Who Were Freddie Mercury’s Parents Bomi and Jer Bulsara?

Freddie Mercury’s parents are Bomi Bulsara (Father) and Jer Bulsara (Mother). His father worked to provide for the family while his mother was probably a stay-at-home mum.

Bomi and Jer Bulsara were aged 38 and 24 years respectively when they became parents to Freddie Mercury. Six years later, they welcomed a daughter named Kashmira. Meanwhile, before their kids were born, the couple relocated to Zanzibar in order for Bomi to continue his Cashier job at the British Colonial Office.

As newlyweds who had just moved to another side of the world, Bomi and Jer had to settle into their new environment while dealing with the challenges of being first-time parents. This can explain why there is no career listed for Jer. They were very supportive of each other as a couple and life at this stage could be described as rosy. They appeared to be an ideal family at the time with Bomi gainfully employed and Jer looking after their kids and home with the help of their domestic workers.

The couple were devoted parents and did what they considered to be their best for their children. Freddie and his sister grew up in a stable home. Religion was taken seriously and family issues were sorted privately. There was also mutual respect among family members. Freddie, despite becoming one of the most successful people in his time, remained loyal to his parents and did his utmost best not to bring his family’s image to disrepute. Kashmira, on her part, has no known scandal to her name. Bomi and Jer set an excellent example for their children to follow by respecting their life’s choices and by so doing, earned their respect.

Meet Jer Bulsara – Freddie Mercury’s Mother

  • Full Name: Jer Bulsara
  • Date of Birth: 16 October 1922
  • Place of Birth: Bulsar (Valsad) in Gujarat Western India.
  • Nationality: British, Indian
  • Ethnicity: Indian Parsi
  • Sexuality: Heterosexual
  • Religion: Persian Zoroastrianism
  • Height in Feet: N/A
  • Height in Centimeters: N/A
  • Weight in Lbs: N/A
  • Weight in Kg: N/A
  • Eye Color: N/A
  • Hair Color: N/A
  • Relationship Status: Married
  • Daughter: Kashmira Cooke (nee Bulsara)
  • Son: Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara)
  • Occupation: House Wife, Actor
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Born on the 16th of October 1922 in Bulsar (Valsad) in Gujarat Western India, Jer was a native of the Parsi community of western India. She was the mother of the late British Queen singer, Freddie Mercury. In her days, it was not unusual for women to stay back home while the men worked. As a result, she was a housewife and as such, she took care of the home front while her husband worked busy schedules. At the later part of her life though, she tried her hands at acting. Most of her screen appearances were in TV documentaries involving her late famous son.

Jer Was Freddie’s Strongest Support System

Freddie had an incredible relationship with his mother. She was both caring and supportive. Jer dedicated most of her life towards ensuring that her children had all that they needed to succeed in whatever they set their hearts on. The rock star often described his mum as one of his major pillars of support. When Freddie was alive, it was tough for Jer, who was a very religious person, to come to terms with the fact her son had chosen to pursue a career in rock music.

Rock music at the time was considered to be “a thing of the world”. This notwithstanding, Jer gave Freddie all the love she could muster. It does not come as a surprise that part of the rock star’s stage name actually paid homage to his mum. The name Mercury was taken from a fictional character called “Mother Mercury” in his song “My Fairy King”. This character was inspired by his mother Jer.

Sadly, Jer passed in November 2016 at the age of 94. Confirming the news of her death in a statement to the press, Mercury’s sister, Kashmira Cooke, revealed that she died in her sleep. Following her death, some members of her late son’s band commented on the loving relationship between the mother and son. Brian May, in his tribute to her, described her as a warm and devoted Mum to Freddie, and, just like Freddie, he said, she always had a strong twinkle in the eye. Brian went on to say that even though she was also devoted to her husband, Bomi, and lived in the Zoroastrian faith, she had an independent spirit and a strong sense of humor.

Continuing, Brian May noted that Jer was a busy mum who was full of optimism and was unapologetically proud of her two children. She was also always an ardent follower of her son’s band group, Queen, and never missed coming to see than whenever they played nearby.

Bian also noted that Freddie shared a very close relationship with his mother. He mischievously derived pleasure in attempting to shock her. The late singer was equally very protective of his mum and would not do anything deliberately to hurt her. He rarely spoke about his family and also kept aspects of his life and career, which he thought might be upsetting, away from his mum. This is why he never discussed his sexuality with his family.

When asked in an interview in 2006 if he opened up about being gay before his death, Jer broke down in tears. Just as Freddie had imagined, the conversation about his sexuality
made her very emotional. However, she understood and respected his decision to keep this part of his life private. She believed he did what he had to do in the best interest of his loved ones. In her words; “he didn’t want to upset us. At that time… Society was different then. Nowadays, it’s all so open, isn’t it?”

Just as he avoided discussing his sexuality, the Queen singer did not also share details of the illness that eventually claimed his life with his family, but his mother knew for sure that he was very sick. According to her, Freddie protected his family members by never talking about these issues. In fact, he was so protective of them that he actually stopped his family from coming to see him in the last few days of his life.

Bomi Bulsara Was A Cashier At The British Colonial Office

  • Full Name: Bomi Bulsara
  • Date of Birth: 14 December 1908.
  • Place of Birth: Bulsar (Valsad) in Gujarat Western India.
  • Nationality: British Raj, Indian.
  • Ethnicity: Indian Parsi
  • Sexuality: Heterosexual
  • Religion: Persian Zoroastrianism
  • Height in Feet: N/A
  • Height in Centimeters: N/A
  • Weight in Lbs: N/A
  • Weight in Kg: N/A
  • Eye Color: N/A
  • Hair Color: N/A
  • Relationship Status: Married
  • Daughter: Kashmira Cooke (nee Bulsara)
  • Son: Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara)
  • Occupation: Cashier at British Colonial Office
Freddie Mercury’s Parents
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Bomi Bulsara was born on 14 December 1908 in Bulsar (Valsad), Gujarat, Western India, and just like his wife, he was Parsis and of Persian ancestry. He was one among eight brothers, who were raised in the small town of Bulsar, very close to modern-day Mumbai.

