* David Bowie’s – “In Memory of a Free Festival” – Beckenham-Kent

Posted on by Posted in Lost Music Venues, Music, Parks & Public Squares, People .
One of the very first blogs my London Shoes published, way back in  May 2017– was all about  “David Bowie’s – London” 
Bowie, being one of my music idols, had only passed away almost a year to the day, when I published this blog that I had dedicated to him, and the London he had lived and worked in.
Fast forward 4 & a half years to last week – when my London Shoes did a kind of mini personal pilgrimage to the ‘bandstand’ at the Croydon Road Recreation Ground in Beckenham-Kent – where in August 1969 – this insignificant landmark was the centre point of a free-festival organised by, a not yet famous ‘David Bowie’, then a resident of Beckenham – to help fund an Arts Lab that he ran at the nearby Three Tons pub.
This small local event became the inspiration for “In Memory of a Free Festival” – the final track on the 1970 released album, simply entitled ‘David Bowie’………….and as the open lyric describes:-
“The children of the summer’s end – gathered in the dampened grass….
We played our songs and felt the London sky – resting on our hands – it was God’s land…..
It was ragged and naïve – it was Heaven…..”
And – then there is the songs continual repetitive outro claiming that:-
“The sun machine is coming down, and we’re gonna have a party…..” ☀️🎊🎉🍷🍻– (check it out on YouTube)
Having tracked down the still in situ ‘bandstand’ (the fulcrum of the 1969 free-festival) – my London Shoes made their way to the other side of Beckenham, to what would have once been no. 42 Southend Road, where the magnificent building that was known as “Haddon Hall” was once situated – and where within the rooms that Bowie rented – some of his most iconic early work was created, namely the material off the albums :- ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ – ‘Hunk Dory’ – ‘The Rise & Fall of Ziggy Stardust & the Spiders from Mars’.
Very few photos exist of that amazing pivotal period of Bowie’s career – but I have managed to find a few off the internet – which, with the photos of both the ‘Bandstand’ and the location of where Haddon Hall once stood – will hopefully, bring this little excursion out, to life.
Displayed below, with the Gallery of this blog below, are all the photos from this venture out – and I have also attached the link to my May 2017 “David Bowie’s – London” blog, which has been enhanced to bring it right up to date.
Hope you enjoy it.
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See below the full gallery of all the photographs taken to support this David Bowie blog

The Croydon Road Recreation Ground in Beckenham-Kent – where in August 1969, local resident ‘David Bowie’ organised a ‘Free Festival’.

In August 1969 – this insignificant park bandstand, was the centre point of a free-festival organised by, a not yet famous ‘David Bowie’, then a resident of Beckenham – to help fund an Arts Lab that he ran at the nearby Three Tons pub.

David Bowie – performing from the bandstand of the Croydon Road Recreation Ground in Beckenham-Kent – in Aug 1969 – the ‘free festival’ that he had organised. The event was the inspiration behind his “In Memory of a Free Festival” track from his 1970 released “David Bowie” album.      (photo sourced from another website)

David Bowie – performing from the bandstand of the Croydon Road Recreation Ground in Beckenham-Kent – in Aug 1969 – the ‘free festival’ that he had organised.      (photo sourced from another website)

A close-up of the ‘bandstand’ at the Cr5oydon Rd Recreation Ground-Beckenham – the centre point of David Bowie’s Aug 69 ‘free festival’ event.

A photo of people gathered around the ‘bandstand’ – from the Aug 69 ‘free festival’ event organised by local Beckenham resident ‘David Bowie’.      (photo sourced from another website)

Another close-up of the Beckenham ‘bandstand’ as it is today

Me – alongside the ‘bandstand’ in Beckenham – the centre point of Bowie’s Aug 69 free-festival event

“Haddon Hall” – 42 Southend Road-Beckenham-Kent – as it was ‘back in the day’ when David Bowie rented rooms there………..(photo sourced from another website)

The former ‘Haddon Hall’ site – as it looks today 🙁

The central staircase of the once magnificent ‘[Haddon Hall’ Southend Road-Beckenham-Kent – where David Bowie resided in the very late 60’s-very early 70’s – A place where some of his finest material was created……….(photo sourced from another website)

Bowie – wearing his controversial Mr. Fish designed man’s dress – in the gardens of ‘Haddon Hall’ – Southend Road-Beckenham-Kent – (photo sourced from another website)

The old site where ‘Haddon Hall’ once stood – as it is today (Feb 22)

Me – outside the site that was once ‘Haddon Hall’ – where David Bowie composed some of his most influential early material. (Feb 22)

8 Responses

    • Glad you enjoyed it Tomas – the event was only a local affair, roughly 3 years before Bowie hit the big time with the Ziggy Stardust album – but I feel its interesting to ‘track’ what he was doing in the lead-up to him becoming successful 😉👍

      Reply

  4. Hi Geoff,

    Very interesting! Are you going to the 13th August ‘free festival’ (you pay this time to raise funds for the bandstand, due to be completed April23.?

    I’m in a wheelchair and just wondered if the recreation ground/bandstand area, is suitable? … I’ve never been, but keen to go.

    Tessa

    Reply

    • Hello Tessa,

      Thank you for contacting my London Shoes website and I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed my little ‘Beckenham Bandstand’ blog.

      I’m not from the Beckenham area – I’m an east Londoner – so I don’t know too much about the area.

      However – I have visited Beckenham a few times recently, and I do know that the Croydon Road Recreation Ground, where the bandstand is located – is easily accessible to anyone with mobility challenges – and although there isn’t a definitive walkway to the Bandstand – you would be able to fairly close to it, as it is not far from the main pathway through the park.

      I wont be attending on the 13th Aug – but if you do attend yourself then I hope you have an enjoyable day.

      Should you attend and happen to take any photos – then please feel free to e-mail them to me and I will add them to this blog’s gallery.

      Kind regards
      Geoff (www.londonshoes.blog) – geoffclements@btinternet.com

      Reply

  5. I live in one of flats now on the site of the former Haddon Hall. We have a private gate entrance to Beckenham Place Park. It is said that the gate is a legacy from Bowie who used it to avoid the press and his fans when he needed to. At the time, the park was a golf course.

    Wikipedia states this :-

    “In the liner notes for the 2008 compilation iSelect, Bowie wrote that he began humming the melody in a park in Beckenham, Kent; after returning home to Haddon Hall, he wrote the rest of the song that afternoon on piano.”

    Reply

    • Thank you soooo much for sharing this background info about Haddon Hall – really appreciate it – and I know that future readers of this particular London Shoes article, will as well.

      Cheers…..GEOFF (www.londonshoes.blog)

      Reply

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