Will Beckenham Beat Bromley?
The friendly rivalry between the neighbouring towns of Bromley and Beckenham will be seen in a new light during the coming weeks when Beckenham will endeavour to emulate Bromley’s fine War Weapons Week total.
An attractive programme of events has been prepared for the week and below we give a summary.
Saturday: Processions will converge on the Town Hall for a ___ parade at 1:45 pm, and the Mayor of Beckenham (Councillor W.J. Sampson) will declare the week open at 2 pm. At 2:15 pm the parade will march to the Croydon Road Recreation Ground, where the Mayor will kick-off at a football match arranged between the local A.F.S. and Home Guard. A tea dance will be held at the Public Hall.
On Sunday a church parade will be held at the Parish Church at 10:30 am, followed by a march past. A number of the Services, the Mayor and Corporation will attend, and the Mayor will also be present at a similar service at the Parish Church, West Wickham, in the afternoon.
On Monday, after parades during the day by military units, a whist drive will be held in the evening at Coney Hall, West Wickham.
Tuesday will be Ladies’ Day. There will be military parades and contingents from ladies’ organisations marching through the town to the Regal Cinema, where an address on National Savings will be followed by an organ recital. In the afternoon, at the Electricity Showrooms, there will be a demonstration of the winning war-time cookery menu.
Military parades and a parade of Fire Brigade units will be followed be a display at Kelsey Park on Wednesday afternoon. In the evening there will be the War Weapons ball at the Town Hall, and a dance at the Regal Ballroom.
The children come into their own on Thursday, when there will again be military parades in the town, and a children’s party at the Public Halls, at which the Mayor will present prizes to winners in school competitions, and Mr __Harrison, Assistant Commissioner for National Savings, S.E. Region, will give an address.
Friday will see more military parades and a display of mobile searchlight units.
On Saturday, the last day of the week, a football match between an A.A. Battery and the local Home Guard will take place at the Trust Playing Field, West Wickham. In the evening there will be a dance at the Dane Park Hotel, and a social for War Weapons Week voluntary workers at the Public Hall.
Source:
Bromley & Kentish Times, February 1941
