Chelmsford Amateur Radio Society

Jack Ridley G2AJF - Silent Key
07-Apr-1914  -  14-Jul-1993 , Age 79
 


Jack Ridley - G2AJF became a Silent Key in July 1993, aged 79.

Jack was a Founder Member of CARS.

Wilfred Jack Ridley G2AJF was an active member of Chelmsford RSGB Group in the 1940’s and 50’s. He originally lived in digs in Galleywood Road just a few hundred metres from Louis Varney G5RV and George Cutting G3GNQ then an SWL. Jack later moved to a house in Springfield that stood exactly where the Sainsbury’s Petrol Station stands today.

CARS President, Harry Heap G5HF remembers "that in the 1950s Jack was my chief mechanic in the motor racing days at Boreham, Snetterton, Brands Hatch, Goodwood, Silverstone and Oulton Park".

Jack latterly moved to Canada where he first was VE3EHR, and then VE3DLR.


Jack Ridley G2AJF - 1955


Jack Ridley G2AJF QSL Card from 1950
confirming the first contact Jack had with the newly-licensed George Cutting G3GNQ


1950 NFD: Brian Murray G3MML; Jack Ridley G2AJF (centre) and George Cutting G3GNQ


Coronation Year - June 1953: Visit of the Mayor of Chelmsford to GB2CRA.
Jack Ridley was involved with this event.


1953 - CARS operating GB2CRA.
Unknown, is it Peter Bendell? or Cliff Fenton, G3ABB? or G3EHZ?; then Jack Ridley G2AJF and Arthur G3KPJ (right)


1953 - GB2CRA QSL Card issued to Ruth

Jack worked for Cromptons and moved with the company to Brantford, Ontario in Canada during 1955. Harry G5HF remembers "that on the day the Ridleys packed up to leave Chelmsford for Canada, my wife, Pippa, had the two boys aged about 4 and 5, to keep them out of the way!"

When in Canada he obtained the callsign VE3EHR and worked several Chelmsford stations including George Cutting, G3GNQ.

 
VE3EHR QSL Card from 1958. First contact with George G3GNQ


1959 - Peter Naish G3EIX with Louis Varney G5RV & Jack Ridley VE3EHR in Canada

Jack later moved to Montreal in 1967 and lived there for three years where he operated as VE2AJV.

Jack never liked the VE3EHR as he felt it was difficult to understand over the air so when he returned to Brantford in 1970 he requested a new callsign and received VE3DLR, which he retained for the rest of his life.


VE3DLR QSL Card from 1980 when he visited England.

While back in Brantford, Jack made contact with Al Sass, VE3AS, and the two became good friends and supporters of the Brantford Amateur Radio Club, VE3BA. Al, it turned out was Jack’s first ever Canadian contact as G2AJF.

Jack maintained a regular contact with his many friends in the UK, including G2PB, and Louis Varney G5RV.

In the 1970’s he had a contact with Keith Robbins GW3PFV and they discovered they both knew George Cutting G3GNQ. Keith GW3PFV arranged a sked between Jack and George and it was the start of regular Monday night contacts, at 6pm UK local time, between the two stations.


George Cutting, G3GNQ in 1975 in his garden in Galleywood, Chelmsford.

In total 573 weekly contacts were made between them before Jack passed away in August 1993 in his 80th year.

"Some time after my father passed away the family was contacted and asked to release VE3DLR to another Radio Amateur. We were pleased to do so. So while Jack is silent key, VE3DLR lives on.

If anyone reading this is in contact with VE3DLR, please pass on the family’s regards."

Trevor M5AKA August 2002 / Martyn Ridley, September 2008


Received in August 2008 from Martyn Ridley, Jack's Son:-

For the fun of it I typed G2AJF at lunchtime and had your (CARS) site come up with the notice of George Cutting's passing. I only remember meeting George once (though I must have met him when I was very young), when he was here with his wife on holidays.

As child I remember being woken up by VE3EHR/VE2AJV/VE3DLR as it came blasting through my radio in the morning - Dad being on a contest of some kind. I was too young for G2AJF. Please add G2AJF to your Silent Key list, August 1993. I don't know whether he actually belonged to your group but I know the RSGB bulletin was always in the house.

The question most ask is whether his sons followed in his footsteps; no and yes.Neither my brother nor I took up radio, but we both became very involved in computers, which if your think laterally, is just a standard deviation away.

Best wishes to the CARS, and for Dad; 73s.

Martyn Ridley
Logistics Manager
Kerry Canada Inc.

martyn.ridley@kerry.com



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