The world was tense as the so called 'cold war' continued to worsen with the Soviet Union exploding a Hydrogen bomb during testing in the Arctic Ocean north of Russia, and then masterminding the building of the Berlin Wall, the 'Iron Curtain', separating East from West Berlin. America responded by sending a battle group to Germany and Americans and Russians glared at each other across the border. The escalation of the threat of nuclear war was very real; many Americans built backyard fallout shelters. Many in Britain followed suit. Gerry Breen of Corby even went so far as to write a letter to the Home Secretary Rab Butler to enquire about the possibility of a grant to build a shelter in his back garden in Kingsthorpe Avenue.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament went into overdrive with marches on U.S. air bases and a march from Studfall Green to the Town Centre in Corby.
America also caused anxiety when financing anti-Castro Cubans for an invasion at the Bay of Pigs in April which was an unmitigated disaster, less than three months after John F. Kennedy assumed the presidency in the United States. The CIA-trained forces of Cuban exiles invaded southern Cuba in an attempt to overthrow the Cuban government of Fidel Castro but were defeated by Eastern Bloc trained and equipped Cuban armed forces.
The same month Russia took a giant step into space by launching Yuri Gagarin, aboard the Vostok spacecraft into the stratosphere, the first man to go into the unknown. America reacted by getting their first astronaut off the launch pad, Alan Shepard. Whilst the Soviets rejoiced in their success, Gargarin completing an orbit of the Earth, Shepards’ efforts were mocked as he returned after just 15 minutes in his ship Freedom 7.
The space race was now off and running in earnest, capturing the imagination of people in the music industry. The first British instrumental record to top America’s Billboard charts was Telstar by The Tornados, a catchy instrumental named after the newly launched communications satellite. A group in Sweden called The Spotniks, which I guess is Swedish for Sputnik, (Russia's satellite), had a minor hit with Have Nagila. A group in Corby called themselves The Astronauts, but unfortunately, never took off.
The music industry was in a state of comatose with the rock 'n' roll fever now long since dissipated and a jazz boom re-emerging. We were all awaiting the next big thing, whatever that was going to be. Nobody would have known that a band making its debut in a dank and dirty cellar in Liverpool called The Beatles would become the music industry's saviour. But that was still two years away.
The Melody Maker were optimistic when claiming that the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Presley was at long last getting ready to come over to Britain for a long awaited show, even committing their front page to an exclusive. Its Now Or Never some pessimists opined. Well they were right. Elvis never did make it to Britain, even if some people did claim to see him in a chip shop in Chelmsford.
Meantime, the 'package tour' continued to provide entertainment and a rare opportunity for pop fans to see their heroes in the flesh. A traveling conglomerate of acts traveled around the country and called in at various Granada cinemas, including Kettering. Topping the bill on November 7th was Billy Fury, a regular visitor to the charts with a string of hits such as Halfway to Paradise and A Thousand Stars. The supporting acts included Eden Kane, Joe Brown and the Bruvvers, Tommy Bruce, The Allisons, The Viscounts, The Karl Denver Trio, Georgie Fame and Peter Jay and the Jaywalkers. Tickets were 7/6 5/6 3/6.
The following night’s edition of the Evening Telegraph had the reporter asking; 'Were the girls in your office or factory complaining of sore throats this morning? Did they sound a little hoarse? If so they were probably among the 1500 teenage girls at the Granada. They nearly raised the roof off.' The ET hack then gave his own personal reflection by stating; 'Fury turned in a far more polished performance than the last time he was at the Granada, but he has a long way to go before he catches up with Adam Faith, Cliff Richard or Tommy Steele. I can’t visualise him topping the bill at the London Palladium. Eden Kane’s the same. Seems to lack personality that would make him a great entertainer. The Viscounts did better on the scream zone, equally as did Tommy Bruce. Though you’d have to ask the teenagers why. Sex appeal alone seems to be the answer. It can’t be his voice or personality. Joe Brown was a lot better though he does appear to have stolen some of his act off of Tommy Steele. Best voice of the night was undoubtedly that of Karl Denver. The Allisons were disappointing; their act was mediocre in both content and presentation.'
It’s easy to say with hindsight but it was no surprise that The Beatles would cause such a sensation when they finally arrived in 1963.
Tottenham Hotspur made history by becoming the first team of the century to win the elusive 'double', the league championship and F.A.Cup. Stepping out at Wembley in the Leicester City team to face the Spurs was Corby born full back Len Chalmers. Playing out their dreams on Studfall Green on Cup Final morning, the ten-a-side group of youngsters were having a 'half time' break and discussing the afternoon's prospects for Leicester when Ian 'Bomber' Wilson told of a premonition he had. For a number of years the Cup Final had been jinxed with a serious injury to one of the participants, broken legs, a broken neck. Ian said that Chalmers would be this years' victim. Bip 'Billy Whizz' Wetherell, Stan 'Snowball' Watkinson, John 'Crutch' Crawley and the rest of the boys laughed. "I'm telling you" said the clairvoyant Bomber. And sure enough, Len suffered a bad injury following a clash with Spurs' winger Terry Dyson as early as the 15th minute. In the days before substitutes, poor Len became the unwelcome 'passenger on the wing'. Spurs took advantage and won the Cup, and the Double, by defeating Leicester 2-1.
Other highlights from 1961 was the abolition of the farthing coin after eight centuries. With it ceasing to be legal tender, you could no longer go into a sweet shop and ask for eight blackjacks or bellboys! The First electric toothbrush was produced by a company called Squibb and George Blake, a 'super spy' was imprisoned for 42 years after being exposed as a Double Agent, working for MI6 and the Soviet Union.
