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Blue plaque honouring Rolling Stones unveiled at Dartford Railway Station

It was the spot where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards first met, by chance, before going on to form the Rolling Stones and make rock history.

Now a blue plaque has been unveiled on platform 2 of Dartford Railway Station to mark the moment on October 17, 1961 when the two rock gods forged their friendship.

The pair struck up a conversation as Mick waited for a train back to his university with a pile of his favourite blues records by his side. Keith was stood close by, with his beloved Hofner Cutaway guitar.

The plaque in Dartford station to mark where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards formed a musical bond
The plaque in Dartford station to mark where Mick Jagger and Keith Richards formed a musical bond

The famously went on to form one of the most famous rock bands in the world.

Unveiling the circular metal sign was Mayor of Dartford Cllr Avtar Sandhu and John Oakes – the current head Dartford Grammar School where Mick attended as a boy.

Mr Oakes said: “I don’t think he has ever forgotten his roots here, and I do think he looks back fondly on the place.

“He has been back here on numerous occasions and for the children of Dartford he has generously given money to various causes in the town.”

The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones

Also present was council leader Jeremy Kite. He said: “Platform 2 has a small but important role in pop music history.

"I hope that in the years ahead many thousands of rail passengers will enjoy looking at the plaque and realising the part the station played in bringing The Rolling Stones together.”

A bench featuring a metal cut-out of Jagger’s famous stance can already be found in Central Park, and the Mick Jagger Centre is a performing arts venue in the grounds of Dartford Grammar School.

Duty station manager Muneeb Shah, SouthEastern manager for the Metro area Ian Johnson, Dartford Mayor Cllr Avtar Sandu, council leader Cllr Jeremy Kite, station manager Sonia Maulson, Dartford Grammar School head teacher John Oakes.
Duty station manager Muneeb Shah, SouthEastern manager for the Metro area Ian Johnson, Dartford Mayor Cllr Avtar Sandu, council leader Cllr Jeremy Kite, station manager Sonia Maulson, Dartford Grammar School head teacher John Oakes.

Jagger attended Dartford Grammar in West Hill while Richards was at Dartford Technical School in Wilmington. The meeting on platform 2 rekindled their relationship, having both been pupils at Dartford’s Wentworth Primary School years earlier.

Dartford council has unveiled a number of plaques around the borough to celebrate famous residents, visitors and places.

The next one will be in Carrington Road, Dartford, in mid-March which will mark the spot where a V1 flying bomb fell in 1944 killing 10 people and injuring 107. It also damaged nearly 700 homes.

For a full list of the plaques, visit www.dartford.gov.uk/heritage

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