Vivian Stanshall

Vivian Stanshall (born Victor Anthony Stanshall; 21 March 1943 – 5 March 1995) was an English singer-songwriter, musician, author, poet and wit, best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, for his exploration of the British upper classes in Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (as a radio series for John Peel, as an audio recording, as a book and as a film), and for acting as Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield's album Tubular Bells.

Early life and education

Stanshall was born on 21 March 1943 at the Radcliffe Maternity Home in Shillingford, Oxfordshire, and christened Victor Anthony. He lived with his mother Eileen (née Wadeson) while his father, Victor Stanshall (1909–1990) served in the RAF during World War II. His father changed his name to Victor in preference to his given name Vivian. Stanshall described this early period as the happiest time of his childhood.

When the war ended, his father returned but the young Victor found him difficult and comparatively stern after having been alone with his mother. The family moved to the father's hometown of Walthamstow, Essex, where Stanshall's younger brother Mark was born six years later in 1949. With six years between them, the brothers were never close. Stanshall studied at Walthamstow College of Art, where he met fellow students Ian Dury and Peter Greenaway.