If you have any memories or photographs of the club in days
gone by, please do not hesitate to send them to us, however the club does
reserve the right to refuse or edit contributions on the grounds
of size or content.
A story of Orpington Folk Dance Club
as remembered by Irene and Joyce
The club was founded in 1931 although closed for the
duration of the war. When Irene and Joyce, now the longest standing members
still dancing, joined around 1960 it was quite a small club meeting in a wooden
hut known as the small civic hall. At that time dances were taught not by a
professional teacher but club members. People addressed each other formally and
there were parties for members to bring their friends and neighbours. It was not
until car ownership became common that dancers visited each others clubs and
attended their parties.
The secretary was for some years in the sixties Irene
Bamber and the treasurer was Phil Green. Many will remember Harold Downing who
after his move to Sedlescombe hosted an annual garden party and his widow Joan
keeps up the custom. Bert Simmons was the chairman and was famous for his
Kentish Hops and the composition of dances like the Rose of Rochester in honour
of Rose Sears who travelled by train twice a month to play the piano for the
club.
Club meetings changed to social evenings gradually with
callers rather than teachers and the use of first names became the rule. Around
the time things were getting more relaxed we were enlivened by a group of
campers anxious to improve their dancing for the Saturday night hops at their
weekend camp sites.
Over the years the annual Saturday afternoon of dancing
open to the public in the Priory Gardens gave way to the County Cub at the Weald
and then members garden dances.
Charles Learthart joined the club with his wife Irene and
soon took on the secretary's job which he performed with keenness and
efficiency. At that time a number of dancers came along from the Beckenham club
which Orpington members had helped Ron Jones and Joan
Cornish to establish some years before. Charles became Chairman and Ken Huntley
a hard working secretary, joining his wife June on the committee where she was
treasurer. June also became a caller along with a number of other members.
