My Friend, John by Holly Rees

When we went to Trafalgar Square, a beautiful historic square of houses for ex-mariners, just behind Holy Trinity, we expected to hear stories of the sea. And we did, but we also discovered an altogether more surprising story from Doris, who had lived at Trafalgar Gardens for years. She told us about her neighbour John, recently passed away, and his glamorous career in 1950’s London as a Burberry model and friend of royalty. It was a story about deep friendship, neighbours looking after each other and place bringing together unlikely friends.

Lyrics I was Trafalgar Square’s caretaker 9-12 every day Sunday or not I’m gonna tell you about my neighbour For 17 years he lived next door He was from Sunderland years ago A young boy born in Deptford in 31 Then from Sussex in a cottage owned By the National Trust he came home

Chorus: Let me tell you about my friend John How he’d tell me all these stories I tell you he was a one Let me tell you about my friend John He’d tell me where he’d been and tell me what he’d done Let me tell you about my friend John Let me tell you about my friend John

Verse 2: At fifteen Working at the shipyard An office boy general dogs body A taste of adventure then to Canada His first trip with the merchant navy Then bar work to farming he tried it all Then to the army in the household cavalry At the coronation in the horse guard He was even a male model for Burberry

Bridge: I never had a wrong word with him My friend he was a very nice man He liked the finer things Half past six bring him his tea A Marks and Spencers trifle or three