The Tunbridge Wells Underground 1971: White Panthers, Pink Fairies and 'the nicer type of freak'

When thinking of the hotbeds of the early 1970s radical counter culture most people would think of places like West London's Ladbroke Grove. But it reached out into many places, including a thriving scene in Tunbridge Wells in Kent. 'Protest - for some it's a way of life' by John Pym,  an article from the Kent and Sussex Courier (10 September 1971), provides an overview of the scene in West Kent at that time - 'A plain main's guide to the other society', no less.

The report notes that in the aftermath of the OZ trial - which saw three editors of the underground magazine jailed for obscenity -  'Anger and argument have sharpened the image of the protest scene and nowhere more noticeably than in Tunbridge Wells and East Sussex where the new radicalism as well as older versions and the yearning for an alternative society are sharply defined. Their organisations go by strange — often bizarre names. Their literature is hair-raising by Establishment standards. Parents confess themselves baffled by their children's newfound interest in activities which used to be labelled "anarchist" but which now are urgently advocated as an alternative to conventional organised society'. 

Groups mentioned include the White Panthers, who seemingly had a Tunbridge Wells branch based at Bedford House, Mount Sion responsible for 'Angry literature… with the police and allegations of police brutality as a particular target'. The Panthers may have had a programme that included 'an immediate and total end to all political, cultural and sexist repression of all oppressed peoples all over the world particularly the repression of black people, young people and all national minorities' but in West Kent the immediate focus was more parochial including opposing the closure of a public footpath. The paper reported that  'The immediate aim of the 12 Tunbridge Wells White Panthers is to acquire a community shop—rent free —in which to sell cheap food and leather goods and jewellery made locally. This would also be used as a "coffee commune" and advice centre'. The White Panthers also offered a "free advice service to deal with drugs, arrest, trials, eviction. legal aid, education, contraception, VD and entertainment'.

The report moves on to note that 'More sympathy for the dropped out life comes from the Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab who are less rhetorical and marginally better organised than the Panthers'. They organised a couple of festivals, of which more below. There were said to be about 40 people involved, operating from New House on Mount Ephraim. Meanwhile 'communal living' was being experimented with in Goodhurst where a group of 19 young people called the Mad Macros had leased a derelict farm with the aim of growing macrobiotic food.

A West Kent branch of the Schools Action Union had been formed that year and was said to have groups at Tunbridge Wells Girls Grammar School, West Kent College, Sevenoaks School and Tunbridge Wells Boys Technical School. The SAU campaigned for school students rights, including opposing corporal punishment. Nationally some of its leading activists were Maoists/Marxist-Leninists and its local leader, 18 year old Laurie Holden, criticised the White Panthers for their politics 'based on anarchy, drug taking and the advocation of Angry Brigade style terrorism'. More orthodox still and a long way from the counter culture the article mentions the Tunbridge Wells branch of the Communist Party.

The Festivals

The first of two 'Harmony Farm' festivals initiated by the Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab was a one day event at Whitehouse Farm at Duddleswell on 7 August 1971. Despite sensationalist reporting about 'an orgy of mud, music, drugs, "bad trips" and thefts' where 'girls danced topless', the Sussex Express did pronounce it to be successful. The Courier described it as 'noisy but trouble free', though they estimated 'about 2,000 long haired fans' compared to the Express estimate of 4,000. Music came from the Pink Fairies, Brinsley Schwarz, the Portsmouth Sinfonia and the Natural Acoustic Band, not to mention the established poet John Pudney. Christine Oddy, one of the organisers, said that 'everybody has enjoyed themselves. They have enjoyed the music, the place - even the rain'.

Sussex Express, 13 August 1971

'Festival noisy but trouble-free. No complaint on all day pop session' (The Courier, 13 August 1971)

The second festival, Harmony Farm II, took place at Outback Farm, Nutley a month later on 11 September 1971 with a crowd of 2-3,000. Hopes that Hawkwind or Pink Fairies would be playing did not materialise, but people enjoyed themselves to lesser known bands  including Unicorn, D'Artagnon,  Carson, Bastard, Benedictine and Amon Din (the latter including sometime Hawkwind member Huw Lloyd-Langton).

The event was described by Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab as a 'modest little festival for the nicer type of freak' and passed off without incident, though some people were arrested in drug searches on the way in. The Mirror reported that the police operation included 'Detectives disguised as hippies' and 'trendily dressed CID men'.

Sussex Express, 17 September 1971

Lots more memories and photographs of these festivals at the great UK Rock Festivals site including from Charlie Gask, one of the organisers, who recalls: 

'Early spring of 1971 I was bored- along with the rest of the youth of Tunbridge Wells. I approached the Council to see if we could get something going over the summer (not at that time, specifically a festival) I was met with total disdain and told that as we weren't ratepayers "Not a chance". So we decided to organise our own stuff and so The Tunbridge Wells Arts Lab was formed.

    Various activities were organised ie. painting and music workshops etc. But having been to a few festivals I have to admit to a bit of `I could do that syndrome`. So the idea was born and off we went. A stalwart group pressed on looking for sites and sorting out the difficulties of funding.

    First port of call was the offices of The International Times. Mick Farren and Germain Greer were both very helpful with ideas and contacts, and also how to deal with the local constabulary when setting up.    We were offered Whitehouse Farm, Duddleswell by the owner Mrs Harrison (alas no longer with us). And quite early on we realised that the complications of trying to make people pay for entry was nigh impossible. So we proceeded on with the idea that it would be a free festival and we would ask for donations on the day and help and sponsorship in setting it up. A wild notion I know but we were young so what the hell. I can't remember all those who gave their time expertise and materials but I am forever grateful and a little amazed, still, at such generosity from sometimes unexpected quarters'.

Photo by Gareth Tynan at UK Rock Festivals, check out more of his photos there. Think this was from the 2nd festival, note 'Happy Trips' sign.

I have written elsewhere about the White Panthers in Abbey Wood/SE London in that period, as has Peter Stanfield. We recently interviewed somebody involved in that scene so look out for more in a forthcoming edition of 'Drifting through the streets' at Controlled Weirdness' youtube channel.