Just found this thread – rather late, apparently. I was a pupil at Brentwood School from 1962 until 1968 and I remember The Halliard performing at the school folk club on one of the first occasions I attended it. They played Ewan MacColl's "Go Down You Murderer", with Nigel Paterson playing his tenor recorder, a song that I had not heard before but later performed myself at the school folk club and elsewhere. One folk gig stands out in particular – it was in Shenfield in 1968 or 1969 where Nigel was the main performer. I played two or three of my own songs, which used different guitar tunings. Retuning in between, I lost my way and couldn't seem to find any usable arrangement (nerves!). Nigel very kindly lent me his guitar so that I could continue – I changed my plan and played something in standard tuning! By 1970 I was at the University of East Anglia and a regular performer at the folk club there. Stars from the folk scene were frequent bookings at the club and on one occasion this was Nic Jones, playing on his Fender guitar. At Brentwood, I remember the Paul Simon concert happening, but a minimum age limit was set and I was too young to go.
Nick Hamlyn.