The Great British Woodstock: The Incredible Story of the Weeley Festival 1971

Of the plethora of rock festivals that took place in the 1970s the one at Weeley, a small village near the north east Essex coast, is unusual for a number of reasons.The entire project was intended to raise money for charity and no other purpose, being organised by the branch of Round Table in nearby Clacton on Sea. This group of young businessmen had previously relied upon a summer fete and a donkey derby to raise funds, but some of them came up with an idea for something that would raise much more. With hindsight, none of them could have realised how it would spiral out of control in to one of the major rock events of the 1970s and, unfortunately failed to raise the amounts of money they hoped for.The event made the front pages of national newspapers mainly due to the involvement of various chapters (groups) of Hells Angels, and the violent confrontations between them and local volunteers who the Round Table arranged to take care of security of the event.There are a few Websites that cover the history of the event, but this is the first book to have been written about it. Ray Clark was an attendee (albeit for one day), and in recent years worked for BBC Essex producing for them a celebratory radio programme for one of the Festival’s anniversaries.Clark has had access to official records of Essex Police and courts service, carried out extensive interviews with surviving Round Table members, particularly Dr Dick Farrow, who organised the event. He also makes use of some recollections of the event from those who were there, and the book includes many previously unseen photographs.As someone who was also there, as a teenage volunteer to the running of the event, the book is a fascinating record. I have my own memories of the Festival and would have liked to added mine, particularly relating to the performances of Rod Stewart and the Faces and Marc Bolan’s T-Rex.Being a volunteer I was able to watch them both from the press/VIP area directly in front of the stage, Stewart and the Faces gave a memorable performance and had the crowd ‘in the palm of their hand’. Unfortunately, T-Rex had to follow this and so had to challenge some hostility towards them from the crowd. Marc Bolan attempted to deal with this by reminding the crowd that they had recently been on ‘Top of the Pops’ on TV, this had the opposite effect with much jeering and booing. He then made matters worse by telling the crowd with some annoyance “If you don’t like it then F*** Off!” which had the effect that many of us, myself included, of doing as suggested not wanting the memory of the Faces performance sullied.Clark is to be congratulated for the detail and depth in his book, a great pity he could not include more memories of the many of us who were actually there.

Fabulous book . Amazing photos about a little known festival that was only held once 1971 but had legendary line up and a cartoon about mud ! 🤣

An unusual book that covers a subject not too many books have dealt with. The great and not so great British music festivals of the 60's and 70's. Maybe nobody thought we would want to read about them so many years later and it's a difficult subject because it is so subjective. I am not sure that Weeley was as much a landmark as Woodstock in the USA but it might have felt that way to the people who went there. Maybe the title is meant to be ironic?I find the book interesting on a number of levels but the big omission for me is the words of the musicians or an overview of the performances in any detail. The line up of the festival included some of the best first wave progressive bands and also hinted at the transition to come in the next few years. The standard of musicianship represented was the very best in the UK if not the world. I noticed a photo of Gnidrolog on stage and yet no mention of the band in the index and they are all around to be interviewed. Also Van Der Graaf Generator and King Crimson were both bootlegged at the festival. I would love to have know how well Fusion Orchestra played and seen some of the other band setlists. Otherwise, an interesting personal account by those who were there and organised the event.

Wish I'd known about this when it came out. Am one of three teen friends whom hitch-hiked from Manchester on the Thursday night,me a month after leaving school and started my first job. Great photos from the event but told mainly by the organizers of the festival and police memories. No recent recollections from any of the performers or actual running order or set lists,wish I'd taken a pen and notebook. Still if you were there this is a must to bring back memories and read what went on before and during to make it happen.I'm glad they did as it was the only 3 day festival I ever attended.Well there hasn't been a line up like that since and certainly not for £2 on the door(or its present day equivalent.)

If you went to this festival, you might have missed a lot of the trouble with the hells angels but that's what makes up a large part of this book. Saying that though, there are many interesting facts and figures about the build up to the festival. The organisers are interviewed and many local residents give a nice flavor to the book which is worth knowing. There is not enough about the music and not even a running order which can be found on the internet! More interviews with the acts would have been nice but this book will take you right back there and anybody who did go will want that. It was probably no Woodstock but it was amazing.

Brilliant book which captures an iconic moment in time.

Bought this for my chap who "was there". He said it is very interesting bought back good memories.

A beautifully produced and interesting book