Broadstairs Folk Week

Subject: Broadstairs Folk Week
From: GUEST,George Frampton
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 04:37 AM

I'm writing a piece on behalf of Tenterden Folk Day giving a potted history of folk activity in Kent with an emphasis on the local area where possible throughout the 20th century (and a little before) - a tall order, and I haven't very long to do it in!

Can anyone tell me in what year was the first ever Broadstairs Folk Week? One website tells me 43 years ago, without giving me a clue as to from what date! My 'Folk in Kent' archive never lsts which number festival each year is.citing it only ever as 'Braodstairs Folk Week'. (People who know me, know I don't do 'vague'!)

Subject: RE: Broadstairs Folk Week
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 05:22 AM

hi George ... it's in the Sidmouth book ... 1966. Then called Broadstairs Folk Show, started by Jack Hamilton.
Derek

Subject: RE: Broadstairs Folk Week
From: GUEST,George Frampton
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 05:52 AM

Thanks Derek. You've saved me from digging up my ED&S archive which means tripping over far too much cable behind my desktop PC! Other Jack Hamilton-related websites pointed me to somewhere in the mid-sixties, so it's good to have that confirmed.

Subject: RE: Broadstairs Folk Week
From: GUEST,doc.tom
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 08:44 AM

The Folk Show being the equivalent of what Bill Rutter was doing with the Arena at Sidmouth. Jack always spread the content of the rest of the 'festival' from the outset although BFW was primarily dance until the late 1970s when Pam & Linda took over as prime movers. Jack had been to Sidmouth and reckoned he could do as well running a new event in Broadstairs.

Subject: RE: Broadstairs Folk Week
From: GUEST,Derek Schofield
Date: 16 Feb 12 - 10:26 AM

Tom's right ... except that Jack didn't like the way Bill Rutter involved the audience in the Sidmouth shows (then in the Connaught and Blackmore gardens - the Arena came later) .. he felt the mass social dancing at the end of the shows was an anti-climax, so he started broadstairs as an alternative, and in his mind, better way of doing things. Hence the title ... Folk Show, I suppose.
Derek