Roger Dalke
Roger Dalke - reggae record collector and discographer, passed away in July 2025.
I came to know Roger well from 1995 - 2015.
His passion in life was collecting old reggae records - he travelled all over the UK looking for them.
When he found them they would be entered into his massive reggae record database,
Of well over 50,000 entries. This Database was originally on cards - but was transferred
Over to the computer in the eighties, which became the foundation of his many Record Selector Label discographies. Released from the late seventies into the 2000’s.
Most of the UK Reggae Record Labels were covered. And he had plans to publish books
On the Jamaican Reggae Labels. He was a great lover of Jamaican Label art, and wanted
To publish them in colour.
But with the rise of the internet, interest in books slowed down. And this made the project
very expensive. However, he did put out a book on Studio One, which included some colour pages.
When he wasn’t compiling the discographies, he was out and about looking for old reggae records. One of his most famous stories involved a trip to Bracknell, just outside of London.
Roger or ‘Dalkey’ as most people called him, was a great storyteller. He would love mimicking all the voices of the people in the story.
The story begins on a tip of a reggae record shop full of oldies. Dalkey walked the length
of Bracknell’s High Street looking for it without success. It was a hot day - and he thought he would enjoy a choc ice before making his way home. So he went into a sweet shop - and bought one. He enjoyed the big choc ices - they were expensive. He was just removing the
Wrapper when he looked up - and noticed on the door of this shop - ‘Record Department Downstairs’ He wasn’t expecting anything special, but he thought he could enjoy his choc ice
While he browsed the racks.
He noted a young Dolly Bird (as he called her) close to the bottom of the stairs who was sitting behind a small counter. Dalkey walked to back of the shop - and it was then that he spotted them row after row of UK reggae labels. “In Mint Condition!!” He said it was like finding a gold mine! They were a £1.00 each, he walked back to the young Dolly Bird - and
Wondered how much of a discount he could get if he bought ten. Dalkey then mimics the young Dolly Bird shouting up the stairs she asks “Fred, the man down here wants to buy ten old records, can you give him a discount?” Old Fred - in a gruff old voice shouts back, “He can have them for 75p each”.
Roger then shouts back “What If I buy 100?” The old man shouts down the stairs “£50”.
Roger shouts back “I’ll take 200” “That’s will be £100.00 Replies the Old Man. “Dalkey shouts back “Done”
Dalkey then spends the next hour or so picking out 200 great old reggae records
In Mint Condition. He wasn’t really geared up to carry 200 7” Records - but the old man found him some big plastic bags - and he got home safe and sound.
After recovering from this adventure, he phoned a friend whom he trusted. And told him.
Dalkey thought no more of it. Until he got a chance to go back to the shop with another
£100.00. Only to find the shop totally cleared out of its reggae stock.
Dalkey said he never spoke to this person again. In a way this story a true one - is all you
Need to know about Roger. RIP.
Ray