Happy Birthday, Caroline

[Mi-Amigo]

55 years ago today - on 28 March 1964 - Radio Caroline began broadcasting from a ship in the North Sea off the coast of Essex.

The ship, the mv Caroline, sailed to off the Isle Of Man in July 1964 and the radio ship Mi Amigo took over broadcasting from the North Sea and continued to do so until 1980 when sadly the Mi Amigo sank.

Radio Caroline returned to the airwaves from a new ship, the Ross Revenge, in 1983 and continued to broadcast from the high seas until 1992.

In 2018, the government granted Radio Caroline a regional licence to broadcast to Essex and Kent from the Ross Revenge in River Blackwater.

Happy birthday Caroline and thank you for years of music entertainment

[Glory1]

I enjoyed listening to Radio Caroline when I first arrived in England. I didn't have a telly when I first arrived in London from Southampton, so music was very important. Only the BBC had a music station and it was rather limited in what it played.

Nowadays I don't listen to the radio at all. But Radio Caroline kept me company on my arrival in the UK and I remember it so well.

Happy Birthday Caroline, long may you continue.

[Cleoriff]

I loved Radio Caroline.

It brought the 'right' type of music to people my age and made us want listen. Quite different to the boring stuff played on traditional radio.

The fact it was called a 'pirate radio ship' made it even more exciting.

Happy Birthday Radio Caroline. Thanks  for the music.

[TallTrees]

Great for the teens wanting to listen to light or pop music @Mi-Amigo 

Otherwise it was Radio Luxembourg for pop, it had a huge audience.

It is hard to believe now that the BBC dominated the air waves

completely, no commercial radio and no choice, Pirate Radio was born.

DJ Tony Blackburn ~ woof woof arnold.

[Mi-Amigo]

Thank you @Glory1 ; @Cleoriff ; @TallTrees . It is great that I am not alone in having memories of Radio Caroline - the station which broke state monopoly in broadcasting and gave the listeners what they wanted. A "pirate"? Call it what you like, without it many great bands, including The Who and Status Quo would never have had airtime.

Caroline - the Queen of Rock and Roll - Happy Birthday from me - @Mi-Amigo 

[Mi-Amigo]

                                     A SHORT HISTORY AND TRIBUTE TO RADIO CAROLINE

  28 MARCH 1964                1st BIRTHDAY 1965     1967 GOVERNMENT PLANS           14 AUGUST 1967

FIRST BROADCAST              POP STARS` WISHES      TO BAN "PIRATE" RADIO      CAROLINE DEFIES GOVT

                                         

  3 MARCH 1968  CAROLINE SHIPS ARE HI-JACKED AND TOWED TO HOLLAND   

  3 SEPTEMER 1972                  20 MARCH 1980                 

CAROLINE RETURNS              mv MI AMIGO SINKS