Friends ride in salute to biker ‘hero’ - Hells Angels mourn death of John 'Charger' Surridge
Published: 6 May, 2010
by DAN CARRIER
HE was one of the first British members of notorious motorcycle club the Hell’s Angels, and a well known face around Kentish Town.
But now friends and family are mourning the loss of John “Charger” Surridge, who died in a bike accident aged 59 at the end of March.
Charger, who lived in Lady Somerset Road, Kentish Town, was killed in a collision on the A1.
Police say he was travelling north through Cambridgeshire to go to a party with two other club members when the accident took place.
On Saturday, hundreds of bikers rode through central London to his funeral service in honour of their hero.
Charger had joined the merchant navy as a young man and went around the world. He recounted to friends that the ship he was on was so big, they would use bicycles to get from one end to the other. Other work included a spell in a magnet factory and then in a warehouse as a packer.
When he returned to dry land, he was one of the first people to join the London branch of the Hell’s Angels in their early days, and before his death he had been a member for nearly four decades.
He also had a spell as a landscape gardener, but more recently was involved in the music industry, providing stage crew for venues across London and music festivals. His teams were responsible for the stage managing of the Camden Crawl among many other gigs, and he became legendary in musician circles for his professionalism.
He also loved singing and entertaining – his daughter Melanie recalls him cutting a record with the title “Speed”.
Charger earned a reputation for helping others, from raising money and volunteering for Age Concern, to acting as a father figure to younger people.
He would watch his favourite football team, Arsenal, at one of his regular watering holes the Grafton Arms.
The father of five children, his funeral at the weekend saw hundreds of members of the club drive from the London chapter’s headquarters of the famous motorbike club through to Streatham Park Cemetery.
His daughter Melanie Surridge said: “He loved going on the road – he loved the freedom.
“He loved his motorbike. He looked after it better than he looked after himself.
“He was a born organiser, and a very good listener. He gave you good advice. So many people will miss his love and the direction he provided.”