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Updated July 2021
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This site is dedicated in the memory of who inspired me to delve deep into the magic of the free festival and who passed away Sept 3rd 2010. R.I.P. Roger ..... |
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Oxford New Age Fayre 2-5th May 1986.
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Jim and Scott's "Landscape "bus at Port Meadow May 5th 1986 © Traveller Dave This bus and many others were confiscated a few weeks after at Stoney Cross. Visit Traveller Dave's site to see many more photos of Free festival Vehicles and sites from the late 80s . |
Oxford
Port Meadow May 1986
Originally this festival was meant to be on a farmers land and run by students (Oxford Poly?). Many bands were scheduled (Nik Turner, Bob Calvert were rumoured) but the farmer bottled out, I think when he realised the Convoy were coming (this was less than a year after the Beanfield). Myself and two mates came down from Coventry (where we were at The Polytechnic) in Jed’s van who was on the way to Southhampton. When we got to Oxford there were all sorts of freaks looking for the (cancelled?) festie. The rumour got around to go to Port Meadow on the North edge of Oxford where maybe 30-40 people had started to assemble. After a while buses started arriving, the gate to the Meadow was still locked, so they Convoy elements decided to come back under cover of darkness and take the site. A very worried bloke from the Council had turned up and put an extra padlock on the gate! We camped up locally over night away from the intended site and got stoned (we had brought plenty of hash). Myself and Adrian came back the next morning to find about 35 buses, trucks and trailers had taken the field farthest from town. The local pub was full of convoy types drinking with a few bemused locals. A
stage was set up and we wandered around on a hunt for some acid/mushrooms. A number of bands played, the Cardiacs, Magic Mushroom Band, Ozric Tentacles amongst others I cant remember. The weather was a bit dodgy but I seemed immune to the rain as the shrooms kicked in. |
Monday morning cafe clients © Traveller Dave |
Later over the weekend more people turned up along with more psychedelic wares to consume. On the Monday (Bank holiday) night a version of Hawkwind labelled Snortwind played (minus Dave Brock). The new Hawks drummer Danny Thompson got some acid off a mate of ours and apparently didn’t have a particularly nice time trippin (for the first time) whilst on stage. That’s all I really remember - I returned to Coventry and continued revising for my Metallurgy Exams!
Bishbosh
Monday morning festival aftermath ..TEU23C Bedford RL © Traveller Dave |
Flyin' the black flag ! 82NWL Morris Fg ex-Fire Control Unit (possibly owned by Julien at this time) © Traveller Dave |
A wind & rainswept festival , memorable for
being the last time I saw many of the convoy's vehicles such as Jim &
Scott's 'Landscape' coach as they were amongst those 'confiscated' a month
later at Stoney Cross .
Also Oxford police used a large tractor whose cab was completely protected by thick mesh screens as a 'gateway' and so all the 'guest' band's equipment had to be unloaded outside the site entrance , handballed in and loaded into another vehicle before finally reaching backstage .
Dave
I
was looking at the 'what's new' bit of yr site & was reminded that I
took some pics at Port Meadow, Oxford
The Bedford RL was Mick's, at that time he was with Weez Louise I'd guess.
The other buses I don't know who's they were.
A
big memory of this festival for me is the getting on the meadows.
We arrived to find about 3 roads converging on a bridge over the canal.
The police had the bridge I think.
There was a decker with upstairs given over to a sound system ... sort of weirdly for us lot they were playing "Born To Run" & "Two Tribes Go To War" as I remember it!
Some
people took an 'alternative' route through a garden??? which finally broke
the police & they let us on.
WARNING all memories may be bullshit!
gilberto
Mick's Bedford RL TEU 23C © Gilberto |
© Gilberto |
© Gilberto |
© Gilberto |
Links
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Any info to add- well don't just sit there ! Contact us
Free festivals and small fayres held in the United Kingdom between 1967-90.
1967-69.
1970-79 |
1980-92 |
Main list of Free festivals 1970-1985
Free rock festivals of the 70s and 80s
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We are proud of the contribution we have made to Andy Worthington's sociological history of Stonehenge and the free festival scene in the UK .This new book gives a fascinating insight into the various counter cultural obsessions with the Stones and provides a variety of new perspectives to many of the key events surrounding the Henge such as the Battle Of The Beanfield and the more recent attempts hold a celebration at the Stones during the Solstice.
Find out more about this great book by clicking on the image on the left and visit the Heart of Albion Press web site . |
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Sending details of a small book I've just self-published which might be of interest to some readers of your admirable site.
I have featured the book and its contents on one of my blogs too:
With many thanks in advance John Kruse
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Related Articles
The aroma of a free festival -by Roger Hutchinson
Dome construction instruction sheet (download-140k)-by Roger Hutchinson
Travellers Tales Convoy Steve's tale of how the freaks outsmarted the fuzz at Greenham common.
Zorch -House band for the free festival set ? A fanzine page on the UK's first electronic band .
Tibetan Ukranian Mountain Troupe-surreal pranksters of the Traveller community .
Acidia Lightshow Lightshow for Windsor festival and Stonehenge in the 1970s.
Traveller Daves Website - Chock full of of free festival photos !
Many, many thanks go to Roger Hutchinson , Big Steve , Roger Duncan, Celia, Will , Chazz, Jeza ,Chris Hewitt ,The Fabulous Time Tortoise , Peter Piwowarski - ( 70s music site/photos ) Martin S, Steve Austin ,Traveller Dave, Herb, Tim Brighton, Vin Miles, Haze Evans , Noddy Guevara, Chris Brown, Janet Thompson, David Stooke, Gary Gibbons , Nigel Ayers, Rich Deakin ,Glenda Pescardo,Justin Warman,Brian F, Steve Bayfield, Kev Ellis, Paul Seaton and many other minor contributors for their help in providing the archival material related to these free festivals which has at enabled us to construct the site .
Any info to add ?-well don't just sit there , Contact us
