Background
Born in Walshaw, Lancashire, England, the son of Allan and Gladys Mabel (née Curson), Smethurst was raised in Sheringham, Norfolk. His mother came from the nearby village of Stiffkey.
Born in Walshaw, Lancashire, England, the son of Allan and Gladys Mabel (née Curson), Smethurst was raised in Sheringham, Norfolk. His mother came from the nearby village of Stiffkey.
He later became a postman in Grimsby. Smethurst hummed tunes on his daily post round for twelve years, writing and singing songs in his native Norfolk dialect. An audition tape sent to a British Broadcasting Corporation regional radio programme earned him a spot on Ralph Tuck"s local radio show, and Tuck recorded Smethurst on his own record label, The Smallest Recording Organisation in the World, based in Lowestoft.
A four track European Parliament made the European Parliament charts in 1965 and, after another European Parliament release by Ralph Tuck, and an album The Singing Postman"s Year, he was signed to Electric and Music Industries who re-released earlier songs and recorded new items.
He made numerous live and promotional performances, including on Top of the Pops, but was afflicted by nerves and stage fright. Rolf Harris recorded a cover version without success.
The song had a small comeback in 1994, when it was featured on a television commercial for Ovaltine. Smethurst left the music industry in 1970, later admitting he had an alcohol problem and that he had spent all of his money and was penniless.
He spent his last few years living quietly in a Salvation Army hostel in Grimsby, where he died from a heart attack in December 2000.
In September 2010, a British Broadcasting Corporation Radio 4 programme, "In Search of the Singing Postman", was broadcast which was written and presented by Doctorate. J. Taylor.