In 2017, with generous support from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England and the Royal Borough of Kingston, the Kingston RPM project team uncovered the rich and varied musical heritage of the royal borough of Kingston upon Thames and the surrounding region. The project is centred around three core strands of research, covering the 1940s to the 1970s: the musical influence of the US army’s wartime base in Bushy Park; the presence of the Decca Records pressing plant in New Malden; and the wide range of music venues that Kingston has been home to over the years.

This activity helped to produce a public exhibition, a wide ranging of participatory events, educational resources, and the conducting of 15 oral testimony interviews. This website provides a chance to explore this history, with all of the findings from the project and the activity delivered visible here. There are still many stories that may have gone uncaptured, however, so please do share your own memories and insights into this topic through the contact form at the bottom of this page.

Download the Educational Resource Pack, the perfect toolkit for anyone wanting to share the heritage uncovered by Kingston RPM with the next generation. Predominantly designed for use by KS3 and KS4 teachers, this pack is free to all, and compatible with the National Curriculum.