Eddie Jerold

Eddie Jerold (sometimes spelt Jerrold) was one of the presenters on the early offshore station, Radio Invicta, which launched in 1964. 'The Pirate Radio Hall Of Fame' has very little information about him. It is thought he was American and, in common with the other Invicta presenters, used more than one name on the air. This was done to make the station sound like a bigger operation than it really was. Eddie was also known as Frank Smith. 

In 1965 Invicta closed down to be replaced by King Radio. He stayed with the new set-up and was senior DJ. Eddie left before the next change, as King was replaced by Radio 390. A correspondent, Chris Napier, knew him some time later. He writes: “I used to work with Eddie in the seventies at hospital radio in Bristol. He used to live in a huge house and, after being made redundant from an engineering company, bought a corner shop in the Redland area of the city. He moved to Newport, South Wales, in the eighties. I attended a hospital radio reunion recently and was told that sadly Eddie died a few years ago.” 

Another correspondent, Charlie Brown, from Rookwood Sound Hospital Radio in Cardiff, tells us that “Eddie (or Frank) finished his broadcasting career with Rookwood Sound presenting the Reverie programme between 8 and 10 every Sunday night, until just prior to his death. His full-time employment was with Edwards Coach firm in Church Village.” Chris Napier: “He had a great radio voice but knew nothing about the technicalities. He always finished off his show with a Nat ‘King’ Cole track as he crushed his cigarette out in the ash tray!” Chris also remembers: “During his pirate days, he used to sign off as Eddie Jerold ‘and my producer Frank Smith’. I put it to him that his name was Frank Eddie Gerald Smith and this was a crafty way of getting two pay cheques. He never denied or confirmed this - just walked away with a satisfied grin on his face!” 

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