The cortege carrying Ozzy Osbourne and his loved ones made a poignant detour down the road where he grew up – and where the star’s name is still etched into brickwork beside his old front door.
Two police outriders led the procession into Lodge Road, Aston – a side street less than a third of a mile from Villa Park’s Trinity Road stand – during its journey into central Birmingham.
The hearse and the following funeral cars slowed as they passed the property, adorned with a picture of Osbourne and numerous other tributes including a balloon, as a handful of fans and well-wishers paid their respects from the pavement.
Speaking to the media before the cortege arrived, Mohabbat Ali Zaman, the owner of the terraced house where the then John Michael Osbourne was raised, paid tribute to the late music star as a “legend” who was a “true Brummie”.
Clutching letters from countries including America and Germany sent to the house by Black Sabbath fans in recent days, Mr Zaman told how he was only thee months old when his parents bought the property from the Osbournes in the autumn of 1972.
He also recalled how Osbourne – who was “funny and good company” – sometimes phoned his family and asked to visit the property to reminisce.
Mr Zaman, 53, said: “My parents actually lived next door for a few years and they knew of the Osbournes and they did know that the child was into music because they used to hear music coming out of the house all the time.
“The house went up for sale at the time and my parents bought it.”
Mr Zaman said he and his family were obviously not aware that Osbourne would “become the legend that he is today” but were contacted in 1995 when the BBC was making a documentary.
“Then we thought wow – we did buy this house from his parents,” he said.
“And that’s when the journey started. From that point on we started getting messages.”
After pointing out the words “John” and “Iron Void” – the latter thought to be a potential band name – carved in the brickwork near the front door of the house, Mr Zaman added: “People come here as tourists with candles and plaques.”
Messages sent to the house’s email – ozzyhousetribute@gmail.com – and letters delivered there are being passed on to the Osbourne family to ensure they receive any condolences directed to the property.
Mr Zaman told reporters: “For us it’s quite important because we are trying to capture the final messages for Ozzy Osbourne that his family can have as part of condolences messages.
“Only last year we’ve had people from China, Russia and America and they do knock the door and then we talk to them about the house.
“It’s been a journey. Whether the journey is going to continue or not we don’t know.
“This year obviously because of his passing we’ve seen a lot of people actually come to the address and leave lots of beautiful messages and poems.
“Some of the messages you read make you think – he has actually changed people’s lives through his songs and all the charity work he has done.”
