David 'Sparrow' Harrison MBE (born: 22nd February 1939) is a Welsh philanthropist, who originally was a mechanic, who later on in the 60's was the lead singer in a rhythm and blues band called Sparrow and the Gossamers. He later on got involved in boxing and became good friends with the Kray twins and Bruce Reynolds, the mastermind behind the Great Train Robbery in 1963. Due to his disability in stammering, Sparrow founded in 1978 the British Stammering Association and the Cae Dai Trust in 1994, which provides sheltered accommodation for marginalised people such as ex-offenders, the homeless and those who have suffered drink and drug addiction or mental health problems. The trust also includes a 1950's themed museum. In 2015, Sparrow was awarded the MBE by the Queen for his charity work.
Links To Peel[]
The 1950's Museum, Cae Dai, Denbigh, North Wales
Sparrow and Peel both went to Woodlands School in Deganwy, Wales, where Peel mentioned in Margrave Of The Marshes that Sparrow was the only person outside his immediate family that he knew before his twenty eighth birthday who kept in touch with him.
In 2003, Sparrow gave some of his record collection to Peel for him to play on his Pig's Big 78, including a record from Red Norvo Orchestra with Mildred Bailey, which Peel mentioned on his 16 December 2003 show that "I may steal that one actually, Sparrow if you're listening."