A Brief History of the Beckenham Festival
(extracts from “60 Years of the Beckenham Festival” by Helen M. Oliver. 1988)
In 1911 the
Minister of Crescent Road Congregational Church, Beckenham set up a Church
Guild and organised an annual Eisteddfod (as held in Wales) with classes in
Music, Elocution, Arts and Crafts and Literature.
In
1921 the Church Guild called a conference at
Thus
was born the first Beckenham Festival which took place in May 1922 and which
has taken place every year since then, with the exception of a seven year
period covering the 2nd World War. The subjects making up the first Festival
were Music, Elocution and Literature, including one-act plays, and at a later
date the return of Arts and Crafts for a few years. There were just 34 classes,
236 entries and 1 trophy for music in the first Festival, By 1928 the number of
entries had risen to 1,000.
For
many years the Festival was held in the Beckenham Public Hall, over a 7 day
period (but excluding Sundays). The subjects of Arts and Crafts and Literature
were replaced about 1930 by Drama and Stage Dancing. After the war the Festival grew in size and
expanded into more halls and schools. The one-act plays decided to go it alone
and for many years held a successful Drama Festival in the spring, although
this was eventually discontinued.
The
history of the Festival is studded with celebrities and many local notables
look with pride and affection on their
association with the Arts in their home town. A number of names stand out,
notably an English teacher at the County School for Boys (later Beckenham
Grammar School) - Tom Williams, who set questions for the radio series “Top of
the Form”; Sydney Box, who became a famous film producer; Josephine Veasey
(Opera singer), Carey Blyton and Margaret Judd (Composers), Pat Carroll
(Pianist and Professor at the Royal College of Music), Maurice Denham (film
actor), James Cossins (actor) and Beryl Grey and Antoinette Sibley
(ballerinas).
Just
after the war, Frank and Peggy Spencer brought their original Formation Dance
Team to perform. This early link, many years later, culminated in the introduction
of a Ballroom section into the Festival, which was run by Peggy Spencer, until
in the 1980s, like the one-act plays, the Ballroom section decided to go it
alone, though remaining affiliated to the Beckenham Festival.
Financial
crises have not been unknown, but the Festival has survived, and due to careful
budgeting over some years the finances are now quite stable. Its national
reputation is increasing and it is now recognised by the Carnegie Trust as
coming within the top flight of national Festivals.
The
bond between the Festival and local authority has existed since the former’s
foundation in 1922, because the President has also been the town’s senior
citizen – initially the Chairman of the Beckenham Urban District Council, then
the Mayor of Beckenham, and now the Mayor of Bromley.
The
Beckenham Festival can rightly be regarded as a local institution, but it
attracts competitors from all over the southeast. It is a registered charity and is affiliated
to the British and
International Federation of Festivals and the Bromley Arts Council. Several competitors have
gone on to join the National Youth Orchestra, and to compete (and even win !)
the BBC Young Musician competition.
The Festival
continues to grow and to embrace new ideas. In 1988, the Festival’s Diamond
Jubilee year, there were 330
classes and between 2,500 and 3,000
entries. In the year 2000 there were over 500 classes, over 3,000 entries and
nearly 200 trophies and awards to be won.
For
some years now the Festival has adopted the principle of workshops conducted by
the adjudicators, who are artists of national and international repute. There
is an annual Musician of the Year competition. In 1991 there was a special
event to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the death of Mozart.
Links
with other local organisations have been forged, and some cash prizes have been
re-introduced. The Choirs competition,
held in