Martin Green
Issue: 7 Date: 12th January 2022
Radio City's Dutch DJ Martin Green got his radio break in the mid-1960's
this feature includes additional photographs from Martins own archive and details of the studios
Whitstable
Harbour East Quay Head |
Ship
out of Alexandra & princes Channel |
Shivering
Sands South Buoyu & Towers |
'Harvester
II' goes about, a young Bob Le-Roi by mast (March 1965) |
Martin Groenhorst taking time out from studying in his native Holland visited the UK in 1965
Control
Tower from base of Bofors Tower |
Gun
Tower 3 from base of Gun Tower 1 |
An avid radio fan he ventured to the then sleepy seaside town of Whitstable in the hope of becoming a Radio DJ
'Harvester II' pulls back from Fort
'Harvester II' lays off
Whitstable had already been rocked by the exploits of David 'Screaming' Lord Sutch when he set up Radio Sutch on the former WWII Maunsell Anti-Aircraft Defence Forts out in the Thames Estuary at Shivering Sands
Tony Pine, Chris Cross, Alexander Dee with Martin Green on 'Harvester II'
Gun
Tower 1 from G3 |
Control
Tower & Gun Tower 4 from Bofors walkway |
Note: The the delapidated state and dangerous sag of the catwalk prior to replacement with the Jungle Walk
Control Tower & Gun Tower 3 from Gun Tower 1 roof
Control
Tower & Gun Tower 3 from Gun Tower 1 roof |
Control
Tower & Gun Tower 4 from Bofors walkway |
Control
Tower catwalk & legs from G1 walkway |
One
of the two small original Lister Generators |
Lister
Generator Detail |
Later
Lister JP3 Diesel Generator Alt' Image |
Radio Sutch had been taken over 'lock stock and barrel' by the initiator of the scheme Reg Calvert, who'd recognised the value of radio publicity for acts signed to him and his partner Terry Kings London 'Tin Pan Alley' King's Agency, 7 Denmark Street, London (WC2H 8LZ)
Martin
in the Galley; Butler Sink drained through floor, with Baby Belling
Cooker right |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Living accommodation/sleeping area (can't place the face, anyone know who?) Note: Some of the original WWII beds were pressed into service |
'Pigeon-Blackbird' shore-link in Living area Note: The list on the wall is the NATO Phonetic Alphabet, the Chuck Berry LP sleeve was stuck on wall in 1964 & remained! |
The renamed station Radio City had already received a number of demo tapes from Dutch & Netherlands 'wanna be' DJ's
Radio City Studio (1965) Studio had the Pirate preferred AKG D12 had a piece of foam over the front annotated with 'Aim Here' |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Dick Dixon, Alexander Dee & Paul Elvey (1965) |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Dick Dixon on-air (1965)
Southern Gun Tower 1 from Gun Tower 4 |
The
original Radio Sutch Studio |
Note: The original Radio Sutch comprised 7" turntables and was a lash-up of bits and pieces, the above studio was the second build used by Radio Sutch and City
Knock John proposed base for Radio City 2 see Sutch & City Picures 15
Martin
Green in the Radio Sutch/City Studio |
Cossor
188 metre & GEC 299 metre transmitters |
Note: The foam over mic, DJ themes behind consul, 3" spools of tape above radiator are the few home produced jingles & Ads
The young Martin struck the South Thames Station Manager Eric K Martin as being worth a try. Radio City was always short of DJ's and money, so those with some ability were sent out for trials receiving nothing or at best a token £5
Martin Green signed photograph (1965) |
Cossor
188 & * GEC 299 Metre Transmitters |
** GEC Ex Navy Transmitter was called 'Big Bertha' in reality quite small
Martin Green letter to a listener a |
Martin
Green letter to a listener b |
Right click to on letter image to download full size version
Engineer Phil Perkins who built the last Radio City Studio
There are very few pictures of many of the Radio City team largely because owning a camera was a luxury, whilst inexpensive models were available developing and printing was expensive
Martin
in a temporary 'lash-up' studio |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Note: The intermediate studio with Collaro turntables jacked up with pieces of wood, a home built passive mixer, the ever faithful Ferrograph Series 4 with a Brennel 1958 MK5 tape machine, in advance of the new studio being turned 45 degrees to left
Martin in a temporary 'lash-up' studio with AKG Mic' less the Foam!
Ship South of the Towers
Gun
Tower 4 from Control Tower roof |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Temporary
studio still in use |
Surrounded by the Top 20 singles, later the City 60 |
Note: Reg Calvert designed 1st Radio City (red) poster over window through to TX room. Current singles in rack, top NME 50 on wall later became the City 60. The headphones went on for years, everyone used them in advance of DJ's owning their own 'ears'
A Dutch DJ a novel idea, Martin was dispatched and as Martin Green soon became one of listeners early favourites DJ's despite his limited command of English
Southern
Gun Tower 4 |
Martin
takes to a jib |
After his short time at Radio City in 1965 he returned to his studies, later became manager of a rock band & set up their fan club
Final
Radio City Studio |
Alternative
Colourized Image |
Swung 45 degrees under the window, the infamous 3" commercial, jingle tapes above the Phil Perkins built mixer and mixing board, three Goldring turntables and a pair of Brennel tape machines
Note: Shivering Sands was the busiest of the Forts, since abandonment by the MOD in 1958 paint trials were conducted hence the apparent better appearance than the Towers at Red Sands Forts
Trinity House regularily servicing the buoys. The Port of London Authority visiting to service the tide gauge on the Searchlight Tower, and later remove the remains of Gun Tower 4 in 1966. The Fort was raided by Roy Bates of Radio Essex who took away the the lights from the crane jibs. Marines staged training exercises on the Bofors Tower; remnants of their scramble netts can be seen in many early photographs. See the Radio Sutch & City Series
Alexander
Dee in the final Radio City 299 Studio |
GEC
299 & the Ian West Transmitter |
Harvester II below crane jib |
Harvester
II alongside |
Rock Group Q65 (Muziek Express)
Note: The Dutch Rock Band took to a tiny rubber dingy & made for Shivering Sands in June 1966,they were permitted to board the Fort & were interviewed on-air
Leaving Shivering Sands on 'Harvester II'
Leaving Shivering Sands on 'Harvester II'
Leaving Shivering Sands on 'Harvester II'
Harbour & Sea Street, Whitstable * |
Middle
Wall, Whitstable ^ |
*Martin Green & Dick Dixon outside of West Harbour Gates by Whitstable Marine ^ joined by Don Witts the walk back to 20a Oxford Street Office
London Bound Platform Whitstable Railway Station
Second leg of Martin's journey home to Holland
Martin Green Drive-In-Show press advertisement
Martin organised concerts and Discotheque Shows, in Dutch radio speak 'Drive In Shows and in between Social Work still found time to present the occasional live gig
Downlaod Martin Green 'Dutch' Press Cuttings 1 : 2
Martins self printed card
Martin at the time of publishing (December 2016) worked at Zelfstandig Ondernemer
In early May 2016 Martin had a serious accident on his motor scooter in Rotterdam, as a result was in a coma
Seriously ill for 5 months he returned home in September and has since gladly made a steady recovery
With grateful thanks to Luuk Meuwese, Francois Lehote, Hans Knot, Jerry Pitcher and Harm Koenders who provided the colouration to the old monochrome images