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The Weeley Festival. Clacton On Sea . Essex. August 27th-29th 1971.

   Weeley saw the Angels arrive , stomp around and generally behave like an army of occupation. They took over the stage security. complete with wooden clubs to underline the point as they checked papers. Later they tried to rip off the concessionaires and they got trashed. The fuzz arrived to try to cool things. A vigilante committee formed consisting of concessionaires, security men, (very heavy, out of work commandos ,etc.) and stage hands. Armed with monkey wrenches, clubs and sledge hammers,  they marched on the Angels, who had moved to a small area backstage because they were scared. Result. Three Angels were taken to hospItal unconscious , one at least with a fractured skull , many more badly beaten up. Most of them wisely jumped over the wall the second they saw what was coming . Then the peace loving vigilantes smashed up the Angels beloved bikes. Reliable reports reached Frendz indicating that one of the Angels had died in hospital . He that lives by the sword ....
Perhaps the Angels will learn from this tragedy that violence is not the answer . There's always someone tougher than you.
 

most photos by David Redom.

Updated Sept 2005

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Weeley Menu.

• Friendz coverage
• International Times article
• Marshall PA system - Updated April 2004
• Recollections of festival attendees -read what they remember and add your own memories to the list -now with many new photos of the bands onstage ! Updated Sept 2005.
• Dick Wolff's diary : New May 2004! Another brilliantly detailed account of life backstage at the festival. Includes site map and Groundhogs photo..
• Lin Bensley's recollections - check this out, most extensive personal account of the festival so far.
• Bill Greenwells Recollections - The highly entertaining account of how a student in an Afghan coat became a key member of the 'security' team
• Crowd,Site and Hells Angels Photos - new , Oct 2003
• Crowd photos
• Weeley Recordings -Known recordings of the festival
• Where's Wally ?-click to find out the origins of this silly chant .
• Festival program- photos and text from the original program .
• Festival site map
• Weeley press
• Weeley home

Thanks to Celia Bouquet , Rich Deakin , Garry Bodenham , Redrich, Bill Greenwell ,Lin Bensley ,Brian Nugent, Steve Cook , Bill Greenwell and Phil Jones for the donation of articles and pix that have enabled the construction of this site.