Do you recall Follett?s & Wyness Exhibition Peckham Jan

[leon parker]

I am looking for photographs, memories and related record shop ephemera to add to the exhibition.

PECKHAM 33-45-78 RPM

The British Record Shop Archive proudly presents Peckham 33-45-78 RPM, an exhibition celebrating the history of record retailing in Peckham. Exhibition is at 91 Peckham High Street and runs January 10-29. Free entry.

For over 50 years, Peckham had notable independent stores like Reeds that stocked a wide variety of new music, both singles and albums. Reeds' fostered relationships with the labels and invited the stars of the day to do in-store promotional events. Shops like Reeds did not carry large stocks as most of it was behind the counter and you had to either ask for it or order it. Chart items could be got in most shops, but Woolworths on Rye Lane were the principle stockist of Top 40 45s.

Black Music Outlets

"This was one of the first areas in London to get music from Caribbean, " said Michael Fountaine, former proprietor of Maestro Records Peckham.

From the 1960s on Peckham experienced an influx of Afro-Caribbean (and later African) communities whose tastes were geared not towards British popular music the likes of Reeds and Woolworths stocked but the new music from the West Indies. This lead to the opening of independent shops specializing in black music. The independent shops specialising in West Indian music (calypso, ska, soca, reggae, dancehall) had a different relationship to the record labels, dealing more with imports or independent labels that specialised in issuing black music. They also had a different relationship with their customers who would have heard a tune at a local dance held by Neville The Enchanter Sound system or an uptown club like Crackers. DJ David Rodigan (MBE) is known to have sold records out of the railway arches in Peckham.

Hybrid Shops

Many non-record shops (Afro-Caribbean food vendors or hairdressers) also sold West Indian records to Peckham residents. There were also hybrid shops which golf records as well as electrical goods and bicycles. There were also music departments which could be found in the large stores like Jones and Higgs. Mr Tippels of Peckham Park Road sold records but was also a newsagent. To see Mr Tippels collection of Jamaican 45s you had to make an appointment. It is believed that across the last century some twenty-five record shops (or hybrid shops selling records) existed in Peckam. Now three new record shops have sprung up in Peckham along with two hybrid shops selling organic foods, alcohol and records.

Other music related links

Peckham Manor School 1970 saw Bob Marley/Johnny Nash do a promotion gig before Marley went on to become an international superstar. Dave Godin (1936 -2005) was a key figure in promoting soul music in the UK and he was born and raised in Peckham. Two local record shop owners', Reg Reed and Harry Tipple, initiated The Record Retailer publication in 1959 .

Website The British Record Shop Archive is based in Peckham is held its first London exhibition (about the history of Dobells Jazz Folk Blues shop) in summer 2014 based in Soho's Berwick Street. The BRSA will be holding an exhibition in a Pop Up shop in Peckham showing collection of images, original shop bags and memories of Peckham record shops. Including artwork of local artist Jacqueline Stanley. A selection of archive merchandise other related record shop items will be on sale.

The BRSA seeks the general public's participation and invites everyone to drop in with their memories, photographs, record shop bags, flyers and other memorabilia.

Open to the public from 10th till January 29th 11:00 am till 6:00

91 Peckham High Street, SE15 5RS

If you're interested in coming to the preview message me here.