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WHY THE RESIDENTS ARE NOW LEAVING NO STONE UNTURNED TO FIGHT OFF BRIAN JONES CRESCENT
11:02 - 15 July 2003
During his short life, he earned a reputation as a hell-raising rock legend. But last night former Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones was causing uproar in his home town 34 years after his untimely death. A row has erupted over plans to name a road on a new housing estate in Cheltenham after the 1960s star.
The rock star, who founded the legendary band, was born and grew up in the respectable Gloucestershire spa town before achieving worldwide fame. And fans want his association with the town immortalised at the redevelopment of the old Gloscat college site in The Park.
But ward borough councillor, Gerry Gearing, said other Cheltonians were more deserving of the accolade.
"When we consider that he was only in the Rolling Stones from 1963-67 and his connection with Cheltenham was only brief, it could be argued there are people who have done more for the town and should be considered first," he said.
"I think some people have reservations about Brian Jones, not just about what he was, but because there are people who are more appropriate."
But the Cheltenham-based Brian Jones Fan Club and the town's MP have backed the plan to name a new street Brian Jones Crescent.
The club lobbied for more than a year to get a Cheltenham Civic Society plaque erected at Jones's childhood home in Eldorado Road, which was unveiled earlier this month.
Fan club chairman Dave Reynolds said: "I think it is a very good idea, particularly as he was born very close to the area. His name pulls people into Cheltenham from all over the world. There was an example two weeks ago when two people came from Japan to see the new plaque. It's a bit naive to think that he doesn't bring people into the town.
"The new street would be a great thing for Cheltenham. I think the councillors may come round.
"It's all coming together for Brian now. He may have been a rebel, but he was a great musician."
Cheltenham MP Nigel Jones said his namesake deserved a street named after him.
He said the ex-Rolling Stone went to school in the town and played in the Pates School orchestra.
"He was a hugely talented musician who could play 30 instruments before he left school," the MP said. "Of course we should have a road named after him. We should celebrate one of the town's most famous sons.
"For the life of me I cannot understand the confused ramblings of the councillor who is against this idea.
"It would be interesting to know if this character has spent three-quarters of his life in Cheltenham like Brian did."
Nigel Jones, who unveiled the blue commemorative plaque at the home where Brian Jones lived for the first eight years of his life, said he also backed proposals for a statue to the rock legend, which is earmarked for the town centre's Promenade. The fan club is raising funds for the monument through a global appeal to lovers of his music.
Five roads on the new estate have been put forward to be named after great Cheltonians. The other four would be Holst Way and Bliss Gardens (in honour of composers Gustav Holst and Arthur Bliss), Wilson Villas (after Antarctic explorer Edward Wilson) and Siddons Walk (in memory of actress and mistress to George V, Sarah Siddons).
Brian Jones was born at the Park Nursing Home and educated at Dean Close Junior School and Cheltenham Grammar School. He is buried in Cheltenham Cemetery.
Daily Press Fact File
HAD he lived, Brian Jones (real name Lewis Brian Hopkins Jones) would have just turned 61.
He drowned on July 3, 1969, in the swimming pool of a house once owned by Winnie the Pooh's creator AA Milne.
Born February 28, 1942, Jones grew up in a middle-class house called Rosemead, in Eldorado Road, Cheltenham.
Musically gifted from an early age, he played dozens of instruments at school and gained nine O-levels and two A-levels.
His first band in Cheltenham was called The Ramrods.
In London he formed the Rolling Stones and was the driving force behind the band's early success.
This led to Jones descending into drugs and drink, and becoming a paranoid womaniser.
He parted company with the group only weeks before his death at Cotchford Farm, Sussex.
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| stonedinaustralia |
well speaking as someone who is from as far away from cheltenham as you can get (apologies to those rocks offers from tierra del fuego) i never would have gone there if it wasn't for brian
i don't really consider myself some kind of brian "freak" but, speaking as an outsider (and your typical tourist type), his legacy (the significance of which only increases wih each passing day)is right up there with oscar wilde and lord byron - the least they could do is name a street after him - even if it is in a housing project (or maybe that's appropriate)
"without brian, cheltenham would be just another hick country town and maybe it still is ronnie"
"just don't dig the fucker up keith!!" |
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