The main feature (with the title above) in this week's Sunday Times Magazine is an article written by Mary Austin, the long-time friend of Freddy Mercury. Although it is to publicise a new book called A Life in Lyrics, it is a fascinating story of their relationship told from her point of view.
The reason for my post is related to the places where they lived together in Kensington. Mary says, "By January 1971 we'd moved into a tiny flat on Victoria Road, close to Kensington High Street. A stone's throw from Dad's shop, John Buckle. (See post 24th May 2009). Mary and Freddy then "moved to a small flat in Kensington, on Holland Road". Which I must have passed hundreds of times, mostly on the trolley bus to school.
In 1976 "we moved into a bigger maisonette on nearby Stafford Terrace". Just off Kensington High Street. When Mary moved out, Freddy had bought her a flat "round the corner in Phillimore Gardens" that overlooked Holland Park. Now a highly exclusive road.
Freddy's last house was Garden Lodge in Kensington, "walking distance from my flat". This was the beautiful mansion where he lived until he died in 1991. "He left me his cherished home. His sanctuary became mine."
.webp)
Garden Lodge is on Logans Place, just off Earls Court Road and very close to St Philip's Church, which we attended on many occasions when we were young.
