Stately homes and broken statues: the Rolling Stones in Staffordshire
ON May 15, 1964, the Rolling Stones headlined a “Top-pop Spectacular” that took place at Trentham Gardens near Stokeon-trent, with Peter Jay the support act. The concert took place in the lounge, with tickets costing 12 shillings.
The same month the band also performed at the Danilo Theatre in Cannock on May 27, 1964, playing two sets at 6.30pm and 8.30pm. This gave the band members plenty of time to play to their ‘bad-boy’ image…
The Cannock Advertiser reported “The Rolling Stones rolled into Cannock’s Danilo Theatre on Wednesday for a one-night stand, much to the delight of their hundreds of fans. Not much of the group’s actual singing was heard, but the fans did not worry about that. They had come to see the country’s most unconventional five pop music idols.”
Damaged
There is an urban myth that Mick Jagger damaged a delicate part of the anatomy of The Sower statue outside the library opposite – the exact details have ‘stumped’ people for decades.
The Stones were paid £42 for the two gigs. An advert for the show priced the tickets at 4s 6d and 10s 6d.
12 years later the Rolling Stones played two nights in May 1976 at the County Showground,
New Bingley Hall, with tickets priced at £3. The support was from the Meters.
Some of the band stayed at nearby Tillington Hall while Mick Jagger travelled to the concert with local royal photographer Lord Patrick Lichfield in his private helicopter via his nearby family seat of Shugborough Hall.
The Staffordshire Newsletter reported the build up to the two concerts on Friday May 14:
Superstar
“Publicity may have ruined Lord Lichfield’s plans for playing host to pop superstar Mick Jagger during his Stafford stay next week.
“Security arrangements for the stay at Shugborough have been put in jeopardy – meaning Jagger and his wife, Bianca, could have to be put up elsewhere.
“Plans for the couple’s stately home visit while in Stafford for the Bingley Hall Rolling Stones concerts at the County Showground on Monday and Tuesday had been kept secret. But a diary columnist on a national newspaper revealed the arrangements this week.
“Lord Lichfield’s secretary said afterwards: ‘I cannot say the arrangements are absolutely definite now. The more publicity about this business the less chance there is of him coming.’
Arrangements
“She said the photographer earl and Jagger, who are old friends, made the arrangements a long time ago. Lord Lichfield, who gave Bianca away at her St Tropez wedding five years ago, was looking forward to entertaining his guests but Jagger could easily change his mind now, she added.
“Arrangements for putting up the rest of the Stones next week were also not finalised, a
spokesman for the group said. Security regulations meant accommodation plans were continually switched around until the last minute.
“The Stones started the British phase of their tour in Glasgow last Monday. Backed by bass player Bill Wyman, Keith Richard lead guitar and drummer Charlie Watts, Jagger rocked the city’s Apollo Theatre by getting a raving
response.”
Three of the Rolling Stones stayed at Shugborough Hall – Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards – who went for a walk around the estate in the morning, which included a stop off at the farm.
Later, while Charlie and Mick were being given a private tour of the hall by Patrick Lichfield, their attention was drawn to some of the silver
plates and dishes (originally for George Anson’s London home, which had cost between £300 and £400 – approximately £3.5 million today) in a display of the exiled Huguenot silversmith Paul de Lamerie. Charlie Watts pointed out that the caption below the display was incorrect and when Patrick Lichfield had the information verified it turned out that Charlie was correct!