CB Exhibition Press Release
copyright by Cliff Watkins
Carey Blyton - Beckenham Composer & Author
The launch of the Harry Potter film last Christmas
led to a media debate: was JK Rowling or Beckenham’s Enid Blyton the
greatest author of children’s stories. That argument overlooked another
Blyton, whose work has entertained and help educate children the world
over, the Beckenham composer, Carey Blyton.
In 1932, a 19 year old Benjamin Britten completed his
choral work "A Boy was Born" and, it seems almost on cue,
Carey Blyton was born that year in The Drive, Beckenham to parents Floss
and Hanly Blyton (Enid’s brother). In October last year at Britten’s
world famous music venue, Snape Maltings, Aldeburgh, the 69 year old
Carey, shrugged off the tightening grip of post-polio syndrome and made
the short journey from his home in Woodbridge to the Maltings to oversee
the recording of his own choral music.
Unlike Britten, who was composing by the age of 5,
Carey took to music at 16 when, still housebound 9 months after polio
had struck, a neighbour, May Parker, suggested he learn to play the
piano. Carey’s life changed direction. Instead of becoming Beckenham’s
David Bellamy, the previously ardent naturalist Carey forwent a university
place in Zoology and took temporary jobs to pay for music training in
order to be accepted by TCM, London.
In 1950, the 19 year old Carey was developing his musical
career by forming the Beckenham Salon with local artists and musicians,
including Hugh Bean and with Sir Arthur Bliss as patron. The Salon
anticipated by 20 years the Arts Lab created by Beckenham’s other famous
music maestro David Bowie and celebrated at The Three Tuns in Beckenham
High Street, last December.
Downtown Beckenham in the 1950’s resounded to the late
night sessions of playing jazz/blues and composing new music. Venues
for Salon concerts included the Public Hall and the Grammar School in
Beckenham Road. Last October while Carey was at Snape, the Grammar
school marked its centenary in Beckenham at Langley Park when Carey’s
music was played throughout the day.
There were plenty of recordings by the Langley Park
school band of his music because, like his aunt’s stories, much of Carey’s
work was specially written to be enjoyed and moreover played by young
people. Thus, although Carey and his wife Mary moved to an affordable
house in Swanley in 1965, the connection with Beckenham is sustained
by the town’s youngsters, the Beckenham Junior Choir for example.
Long before taking up music, children the world over
are entertained by the bijou masterpiece Bananas in Pyjamas (BIP) created
by Carey as a soporific for son Matthew on a long car journey. Mary
urged Carey to write down the music and lyrics which were published
by Faber in 1972 in a collection of nonsense songs and poems. Ten years
later, BIP videos were produced by Australian Broadcasting Corporation
(ABC). Since then, ABC have issued licences world-wide for over
1000 items of BIP merchandise: books, toys, toothpaste, toothbrushes,
clothing etc. And the Bananas B1 and B2 have been seen by over 100 million
children in 50 countries.
But what of Enid Blyton who as 3 month baby had moved
to Beckenham in 1897? She (like her beloved father earlier) had walked
out on the family in 1916, leaving brother Hanly to care for their mother
Theresa.
In the 1940’s Enid Blyton was at the height of her
fame living in Beaconsfield, while brother Hanly battled in Beckenham.
He maintained his clothing business in the City despite being bombed
out of three premises; he was caring for Floss who was degenerating
year by year with rheumatoid arthritis, he was supporting his mother
now in rented rooms in Penge and surrendering to Alzheimer's disease
In 1944, the house in The Drive was made uninhabitable by a VI Rocket
and in 1947 the previously athletic and adventurous Carey was struck
down by polio. But Enid never visited her brother.
Enid’s apathy towards her relatives changed briefly
in 1965 when she contacted Carey, who was at the height of his musical
career and, with scholarships at TCM and Guildhall, was freelancing
as a composer of scores for documentary films and drama, including three
Dr Who serials, and working for Faber as Britten’s music editor.
Enid invited Carey to compose for her collection of songs, published
under the title Mixed Bag. Beckenham’s two famous Blytons met twice:
in a private box in the Stoll Theatre and for afternoon tea in Fortnum
& Mason’s.
Carey’s fun and flair is manifest in the sleeve notes
of his latest CD "The Early Songs" (upbeat
classics URCD160) most of which were composed in Beckenham. Beckenham’s
unknown although well sung hero will be celebrated in an exhibition
marking his 70th birthday to be held in Beckenham Library from March
4th to 20th this year. The highlight will be
on Thursday, March 14th when the Library will be specially open to invited
guests for a Tribute to Carey on his 70th Birthday. That day is also
World Book Day which is also appropriate as 2002 is the 30th anniversary
of Carey’s Bananas in Pyjamas book which went on to launch 1000’s of
bananas world-wide!!
Among the special guests on March 14th will be Carey
Blyton’s younger son, Daniel; his cousin Imogen Smallwood (Enid Blyton’s
younger daughter); the librarian, Simon Finch, who brought the public’s
attention to Enid Blyton’s formative years in Beckenham which led, in
turn, to a book by local author, Nicholas Reed (another of the guests
attending) and, during the last 12 months, the research for a planned
book by Cliff Watkins who is staging the Carey Blyton Exhibition in
compunction with Bromley LB.
A director of Upbeat Records, and Carey’s music agent,
Liz Biddle will also be attending and she may be contacted on liz@upbeat.co.uk,
or telephone 020 8773 1223
