Farewell to Roger, the pub landlord who helped to change Derby’s music scene
ONE of Derby’s best-known landlords, who helped change the face of the town’s social scene during the 1960s, has died at the age of 90.
Roger Groome ran the Cattle Market Hotel, and then the Corporation Hotel before it closed in February 1970 and was demolished shortly afterwards.
He was a member of a Derby publican dynasty. The Corporation had been in Mr Groome’s family for over 100 years. It was originally run by his Aunt Dorothy until his mother and father, Herbert and Olive, took it over in 1945.
He ran it together with his brother Brian for a short time until Brian moved to the Crewe and Harper at Swarkestone, after which Mr Groome and his wife, Mary, ran it together.
The Corporation Hotel, which stood next to the cattle market, was a favourite watering hole for local farmers, but when they had gone home on Fridays, Mr Groome ran successful jazz nights there before catering for a new generation with bands who went on to become internationally famous.
Among those who played the Derby venue were The Who, who then played under the name of The High Numbers, The Moody Blues, The Pretty Things, Steam Packet with Rod Stewart, Jimmy James and the Vagabonds, and Long John Baldry. After the Corporation closed, Mr Groome ran a bookmaker’s in Stable Street until he retired.
Family friend Lis Kolkman said: “Roger loved to play practical jokes on people. He was a larger than life character, whose live music nights were the talk of the Midlands.
Mr Groome passed away peacefully on July 28, at Trent Court Nursing Home, Burton. His funeral will be held on September 7 at 11am at Markeaton Crematorium.