Saturday, 9 January 2016

LIGHTSHIP CORMORANT / LADY DIXON - Chapter 129a

 
Hi David.
Regarding your last comment "1961  -  Sold to G.A.Lee Ltd., Earl Street, Belfast and swiftly on to Arnold Thompson of Slough, where it began its ill-fated career as a pirate radio station GBOK."
    I am researching the history of the vessel for a new book about radio broadcasting. However, the vessel could not have been sold in 1961 to a 'Arnold Thompson' of Slough - because 'Arnold' and 'Thompson' are parts of two names with only a Thompson residing in Slough, and 'GBOK' being at another location along with 'Swanson'.
   Do you have a record of who the 1961 purchaser was? It would be very helpful to my own research.
Mervyn (freebornjohn)
 
Hi Mervyn
I’m afraid I chose the wrong source document. It has the names mixed up.  I should have been more careful.
In 1961 John Thompson of Slough set up a company called “The Voice of Slough Ltd” which aimed to set up a commercial radio station in an ex-fishing boat. Arnold Swanson (a Canadian) provided finance, but subsequently left the project when it ran into difficulties and set up his own project GBOK (Great Britain OK).  He bought the Lady Dixon to house the station, but it is not clear from whom.
I have more information from a Dutch source about these two failed projects if you do not have it already and if you can put up with a somewhat imperfect translation!
David

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