Stardust & Beyond

The archive

The Stardust

The club, 1975.

38 photos

The Stardust was the only Gay club in Durban. On the 3rd floor of a building down a dark alleyway between 2 of the main roads right in the centre of the city. Joan Dickman and I were taken there by Hilton Wolman and some other friends in early January 1975. It was a small nightclub with a dance floor and a bar but was a completely new and often shocking world to us. I then introduced the club to Patrick, Rory and Cindy and we had such fun on the dancefloor that we began going regularly. In April Joan and I went to our first drag competition Miss Natal 1975. The club was jam packed and going mad cheering on the contestants. We had never seen anything like it before. Joan suddenly realised that the queen who came third was in her maths class at university. The following Monday in her maths class she leant forward and tapped him on the shoulder and said “You looked fabulous on Friday night”. So began our friendship with Steven. From that moment onwards our lives would never be the same.

The Stardust club, 1975
The Stardust - Durban, 1975
Steven Roche aka Margot Steven Roche aka Margot Alan Horn, Patrick Brill and Cindy West Alan Horn, Patrick Brill and Cindy West Cindy West Cindy West Photograph from Stardust & Beyond An invitation to the Miss Sunshine at The Butterworth Hotel in Durban An invitation to the Miss Sunshine at The Butterworth Hotel in Durban Rodney Symes, Eric Reeves, Carol and Barry. Eric and Barry were the owners of The Stardust. Rodney Symes, Eric Reeves, Carol and Barry. Eric and Barry were the owners of The Stardust. Steven at Rocky Horror party Steven at Rocky Horror party Photograph from Stardust & Beyond Miss Stardust 1977 Miss Stardust 1977 Lesley Wallace Lesley Wallace Photograph from Stardust & Beyond Gary Gary Steven doing cabaret at The Stardust Steven doing cabaret at The Stardust Darryl Rogers Darryl Rogers Darryl and Gillian Darryl and Gillian Henry Davies and Darryl Henry Davies and Darryl Joan Dickman and Pam Harmse Joan Dickman and Pam Harmse Darryl, Kevin Rogers and Gillian Lenton Darryl, Kevin Rogers and Gillian Lenton Dickie Conradie Dickie Conradie Rene Kent Rene Kent Sophie Symes Sophie Symes Gavin Woolf aka The Weep Gavin Woolf aka The Weep Steven and Craig Peetz Steven and Craig Peetz Steven crowning Miss Stardust 1977 Steven crowning Miss Stardust 1977 Steven, Craig, Ronnie Botha, Henry and Mark Griffin Steven, Craig, Ronnie Botha, Henry and Mark Griffin Henry and Lauren Shipton Henry and Lauren Shipton Lauren and Ian Perry Lauren and Ian Perry Craig as Miss Natal 1977 Craig as Miss Natal 1977 Kerry Bennett at The Stardust Kerry Bennett at The Stardust Lauren Lauren Ian Perry winning Miss South Africa Ian Perry winning Miss South Africa The first Miss South Africa competition. Lesley Wallace 2nd, Ian Perry 1st and Steven Roche 3rd. Gillian crowned and Peter Wheeler was the DJ. The first Miss South Africa competition. Lesley Wallace 2nd, Ian Perry 1st and Steven Roche 3rd. Gillian crowned and Peter Wheeler was the DJ. Photograph from Stardust & Beyond Steven doing Martie the Martian Steven doing Martie the Martian Lauren Lauren Marcel Wishura Marcel Wishura Ian and Peter Pienaar, the owner of the Stardust Ian and Peter Pienaar, the owner of the Stardust