# Radio Free Scotland

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{{Short description|Scottish radio station}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2015}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2015}}
Between 1956 and 1965 '''Radio Free Scotland''' (RFS) broadcast through the audio channel of [BBC](/source/BBC) [television](/source/television) (then on VHF) after ''[God Save the Queen](/source/God_Save_the_King)'' finished in the evening, and, later on, on 262 metres [medium wave](/source/medium_wave) on the [radio](/source/radio).

The station was the initiative of [David Rollo](/source/David_Rollo_(politician)), an electrical engineer who served as the [Scottish National Party](/source/Scottish_National_Party) (SNP)'s treasurer and head of broadcasting.  He built a transmitter in the Townhead Cafe in [Kirkintilloch](/source/Kirkintilloch) with Alvaro Rossi.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/kirkintilloch-pirate-was-a-pioneer-for-independence-on-the-airwaves-1-2404905 |title="Kirkintilloch ‘pirate’ was a pioneer for independence on the airwaves" |website=[Kirkintilloch Herald](/source/Kirkintilloch_Herald) |date=14 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716163804/http://www.kirkintilloch-herald.co.uk/news/local-headlines/kirkintilloch-pirate-was-a-pioneer-for-independence-on-the-airwaves-1-2404905|archive-date=16 July 2015}}</ref>

The first broadcast interrupted a BBC newscast when viewers in [Perth](/source/Perth%2C_Scotland) were told to stay tuned following sign off. This "pirate" radio transmission opened with the provocative statement: "This is Radio Free Scotland proclaiming to the nation that the fight for independence is on in earnest".<ref>{{cite news|work=The Glasgow Herald |title =Broadcast by "Radio Free Scotland" | url =https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QWJAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e5wMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6314%2C2830748 | date=26 November 1956 |page=6 |accessdate = 28 June 2017}}</ref> This roving station was heard for almost a month in [Glasgow](/source/Glasgow), [Ayrshire](/source/Ayrshire) and Perth. {{fact|date=April 2024}}

Leading figures in Radio Free Scotland included "Controller General", [Gordon Wilson](/source/Gordon_Wilson_(Scottish_politician)), who later became an [MP](/source/British_House_of_Commons) (1974–1987) and was Chairman (Convener) of the SNP from 1979 to 1990. [Douglas Henderson](/source/Douglas_Henderson_(SNP_politician)), also later an MP, was "Director of Programmes"<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Gazetteer for Scotland |title =Douglas Henderson | url =http://www.scottish-places.info/people/famousfirst3201.html  | accessdate = 2009-12-24 }}</ref> between 1963 and 1965. Scotland's oldest woman when she died, Annie Knight, hosted the station in her living room during 1962.

Gordon Wilson has written a book about the station, ''Pirates of the Air''.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Pirates-of-the-Caledonian-Uncovering.6842505.jp | title=News }}</ref>

Radio Free Scotland was reborn online in 2007 after the blessing of [William Wolfe](/source/William_Wolfe) and others from the original station was given to Presenter "Pax".{{clarify|reason=Who?|date=April 2024}} The station was presented for the first run by Pax himself with occasional guests providing music and opinion relevant to [Scottish independence](/source/Scottish_independence). Every show still starts with opening words from the original broadcasts.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

In 2013 the show was revamped again to include regular guests Nick Durie and Gordon S. Kerman giving their own views and insights along [Yes Scotland](/source/Yes_Scotland) [Edinburgh  Pentlands](/source/Edinburgh_Pentlands_(Scottish_Parliament_constituency)) co-ordinator Simon Hayter giving monthly updates both nationally and regionally for the Yes Scotland campaign.{{fact|date=April 2024}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

* Radio Free Scotland Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/Radio.Free.Scotland

{{Scottish National Party}}
{{Authority control}}

Category:Radio stations in Scotland
Category:Scottish independence
Category:Pirate radio stations in the United Kingdom
Category:Scottish National Party
Category:Defunct radio stations in the United Kingdom
Category:Radio stations established in 1956
Category:Radio stations disestablished in 1965

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Radio Free Scotland](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Scotland) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio_Free_Scotland?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.