The Casino rooms in Rochester, a name more synonymous these
days with lap dancing and dubiously titled theme nights (cleavage night, anyone?)
but back in the 40s this haven of beer goggled misadventures was the setting to
a much simpler love story.
For decades before Aaron Stone was even a twinkle in his father’s
eye the casino dance floor didn’t vibrate to the beats of drum and bass or dub
step instead it rumbled to the roar of roller skate wheels.
The town’s teenagers weren’t out getting drunk on cheap
alcohol deals whilst viewing the world through wine tinted spectacles. Instead
they were racing each other round the rink and the only thing getting hammered
were their behinds if they took an ill fated tumble.
One such youngster was a fellow named Sid Page (also known
as bill to his friends), a keen member
of medway roller dance club and an avid player of roller hockey .
And it was in this sport he was enthusiastically partaking
on the night that Daphne Joyce Blezard and friends decided to take a trip to
the casino for a spot of dancing on wheels.
Joyce (for that’s how
she liked to be known) and friends entered the premises and after grabbing a
soft drink stood round the outside of the rink to take in their surroundings.
It was at this point that Joyce spotted a strapping young
man on the opposite side of the room who really caught her eye and pointing him
out to her friends boldly stated “see him, that’s the man I’m going to marry”
And marry him she did on 15th April 1944 at All saints’
church, Frindsbury, giving birth to their only son Ian in July the following
year.
Love of life on wheels didn’t stop after marriage and kids,
as Ian grew up he also took an interest and competed in many roller dance
competitions. The casino still held a special place in their hearts too as they
frequented and even helped out behind the scenes with other entertainment that
was put on, including wrestling.
One of their favourite stories to tell was how they had once
made a cup of tea for Odd job from Goldfinger back in the days when he was a
professional grappler.
In what would be unusual for a relationship starting out at
the casino these days the couple stayed together until Joyce peacefully passed
away in Wisdom Hospice after a terminal illness in 2008 with Sid following just
2 years later a few weeks after his 91st birthday.
So while I myself may pass judgement at anything that is
associated with the premises these days (check out Medway messenger stories
about the casino from march 22 2013) I have to also admit to having a secret
adoration for it because without it and in the lyrics of my brothers band The Len
price 3 my grandparents would never of had their “from Rochester casino to the
final goodbye “.
MEDWAY MESSENGER COLUMN 10/02/2014
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