The Bowie Bandstand is a listed building in Croydon Road Recreation Ground, a public park in Beckenham in the London Borough of Bromley.
The bandstand was erected in 1905, designed by the McCallum and Hope Iron Foundry, Glasgow. [1] It is believed to be the only surviving McCallum and Hope bandstand in the UK. [2] As of 2024, the bandstand is being restored. [3]
On 16 August 1969, David Bowie helped organise, compere and perform at a free festival based at the bandstand. [2] The one-day festival has taken place annually since then, and is now known as Bowie's Beckenham Oddity. [2]
Beckenham is a town in Greater London, England, within the London Borough of Bromley. Prior to 1965, it was part of Kent. It is situated north of Elmers End and Eden Park, east of Penge, south of Lower Sydenham and Bellingham, and west of Bromley and Shortlands, and 8.4 miles (13.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross. Its population at the 2011 Census was 46,844.
Penge is a suburb of South East London, England, now in the London Borough of Bromley, 3.5 miles (5.6 km) west of Bromley, 3.7 miles (6.0 km) north east of Croydon and 7.1 miles (11.4 km) south east of Charing Cross.
The London Borough of Bromley is a borough in London, England. It borders the county of Kent, of which it formed part of until 1965. The borough's population in the 2021 census was 329,991. It is named after Bromley, its principal district. Other districts are Penge, Hayes, West Wickham, Chislehurst, Beckenham and Orpington. The local authority is Bromley London Borough Council.
Beckenham is a constituency in Greater London represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Bob Stewart, an independent, formerly a member of the Conservative Party.
Croydon Road Recreation Ground is a public park located in Beckenham in the London Borough of Bromley. It is near the High St and adjacent to Beckenham Beacon. The park features a café and bandstand, as well as a bowling green and other sports facilities. The park was laid out by the Sydenham firm Reid and Bornemann in 1890 and was formally opened on 23 September 1891.
West Wickham is an area of South East London, England, in the London Borough of Bromley. It lies south of Park Langley,Eden Park Beckenham and Bromley town center, west of Hayes and north of Coney Hall, east of Spring Park and Shirley. 10.3 miles (16.6 km) south-east of Charing Cross on the line of a Roman road, the London to Lewes Way. Before the creation of Greater London in 1965, West Wickham was in Kent.
Free festivals are a combination of music, arts and cultural activities, for which often no admission is charged, but involvement is preferred. They are identifiable by being multi-day events connected by a camping community without centralised control. The pioneering free festival movement started in the UK in the 1970s.
Duppas Hill is a park, road and surrounding residential area in Waddon, near Croydon in Greater London.
"Memory of a Free Festival" is a song by the English singer-songwriter David Bowie. Originally recorded in September 1969 as a seven-minute opus for Bowie's second self-titled album, it was reworked in March–April 1970 at the behest of Mercury Records, the label believing that the track had a better chance of success as a single than "The Prettiest Star", released earlier in the year. Bowie and Tony Visconti roughly split the track in half, re-recording it so both halves could function as individual songs. A more rock-oriented version than the earlier album cut, this rendition featured guitarist Mick Ronson.
Addiscombe tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London.
The A234 is an A road between Crystal Palace and Beckenham in London, England.
Harrington Road tram stop is a light rail stop in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon in the southern suburbs of London. Harrington Road is in a residential area, and along with Woodside tram stop is the nearest tram stop to the town of South Norwood. Beckenham Cemetery lies immediately to the east and there is an entrance immediately adjacent to the tramstop.
Heavers Meadow is a meadow located in South Norwood and Selhurst in the London Borough of Croydon. South Norwood Recreation Ground is on the other side of the road. The meadow covers an area of 83⁄4 acres. With meadows there are not usually many facilities. Heavers is no exception; the only facility stated on the council's website is a footpath through a flood meadow.
South Norwood Lake and Grounds is a park in South Norwood in the London Borough of Croydon. The main entrance is in Woodvale Avenue while other entrances are located in Auckland Road and Sylvan Road. The area measures up to 281⁄2 acres.
South Norwood Library is a purpose-built public library in South Norwood, South London. Also known locally as 'Brutalist Library' it stands in the London Borough of Croydon and is part of the Croydon Libraries arm of the council. The site on the corner of Selhurst Road and Lawrence Road first had a library built in 1897, which was replaced by the current building in 1966.
Beckenham Road tram stop is a light rail stop in the London Borough of Bromley in the southern suburbs of London. The stop is located on an embankment above Beckenham Road (A234) which connects Beckenham with Crystal Palace and Penge on the site of the short-lived (1858–1860) West End of London & Crystal Palace Railway Penge station.
Keith Peter Christmas is an English singer and songwriter. He attended Bath University to read architecture but, because the Architecture School was, at that time, based in Kingsweston House, Bristol, he became part of that city's folk set.
St George's House is a 79-metre (259 ft) office tower located in Croydon, United Kingdom. It was occupied by the Swiss multinational food and consumer goods company Nestlé as the headquarters of Nestlé UK & Ireland until September 2012.
This is a summary of 1969 in music in the United Kingdom.
Millers Pond is a small park in the Spring Park area of the London Borough of Croydon, England.