On this day in history….5th September 1946

On this day in history : 5th September 1946 – The birth of one of our most well-loved musicians, Freddie Mercury…. He was born Farrokh Bulsara in Stone Town, Zanzibar, which is now part of Tanzania….

Freddie was born a British citizen but spent much of his childhood in India; he began to learn to play the piano at the age of 7…. In 1964 the Bulsara family fled Zanzibar due to the revolution and came to live in England – at 22, Gladstone Avenue, Feltham, Middlesex….

The house in Zanzibar where Freddie lived during his childhood – Image credit : Moongateclimber CC BY-SA 3.0

Freddie studied art at Isleworth Polytechnic, West London and went on to earn a diploma in Art and Graphic Design at Ealing Art College…. After graduating he had a variety of jobs, including selling second-hand clothing at Kensington Market and working as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport…. He also joined several bands but it was in April 1970 that he teamed up with Brian May and Roger Taylor (and they were joined by bassist John Deacon in 1971)…. It was also around this time that he changed his name to Freddie Mercury….