Back to the Archive Index

Radio Sutch & City - Part 9

More Shivering Sand Radio & Whitstable History

Issue: 5 Updated: 5th May 2022

Radio City Rate Card Logo

Rate Card Logo (1965)

Don Witts at Pearsons Arms in late 1950's

Don Witts at the what was originally thought to be the 'Pearson's Arms' but now we believe 'The Guinea' 31 Island Wall, Whitstable in anticipation of his customary 'Worthington White Shield' being poured by Landlord Lou Jaffa with wife Flo' at the hand pump

The picture dates from the late 1950's before Dons time as Transmitter Engineer on Shivering Sands

Island Wall Whitstable in 2004

Island Wall Whitstable (28th October 2004)

15 & 17 Island Wall Whitstable in 2004

Numbers 17 & 15 Island Wall (28th October 2004)

Tony was the stations longest serving Electrical and General Engineer, Number 15 his home and 'Pine's General Stores' was mainly run by his then wife Susanne who provisioned most of the General Supplies

After the daily closedown at midnight, communication was made to the Fort from a Transceiver at the Stores

On the Fort the old Radio Sutch Halifax transmitter was used, the call sign being Pigeon-Blackbird

By the way Reg Calvert spoke a number of us thought it was Pagen-Blackwell!

(Later the main 299 Transmitter was employed to relay 'shopping lists')

In a planned raid on Island Wall the GPO were unable to find the TX or its aerial

Daily Mail Daily Mail Daily Mail

Daily Mail Report (22nd April 1965)

With hard evidence Tony couldn't escape prosecution for use of an illegal transmitter. With the summons duly issued, tea was served and during the ensuing banter Tony revealed the Transceiver bricked up in a fire place, with aerial feed cemented into the chimney breast, probably still there to this day!

Alongside this when the Record Centre at 20a Oxford Street closed for the day, Station Manager Erik K Martin would drive his Jaguar up to Tankerton Slopes overlooking the Estuary Forts to use a handheld set to hail the Fort

Whitstable Harbour dredging in 2004

Whitstable Harbour being dredged (28th October 2004)

Whitstable was a hive of activity as small supply fishing boats bound for both Shivering & Red Sands left here in the mid-60's


Audio

Martin Stevens 1965, Phil Jay 1966 and Gary Stevens 1967

Martin Stevens became stranded on the Fort whilst on a Photo Journalist task, Phil Jay only ventured out to the Fort once, his 'Discomania' was recorded on shore, Gary Stevens provided a pre-recorded programme from New York


Martin Stevens with TiD 164 in 2004

Martin Stevens on the West Quay by one of his Tugs the TiD 164 at Whitstable Harbour (6th August 2005)

TiD 164 at Faversham Creek

Martin's TiD 164 moored at Faversham Creek by the Swing Bridge (Martin Stevens)

TiD 164 at Chatham

Martin's TiD 164 moored at Chatham (Martin Stevens)

Yet more tender tape recording

Studio!! (September 1964)

Early lash-up unbelievable this set up produced tender tapes:

Bush Radio with line input, Grampian DP4 Microphone, Garrard SP22 & 23 & Civic (Curry's) reel to reel which boasted three speeds and ultra fast rewind and produced surprisingly high quality recordings

Before this initial tapes were made in a stop-start fashion using an old Collaro record player plugged into the Civic, after the record was recorded an Acos Mic' was plugged in & so forth, sadly no pictures

This kit was built into a plinth & carted around to fill between live sets at the infamous Radio City Dance Party's Sutch & City - Part 7

Letter found on fort in 1969 Letter found on fort in 1969

Extract of letter left behind on the Fort

Once the Shivering Sands had been abandoned by Radio City a number of local Herne Bay people decided to remove remaining items of potential use

Mick Hawkins went out in his 'Seaspray' and John McDonald with 'Sea Plover' along with Terry Vaccani removing parts of the generators the letters were in the haul

Letter 2 found on fort in 1969

Contol Tower overlooking Catwalk from G1

Control Tower from the roof of G1 Gun Tower overlooking the Jungle Walk

Letter 2 found on fort in 1969

G1 Tower from roof of Bofors Tower

View from G1 Gun Tower roof to Bofors Tower

Letter 2 found on fort in 1969

Above notes discovered on the fort in 1969 believed to have been written by Penny Townsend-Jones see Radio Sutch City Part 6

27/06/08 - My names Abe, I'm Dennis & Penelope Swinnertons son. Yes they are defiantly my mums letters, that's her writing. Its really nice to see the memory of my father living on in this site as he sadly passed away some time ago as you may or may not know.

I just happened to type in my mothers name on google & was amazed to find these letters she wrote, very fascinating to me of course.

Thanks for sharing the photos & letters on your site, I had never seen any of these of my Father as a DJ before so again this was fascinating! I hope to one day visit the Forts.

The site is great, keep it up! Thanks again. - Abe

It's believed that Penny now lives in deal, Kent

Shivering Sands Fort in late 1967

Shivering Sands pictures in early 1970's

Vic Davies & Bob Le-Roi

Vic Davies gets the point on a trip out to Shivering Sands

Landbased station rig in Canterbury in 1968

After the Offshore Stations were closed & Caroline silenced in 1968, many land based pirates appeared. Part of a studio set up pictured above at SERED (Sovereign Studios), Stour Street, Canterbury during the 1970's

Custom built valve mixer & Vortexion PA 25 & 50 power amplifiers of the type used by Radio Essex

Quad off air tuner on top with monitor amplifier to right. Phillips & Grundig tape machines

This equipment was used for recording & relaying the Diocesan Conferences at Canterbury Cathedral but was pressed into action for clandestine broadcasting. Programmes were pre-recorded & put out in the evenings & weekends

On one occasion the splatter from the hand made transmitter caused interference to BBC TV channel 5 local transmitter on the water tower at St Thomas' Hill

Shivering Sands from Balmoral in 2003

Shivering Sands from the SS Balmoral (August 2003)

Balmoral by Clifton Suspesion Bridge

Painting of the SS Balmoral off the Avon with Clifton Suspension Bridge background

Tom Edwards 60th birthday bash in 2005

Standing Mark Sloan, Radio City's Tom Edwards, Dave Lee-Travis, Duncan Johnson, Carolyn Bristow of Caroline House now with Coty, Keith Hampshire & Johnny Walker

Tom celebrated his 60th in 2005, the boys pictured above at his birthday party (17th April 2005)

Tom Edwards - Duncan reminded me of the day he came on board Radio City when there were plan's for it to become UKGM. Apparently I greeted him when he reached that platform 90 feet above sea level with the words "Hi I'm Tom Edwards but everyone calls me Mother on here!"

Tom's Minders in Gran Canaria 2005

Tom & "Mothers Minders" in Gran Canaria 20th March 2005

SB Greta motors into Whitstable 2004

SB Greta passes the Dolphin at Whitstable Harbour on 28th August 2004 retuning from one of our Thames Estuary Sailings

The story continues in Sutch & City Part 10

Grateful thanks to Tom Edwards for his party pictures & Terry Vaccani for the notes & letters  

Web Site Message from: Mike Craig (aka Mike Watts, Herr Vont's Kutting, The Castaway on Radio City)

Excellent stuff on Radio City a station I fondly remember, being my first experience of offshore radio at the age of 15. Having nicked a boat from Whitstable's Tankerton beach & getting stranded on the fort for three days. Somewhere there's a recording of me on-air having been put on during a test transmission after the 'gods'. Tony Pine may remember this it was my very first broadcast on radio, the bug bit - Best Regards, Mike