The Archive
Formatted at 1280 X 1024- or higher .created March 2002. Updated May 2012. :-)
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The Free Festivals and the saga of the Peace Convoy. 1983. Al Stokes Gallery Part 3 |
Al Stokes ( right ) and friend at Greenham common 1982 |
June 1983 : Eviction at the University of East Anglia.
I was a press photographer in the early 80s covering Convoy and free festivals and had mates who lived in buses. So it was all pretty harmless stuff, really. In July '82 John Aryes, I think at the Sunday Times, asked me to go to Greenham Common to do a 'follow up' story after The News of The Screws did their infamous 'Gun Convoy' piece. I got a lift off Nick Mersch - who later joined TUMT as Nick Danger -and was going down there for a festival. The upshot is I took a cart load of convoy related pictures in 1982 and 83.
The Convoy came from Glastonbury in '83 to participate in the free festival in Norwich. The Council, remembering their visit in '82, blocked the lane leading to Eaton Common with 'urgent road works' (ahem) and the festival site turned out to be Harford rubbish tip.
Deciding running a festival on a rubbish dump isn't a good idea the Convoy bewildered the coppers by decamping to land belonging to UEA. Undoubtedly the convoy stayed on after the Fair had ended on July 3rd, as was their wont in those days . In due course after an unknown period of time the Police obtained an eviction notice, which was duly served on the Convoy, who then left to do their thing at Lyng Faire
Al Stokes
Begone and do not come back ...... :-( © Al Stokes |
A few people decided to dress up and turn the event into a slice of street theatre !© Al Stokes |
© Al Stokes |
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© Al Stokes |
© Al Stokes |
Departing the U.A.E Site
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© Al Stokes |
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© Al Stokes |
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© Al Stokes |
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Part Four- Lyng