A Long and Hot Summer at Benenden
A selection of photographs were found in the Museum archive, showing patients having fun during the August Bank Holiday of 1959.
1959 is reported as being a long hot summer, with sunshine and high temperatures from May till August. It must have been memorable, Paul Mc Cartney wrote a song about it, Summer of ’59 (not to be confused with Summer of ’69 by Bryan Adams).
The patients can be seen in various fancy dress.
There wasn’t anything special happening during August 1959. Maybe the heat got to everyone! Here are some facts about 1959, for those that might want to remember what they were doing. Pass this to family or friends who are 70 years or older, they might remember the Summer of ’59.
Top 5 in the music charts 4 August 1959
- Dream Lover – Bobby Darin
- A Teenager in Love – Marty Wilde
- Battle of New Orleans – Lonnie Donegan
- Roulette – Russ Conway
- Living Doll – Cliff Richard and The Drifters
Most popular TV releases during
- Oh Boy!
- Juke Box Jury
- Markham
- Manhunt
- The David Niven Show
Most popular film releases in the preceding month
- The Last Train from Gun Hill
- The Tingler
- Plan 9 From Outer Space
- North by Northwest
- A Hole in The Head
Benenden Heritage Project - Remembering the Past - Securing the Future 