Category Archives: leisure

IN MEMORY OF A FREE CONCERT

Posted on September 25, 2013 by | Comments Off on IN MEMORY OF A FREE CONCERT

A concert on 15 September 2013 at Croydon Road Recreation Ground Beckenham raised around £7000 to help restore the decaying bandstand where David Bowie gave the now famous free concert in 1969.

Bandstand in Disrepair

Bandstand in Disrepair

The weather was not kind with light to heavy rain, but the music, especially from Bowie tribute Band “The Thin White Duke”, was great! Look out for other events at the Croydon Road Recreation Ground over the next year.

See Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground’s own website

Audience enjoying music in the rain

Audience enjoying music in the rain

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Enid Blyton Society Visits Beckenham

Posted on September 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on Enid Blyton Society Visits Beckenham

In June 2013, members of the Enid Blyton Society from far and wide visited Beckenham to tour the places where the famous author lived. Starting with Chaffinch Road, moving through Clock House Road, Cedars Road, Elm Road and Westfield Road, and then onto Shortlands. Read of their visit in this link, and see photos of the houses where Enid lived.

Enid Blyton Society Visit June 2013

The Enid Blyton Society is an informal voluntary group, with members helping out in various ways. For £10 UK membership, you could have a magazine three times a year and join many of their activities. See

http://www.enidblytonsociety.co.uk/index.php

 

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Memory of a Festival in 1969

Posted on August 5, 2013 by | Comments Off on Memory of a Festival in 1969

15 September 2013

Croydon Road Recreation Ground.

£5 entrance for adults. Children under 10 free.

All monies raised go to restoration of the bandstand where David Bowie compered the free festival in 1969

Free festival in memory of 1969

Festival in memory of 1969

Gates will open at 2pm; music on the bandstand 3-6pm. https://www.facebook.com/beckenham.bowie

The festival is organised by Friends of Croydon Road Recreation Ground and will celebrate and recapture the spirit of the legendary 1969 Free Festival, which was organised by the Arts Lab and featured a local resident at the time, David Bowie.
The aim is to raise funds to renovate the bandstand on Croydon Road Recreation Ground. This Late Victorian Cast Iron Bandstand has historic, social and sentimental value to all of us. The bandstand is presently in desperate need of restoration and we have made this issue our own task.
There will be arts and crafts stalls, original live music, a Bowie tribute band, food, refreshments and, like in ‘69, everybody involved is volunteering.
All money raised on the day will go solely to restoring the bandstand.

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The Blytons of Beckenham Exhibition

Posted on October 25, 2012 by | Comments Off on The Blytons of Beckenham Exhibition

Carey Blyton

 This will be held in Bromley Library from 3 November to end of December (precise dates to be confirmed).

It will cover the lives of author Enid Blyton and her nephew composer Carey Blyton over 115 years from 1897 to 2012.

The Exhibition compares the lives of and traces the links between the famous Blytons – Enid and Carey – who were part of a Beckenham dynasty spanning the 20th Century and who, in  words and music, contributed so much to the town’s artistic  heritage.

While Enid’s legacy is in her written work, she had a very thorough musical education, and Carey, though best known as a composer also had literary talent.

More details to follow!

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