In a bid to find a better life, Bomi and his brothers sailed across the Indian Ocean and settled in the British Protectorate of Zanzibar, which is in present-day Tanzania, Africa. There, he was employed by the British Government as a cashier of its high court. However, he never forgot home as he still returned often for business. It was on one of such occasions that he met his future wife, Jer, and she later moved with him to Zanzibar shortly after their marriage.

The couple welcomed their two children while in Zanzibar and remained there for about 18 years. Bomi was a responsible father and worked hard to provide for his family. Thanks to his cashier job, they were able to live comfortably – they owned a family car and employed domestic servants.

The dreadful Zanzibar Revolution against the Sultan of Zanzibar and his predominantly Arab government which began in 1964 led to the massacre of thousands of ethnic Arabs and Indians, forcing the Bulsaras to leave Zanzibar. Bomi fled to England with his family in 1964. The family started life in England at 19 Hamilton Close, Feltham, Middlesex, 13 miles (21 km) west of Central London, and later relocated to 122 Hamilton Road. The family eventually settled for a small house at 22 Gladstone Avenue in the county of Middlesex later in the year. Bomi and Jer remained in their Feltham home until the passing of their son.

Bomi Supported Freddie Even Though His Career Was Against His Faith

Bomi had an amicable relationship with his superstar son. The late father and son may not be described as peas in a pod, yet there are no verifiable records of feuds between them. Like his wife, he stood by his children against all odds. Not even his Zoroastrian faith could make him publicly denounce his son for choosing a career viewed as irreverent by his religion. Whatever differences they had never went public.

Brian May, speaking in a tribute to Jer on his website, shed light on the relationship between Freddie and his father saying it was probably true that Bomi, being a strongly committed member of the Parsee faith, did not find it easy that his son chose the career path he did, a fairly irreverent one for that matter. However, he always supported him.

What Was The Relationship Between Bomi and Jer Bulsara Like?

Although it is known that Bomi and his wife Jer met on one of his trips to India from Zanzibar and that they got married in India in 1946, the circumstances surrounding their meeting remain unknown. Nevertheless, the couple had a loving relationship and got along pretty well. Jer, for instance, supported Bomi during his career years in Zanzibar by minding the home front. This enabled Bomi to excel.

The bond they shared could be seen in the peace and tranquility of their home which helped to nurture their children into independent individuals capable of making their own
decisions and leading successful lives albeit extremely successful for Freddie. They often went to Freddie’s concerts as one own little ways of lending him their support. They stayed true to their marriage vows until death. Bomi and Jer passed away on 26 December 2003 and 13 November 2016, respectively.

Their exemplary union brought forth one of the most iconic rock musicians of all time, Freddie Mercury. He rocked the world with hit songs and legendary performances, making him one of the most successful artists in his musical genre. Despite being cut off in his prime by death, he is believed to have achieved a lot more in his 45 years on earth than some people who lived far longer.

Freddie’s Passing Was A Heavy Blow On His Parents 

The near-perfect Bulsara household was rocked in 1991 following the tragic death of Freddie who passed away on 24 November of the said year. His cause of death was bronchopneumonia as a result of complications of AIDS. This was a major storm for the couple as no parent wishes to outlive their children. Although Freddie’s battle with AIDS was not a secret, they were never prepared enough for the day their star child would breathe his last.

Jer, being closer to Freddie than Bomi, felt a deeper sting from his death. She expressed how listening to his songs after his death brought tears to her eyes. They had to depend on each other as a couple to pull through their moment of grief. Besides, finding ways to cope with the tragic loss of their son, they also ensured that his legacies and memories lived on.

Speaking of how she was able to find peace after her son’s death in her last interview on the One Show, Jer recalled that it was a very sad day the day he died, but according to their religion, when it is the right time for one to die, it cannot be changed. She also pointed out that God loved him more and wanted him to be with Him, “and that is what I keep in my mind,” she added. Continuing, the Bulsara matriarch noted that no mother would want their son to die, but even at that, Freddie did more for the world within the short period he lived than many people could do in 100 years, and this gave her some sort of comfort.

Jer and her husband later moved up north to Nottingham. This move brought them closer to their daughter Kashmira and her family. It was also their way of moving away from the painful reminders of their son who had been an integral part of their lives. As a couple, they also had to deal with Freddie’s very private lifestyle. He rarely gave interviews and did keep his family away from his personal life. This was his way of protecting his mother from worrying. Jer told The Telegraph that Freddie strictly separated his work and his home all his life and that if she ever asked, he would say, “Mum, that is business, and this is family.”.

Another hard pill the couple had to swallow after their son was gone was his sexuality. As supportive as they were of him, it was difficult for them to face their religious community and the society at large considering that homosexuality was a taboo topic at that time. They, however, accepted and respected their son’s choice and never discussed it with the media. His father is believed to have been most affected by his sexuality, which clashed with his Zoroastrian faith.

Chidimma Eze
Chidimma Eze
Chidimma is a Mass Communications graduate with about 4 years experience. She has a flair for all things entertainment and when she's not writing, you would most likely find her either spending time with her family, binge-watching whatever television series that holds her interest at the time or silently editing other people’s grammar.

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