Freddie Mercury honoured with Blue Plaque outside childhood home
Queen legend Freddie Mercury has been honoured with a Blue Plaque outside his childhood home in Feltham, West London.
Freddie’s younger sister Kashmira Cooke and his bandmate Brian May unveiled the English Heritage plaque ahead of what would have been the late singer’s 70th birthday on Monday (5th September).
Kashmira said: "Mum and I are so proud and pleased that English Heritage is honouring our Freddie with a Blue Plaque, and that he will be amongst other famous names for ever. Secretly he would have been very proud and pleased too."
Brian enthused: “It is a pleasant duty to help install this little reminder on Freddie’s parents’ house in Feltham. It was here that I first visited Freddie soon after we had met through a mutual friend.
“We spent most of the day appreciating and analysing in intimate detail the way that Jimi Hendrix had put his recordings together in the studio - listening to Hendrix on vinyl played on Freddie's Dansette record player - which had stereo speakers on opposite sides of the box!
“Feltham was the childhood neighbourhood for both of us but we never knew it until we met in the cause of music.”
The Blue Plaque is adorned with the words: Freddie Mercury (Fred Bulsara). 1946-1991. Singer and Songwriter lived here.
Freddie’s parents Jer and Bomi Bulsara bought the inter-war terrace house at 22 Gladstone Avenue in the autumn of 1964 when they emigrated from Zanzibar. The young Farrokh Bulsara was still residing there when he first met his future Queen band mates, Brian May and Roger Taylor.
Freddie now rubs shoulders with fellow music icons Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart who have all been awarded Blue Plaques.
Sir Peter Bazalgette, English Heritage Blue Plaques Panel Member, said: “Before Freddie became Freddie Mercury, this small house was where he lived and took the first steps towards stardom.
“English Heritage’s blue plaques celebrate the great men and women whose achievements endure and Freddie Mercury – singer, songwriter and producer – was certainly one of our greatest musical talents. He was truly a champion.”
You can check out the childhood homes of Kurt Cobain, Axl Rose, Lars Ulrich, Keith Richards, Bono, Ozzy Osbourne, Mick Jagger, David Bowie and more by clicking the link below.