This month's cover, illustrated by our designer Natalie Owen, draws inspiration from the generations of dance at The Palais. Adding a personal touch, Natalie spoke to her grandma, Edna Owen, about how her grandparents first met there.
How did you meet your husband, John?
In 1950, The Palais hosted a popular event called Peter Fielding and His Music Tea Dances, held every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday from 3 PM to 5 PM. Peter Fielding was the conductor of the orchestra at the Palais. He came to the Palais in 1950 for four years with a brief year in Leeds before coming back to the Palais in 1956 when it was transformed into the Sherwood Rooms where he stayed.
My friend and I could usually be found either dancing on the floor or sitting upstairs on the balcony, chatting away. Peter Fielding had a habit of greeting guests personally, and one day, he approached me with a particular observation. Pointing toward the dance floor, he told me he thought a certain man - John Owen - would be a good match for me.
At the time, I was quite shy and rarely spoke much, but the moment I met John, we instantly clicked. That evening, he walked me home, and from then on, we regularly met up to go dancing at The Palais.
What was John like?
My first impression of John was that he was a very sexy man! He was a few years older than me. I was in my mid-20s when we met, and he was in his late 20s.
John was born in Ukraine and arrived in the UK after enduring the hardships of World War II. He had been a prisoner of war and, tragically, never knew if his sister survived. At 15 years old, he was captured by Nazi German soldiers and torn from his mum. He was forced to do slave labour for them or be shot. During his time at the German camp he was rescued by American soldiers, he continued to work for them as a chef, they paid him well. When the war ended, he was given the choice to relocate to either the UK or Canada. He chose Nottingham. He did intend to go back to Ukraine but he found out that his mum had sadly died so never returned.
Determined to build a new life, John worked tirelessly in local factories, saving his hard-earned money to enjoy nights out dancing, most often at The Palais.
How did your relationship develop from thereon in?
After many afternoons and evenings spent dancing, we decided to take the next step and moved in together. We settled into a house in Clifton, where we built our life and raised our four children; Laureena, Maria, Sandra, and John, whom we called Little John. Life was busy but fulfilling.
One day, John came home with an unexpected surprise - he had bought us a new house in Bakersfield. We packed up and moved, starting a new chapter there. We've lived in that house ever since, and to this day, I still call it home.
Tell us about your long marriage to John, what kind of man was he?
He had a hard life before coming to the UK, being taken from his parents like that must have impacted his mental health but he made sure it seemed like it didn’t faze him. He was such a hard worker and loved his family very much. He did a lot for his family including myself. John passed away in 2014. We had many years of happy memories, going on holiday together to Bulgaria was a favourite memory of mine, we danced a lot there as well.
What kind of events were there at the Palais?
The Palais hosted ballroom dance competitions and festive Christmas parties. John and I loved watching the competitions together - they were absolutely wonderful! Though we never participated, we thoroughly enjoyed admiring the couples as they gracefully danced across the floor in their stunning outfits.
I met John while wearing my beautiful yellow dress, a favorite of mine. I still miss wearing it. The music at The Palais was simply incredible, creating an atmosphere unlike any other. I never had the food at the Palais, but they did serve food. I would mainly have the cocktails! John would buy me different cocktails while we were there.
Though we never attended the Christmas parties at The Palais, John and I had our own tradition - we always celebrated at the Ukrainian club in Nottingham.
What kind of dances were you doing at the time? Did you have to learn them beforehand?
Oh yes, I had to learn them before going dancing! John and I danced together as a couple, doing all sorts of styles, including the Rumba, Mambo, and Foxtrot. My mum, who was a wonderful dancer, taught me the Charleston. I was so happy to learn from her.
When was the last time you went to the Palais? Are you happy to hear it’s been re-opened and renamed back to The Palais?
The last time we went to the Palais was before our children were born. I'm 93 years old now, so it’s been a long time since I’ve been back! I’m thrilled to hear that it’s back to the good old days of the Palais name. I remember dancing there well and will always remember those days.
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