Stardust & Beyond

The archive

The Stardust

The club, 1975.

47 photos

The Stardust was the only Gay club in Durban. It was a secret and only gay people and their friends knew about it. There was no sign on the anonymous door and you had to climb to 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 in early January 1975. It was a small nightclub with a tiny dance floor and a bar. This was a completely new, scary and shocking world to us. I introduced the club to Patrick, Rory and Cindy and we had so much fun on the dancefloor that we began going regularly. We felt truly liberated there. In April Joan and I went to our first drag competition. Miss Natal 1975. The club was jam packed filled with screaming supporters of all these beautiful “girls”. 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 the maths class she leant forward, 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 again.

The Stardust club, 1975
The Stardust - Durban, 1975
The Stardust DJ Peter Wheeler The Stardust DJ Peter Wheeler 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. Miss Stardust 1976 contestants Miss Stardust 1976 contestants Miss Stardust 1976 Jackie, Gillian, Steven and Vanessa Miss Stardust 1976 Jackie, Gillian, Steven and Vanessa Steven Steven Vanessa and Steven Miss Stardust 1976 Vanessa and Steven Miss Stardust 1976 Vanessa, Steven, Gillian and Eric Reeves with Roy Weir as DJ Vanessa, Steven, Gillian and Eric Reeves with Roy Weir as DJ Steven at Rocky Horror party Steven at Rocky Horror party Photograph from Stardust & Beyond Miss Stardust 1977. Grant Patterson and Steven Miss Stardust 1977. Grant Patterson and Steven Miss Stardust 1977 Miss Stardust 1977 Steven crowning Miss Stardust 1977 Steven crowning Miss Stardust 1977 Lesley Wallace Lesley Wallace Steven and Gary Steven and Gary Gary Williams Gary Williams Steven doing cabaret at The Stardust Steven doing cabaret at The Stardust Darryl Rogers Darryl Rogers Darryl Rogers, Kevin Rogers and Gillian Lenton Darryl Rogers, Kevin Rogers and Gillian Lenton Darryl and Gillian Darryl and Gillian Henry Davies and Darryl Henry Davies and Darryl Joan Dickman and Pam Harmse Joan Dickman and Pam Harmse 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, 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 Miss South Africa Ian, Leslie Wallace, Gary Moore, Steven Miss South Africa Ian, Leslie Wallace, Gary Moore, Steven Leslie, Ian and Steven Leslie, Ian and Steven Ian Perry winning Miss South Africa Ian Perry winning Miss South Africa Miss South Africa Lesley Wallace, Ian Perry, Steven Roche, Gillian and Peter Wheeler The Stardust DJ. Miss South Africa Lesley Wallace, Ian Perry, Steven Roche, Gillian and Peter Wheeler The Stardust 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