This time three current presenters, Dave Foster, Marc Griffiths and our regular member Alan Watts were present with former presenter Tony Christian coming along to be interviewed by Mandy Marton. These events are organised to raise funds for the restoration work of our ship the Ross Revenge currently in Tilbury docks and most of the money raised has bought tins of paint and replacement of tools. Recently A

lan Beech saw a generator for sale in the Tilbury area and with the help of funds raised at our meetings was able to buy it for the ship. Alan showed a short movie of the generator in action and thanked everyone for helping to raise the money for it. Reporters from the Southern Echo turned up to take photos of us and ask us lots of questions about our meetings. After a delay with the buffet Pizza and Chips arrived.

Daily Echo report

Alan Beech setting up the sound and video system

Roland Beaney being interviewed by "Southern Echo" reporter

Mandy Marton chatting to Tony Christian

DJ's being interviewed

Alan Watts, Marc Griffiths, Tony Christian and Dave Foster

Tony Christian interview with Mandy Marton for Radio Seagull

Dave Foster and Southern Echo reporter

Meeting organiser Roland Beaney with Marc Griffiths

Time to say cheese..

November 2010 Meeting

I am really grateful to everyone that came along to our latest Radio Caroline Southampton support group meeting at Netley on 24th November. Thank you for making it another very successful night and buying lots of merchandise that Albert and Georgina Hood brought along. We also had a stock of 2011 Official Calendars that sold well. Three guys made the long trip over from Pontypridd in Wales in a Taxi to join us and it was great to meet them including Alwyn Anthony who told us a very interesting story of how he organised protest meetings in his home town in 1967 to try to save the station. Julian, who for many years has been a keen member of the Worldspace forums gave us an update of the latest news of the struggling Satellite broadcaster and Albert Hood told us another of his many interesting stories from the days when the ships were broadcasting from the high seas. All the money raised from these meetings goes towards the restoration work on board Radio Caroline's ship, The Ross Revenge. Everyone is invited to join us for our next meeting on Wednesday March 30th . . .Roland Beaney

Southampton Supporters make the Ponttypridd newspaper in Wales

Proud Caroline calendar owners

Dave Williams, Chris Martin and Georgina Hood

Chris Martin and Albert Hood

Alan Beech showing off his calendar

Roland Beaney, Albert and Georgina Hood

Alwyn Anthony talks to Mandy Martin about his early Caroline memories

Roger Taylor, Morgan Bowler (from Wales), Elaine and Chris Beeching

Albert Hood and Mandy Marton

Alwyn Anthony, Mandy Marton and Graham Hodgekiss

Graham Hodgekiss from Wales

Alwyn Anthony from Wales

Mandy Marton, Alan Beech, Alan Watts (back), Alwyn Anthony, Georgina and Albert Hood

The venue, the Netley Victoria Club