In Tribute to John Stockley: Uncovering the Past, Inspiring the Future
On 3rd July 2025, the community of Weymouth will gather at the Pavilion to honour the life of John Stockley, a much-loved resident of Osmington who helped shine a light on a hidden chapter in the town’s wartime story. Best known for his appearance on Channel 4’s Secret War Babies in 2022, John became a voice for a generation of children born from wartime romances between local women and foreign servicemen stationed across Dorset. John was born on the final day of World War II in 1945. Only later in life did DNA testing reveal the identity of his biological father: Madison Glover, an African American GI with the U.S. Army's 1313 Engineering Company, stationed in Weymouth ahead of the D-Day landings. His mother had run a guest house used by Allied troops—a space that became a silent witness to lives changed by war, longing, and fleeting connections. John and his Mum Growing up in a predominantly white, post-war Weymouth, John endured the cruel sting of racial prejudice. Whil...
