Radio Sutch & City - Part 17

Copy free feature incorporating Anniversary photographs marking 50 years since broadcasts began from the Shivering Sands Fort

Radio Sutch began it's short life on 27th May 1964 by late summer, Reg Calvert had taken full control of the station & re-branded it Radio City it opened on 30th September 1964

1. With Jerry Pitcher at Whitstable Harbour, 9th September 2014

Away on a UK tour from 10th September I was unable to attend the 50th Anniversary, but the return route home took us by way of Wendens Ambo, Saffron Walden, Essex

It was here that tragedy struck on the 21st June 1966 when Reg Calvert sadly lost his life in a tussel over the taking of Shivering Sands Fort by Oliver Smedley

Happenchance, fate, call it what you will but the timing was right to stop & give a few moments thought to Reg

2. Wendens Ambo, Village approach sign

Sign on B1039 Royston Road just before the road passes under the M11

3. The Bell Inn

N.B The Public house in Wendens Ambo has a large car park but will clamp non-customers, so be sure to use the pub first before walking around the village which opens at Midday

4. Cottages on Church Street leads to St Mary's the Virgin Church

The picturessque village is home to around 400 & takes its name from the joining of two villages 'Great & Little' with Ambo meaning both Wendens

5. Wooden Road sign to Duck Street & Norton End

6. View down Duck Street

To a Duck Pond on the left and Road Ford with small foot bridge (Note white railings)

7. Oliver Smedley's former Cottage on 17th February 2014

Repairs to the thatched roof the current owners unaware of the tragedy

8. Cottage on 17th September 2014

9. Cottage viewed looking back up Duck Street

10. Picture on June 22nd 1966 with Reg's 1965 Ford Zodiac parked outside

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A Radio City 50th anniversary sail was planned aboard SB Greta Website

11. Choppy seas, grey, murky & windy

12. Jerry Pitcher armed with a multitude of video & still cameras

13. Dick breaks out the rations

L-R: Chris Cross, Dick Dixon, Martin Stevens & Martin Green

14. Out come the beers

With a stiff Northerly breeze & little headway, a couple of hours later the trip's aborted

15. Greta Crew member Simon throws a line to (Music Man) Mike Peters

Simon owns a very respectable sailing vessel (Go down page to CK 178) & Mike is a local agent musician

SB Greta features : SB Greta Website

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gathering at the Duke of Cumberland, High Street, Whitstable, Kent, CT5 1AP

15. Foreground: Mike Proctor talks to Tony Pine, background Woolf Byrne, Chris Cross & Dick Dixon

16. Mike Proctor looks at archive items with Tony Pine

17. Island Wall Whistable, Radio City Rogues Gallery

Woolf Byrne, Jerry Pitcher, Chris Cross, Dick Dixon, Tony Pine, Martin Green, Roger Scott (Essex) Martin Stevens, Mike Proctor & front Ricky Michael's

Grateful thanks to Jerry Pitcher for re-union photographs and David Phillips for the additional material

Radio City 40th Anniversary Feature (2004) Return to the ScrapBook Index