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Marc Bolan, London's First Glam-Rock Star 
25a Stoke Newington Common
Marc Bolan was born Mark Feld on the 30 September 1947, at 25a Stoke Newington Common, where he lived up until 1962 with his mother, Phyllis, who worked on a Soho fruit stall, (Marc would sometimes assist) and his father, Simeon, a lorry driver.
While attending Northwold school, he played guitar in a group "Susie and the Hoops," alongside vocalist was a 12-year old Helen Shapiro, whom found fame before Marc, in early 1961 with her first hit - “Walking Back to Happiness”. Marc left school as soon as he could in 1962 and about the same time moved from his Stoke Newington Common home. He briefly joined a modeling agency and became a "John Temple Boy," appearing in a clothing catalogue for the menswear store.
His first stage name was Toby Tyler which he took from a film of the same name, before he settled, sometime later, for Marc Bolan, Bolan coming from the first two and last three letters of his hero Bo(b) (Dy)lan
He is best known as the founder of the British rock band Tyrannosaur Rex, which was later abbreviated to - T. Rex. His music, as well as his highly original sense of style and extraordinary stage presence, helped create the glam rock era which made him one of the most recognizable stars in British rock music.
Marc was to spend his last night on 16 September 1977 in Morton’s bar and restaurant at Berkeley Square, along with his girl Gloria Jones, who drove him home in her Mini 1275GT (registration FOX 661L) Marc never took a driving test or had a license. Bolan died instantly when Jones lost control of the car and it struck a sycamore tree after failing to negotiate a small humpback bridge near Gipsy Lane on Queens Ride, Barnes, in South West London
Jones suffered a broken arm and broken jaw and spent time in hospital; she did not learn of Bolan's death until the day of his funeral. Bolan's home, which was less than a mile away at 142 Upper Richmond Road West in East Sheen, was quickly looted.
Today the site of the crash is a shrine to Marc Bolan and is officially recognised as Bolan's Rock Shrine.
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