Straight out of Dartford

Find out more about Dartford born musician Mick Jagger

STRAIGHT outta DARTFORD

BY SHANNON RANDALL

PAINTING BY STEPHEN OLIVER

What would a ‘Straight out of Dartford’ piece be without an article on the most famous man to have been born here. This article is about Mick Jagger’s connection to locations throughout our town rather than his rise to stardom, as facts surrounding that are widely known to most who care already! Michael Jagger, as he was formerly known back then, had his TV debut when he was just 15 ears old on a TV show called Seeing Sport which his father had a weekly segment on. You could say his ease and comfort in front of the camera showed early signs of where his life was headed.

There are several locations around Dartford that have become hotspots for tourists thanks to, not only Jagger, but also his bandmate and childhood friend, Keith Richards. Pat on the back if you can place them all! The pair met and became steadfast friends from an early age when they both attended Wentworth Primary. It helped that they also lived close to each other, Richards on Chastilian Road and Jagger on Denver Road, before moving to Wilmington a few years later. Of course we all know that Jagger went on to study at Dartford Grammar School thanks to the aptly named Mick Jagger Centre! This facility was named after Sir Mick and added to the boys school in 2000. A multi-purpose venue with a passion for inspiring a love for arts and music; Jagger generously funds the ‘Red Rooster’ project, which aims to teach key musical skills to children in the community in group sessions at the centre (currently online!) and in local primary schools.

The most famous spot in Dartford -before it got renovated- seemed to be platform 2 of Dartford Train Station, the location which reunited Jagger and Richards. The story goes that Jagger was on his way to the London School of Economics -something that sounds very far from the Mick Jagger everyone has come to know- when Richards turned up to get his train to the art school he was attending. That was the catalyst for what would become The Rolling Stones.

Mick Jagger is definitely one of the largest and most inspiring people to come from Dartford, but the thing that sticks with me is the legacy he left behind in our small town.

http://www.themickjaggercentre. com/red-rooster.html https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/ people/mick-jagger-on-his-love-ofdartford-7284366 https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/ mick-jagger-rolling-stones-tv-debutaged-15/