George Major, who was crowned the Pearly King of Peckham more than 65 years ago and inspired the character Del Boy in the classic sitcom Only Fools and Horses, has died aged 88. He passed away on August 1, surrounded by three generations of his family, after dedicating his life to preserving the cockney tradition.
A life dedicated to cockney heritage
George grew up working on the market in Peckham from the age of four and was one of the final dozen Pearly Kings and Queens left in London. He wore the same suit since he was 20, adorned with 22,000 pearls as buttons, and welcomed visitors six days a week at the world's only Cockney museum, which he set up six years ago near Epsom, Surrey.
In a previous interview, George recalled that there were once more than 400 Pearlies like him, but now only about a dozen remain. He had launched a campaign to 'save the pearlies' and expressed concern that the younger generation was shying away from the Victorian-era tradition, fearing it was in grave danger of dying out.
Inspiration for Del Boy
George was a major inspiration behind Only Fools and Horses, so much so that he was known as "Del Boy the First." He recalled being followed by the show's writer, John Sullivan, while working as a costermonger with 'Granddad Fred' and a 'lanky bloke' they called the 'plonker.'
One of his famous exploits, selling 'Cockney smog'—milk bottles filled with exhaust fumes—to American tourists, is believed to have inspired the 'Peckham Spring' episode, where Del Boy bottles and sells tap water as natural mineral water. George described the incident: "I had labels that I stuck on and went around Oxford Street and marked it up as real Cockney smog. We flogged them for a dollar a bottle and sold the lot - fantastic."
Preserving the Pearly tradition
George's family led the tributes, stating: "George leaves behind a community richer for his kindness and a legacy that will never be forgotten. Once a Pearly, always a Pearly." He spent his final years showing visitors around his museum and taking his cheerful pearly way to groups, events, and nursing homes.
He said previously: "In 1930 there were around 400 genuine pearlies but now there are only about a dozen or so of us left. The museum helps to keep the Pearly tradition alive by teaching new generations about it." Visitors to his award-winning museum could walk through a recreated 19th-century London street, complete with cobbled streets, flower ladies, market traders, and a prison, all while listening to traditional cockney songs like the Lambeth Walk.
George also lamented the 'fake culture' creeping into his heritage, saying: "There is no modern day pearly king. You get some on the street that are 'self made' but it is all about the originals. You are born into it. We do it because of our history not just dressing up."
Funeral arrangements
A funeral procession for George will take place on Monday, September 14, starting from 25 Worcester Road, SM2, with a service at 1.30pm at Sutton Cemetery on Alcorn Close, SM3. His family expressed heartfelt thanks to all those who have offered support, love, and memories during this time.
