...Places
of Southend Punk Significance...
The
Bungalow in Rayleigh deserves a mention in Southend Punk history, not least
of which as the venue of many legendary Punk Rock parties in the late '70's
- early '80's. Add to that its doubling up as both accommodation and as
practice space for bands like The Spurts, The Bullies and The Psychopaths,
its place in punk history is assured.Speaking to Paul Langwith about it's interesting history in 2008, he said "The Bungalow existed between 1977 - 1985. In 1940 the MOD purchased land just off of Rawreth Lane in Rayleigh and proceeded to construct a POW camp, to house captured German and Russian Prisoners. The Bungalow existed as a prison hospital within the camp." He continued "At the end of WW2 the land was sold off to a private investor who then converted the camp into industrial work units."
"In 1970, my dad - Bob Langwith - took up the opportunity to rent a workshop which came with the housing (The Bungalow), and my family, who at that time lived in Stratford in London, took the chance to move from the city to a small market town." Paul continues "For seven years me, mum and dad and two sisters lived at The Bungalow until we eventually moved on, my dad kept The Bungalow on which I then used as weekend sleeping den, and at the age of fifteen I discovered punk and formed a band (The Spurts). We stated rehearsing at The Bungalow most evenings and by 1978 me, Dave Coltman, Mark Bristow, Ralph Walton and Perry Bamonte all lived there permanently. The rest, as they say, is history..."
