A powerful and emotional new single, No Rain for my Honey bee, has been released by The Western Quay, a Tyneside based father-and-son-inspired musical collective featuring Andy Mather, his son Michael, Mark Appleby, Finley Purvis and vocalist Poppy Keith.
The song is a moving tribute to Andy’s great uncle, Private John McGlynn, who was killed in action in September 1918 during World War I—just nine days after writing a heartfelt letter home.
The story behind No Rain for my Honeybee is as remarkable as the song itself.
In September 2022, Nigel Devine from North Shields set out on a personal journey to France to locate the grave of his own great uncle who died in the First World War. During the trip, a family friend asked if he could also look for the grave of his relative, John McGlynn. Not knowing the name would soon take on deep personal meaning, Nigel found both graves and captured a photo of John’s final resting place.
Shortly after, back in the UK, Andy Mather discovered a dusty old suitcase while sorting through family belongings. Inside was a letter from a soldier named John McGlynn—sent to his mother and sisters back home in Wallsend just days before he died in France. It wasn’t until he saw the photo Nigel had taken that the connection clicked. This wasn’t just any soldier—this was his great uncle.
This poignant discovery inspired Andy to begin writing No Rain for my Honeybee drawing from the contents of John’s letter and the overwhelming emotions of rediscovering a forgotten hero. With help from Mark Appleby, the song was shaped into a compelling narrative with melody and meaning. Mark also involved his talented niece, Poppy, a young theatre student who brought the song to life with a breathtaking vocal performance. With the haunting violin of Niles Krieger, the song was complete.
The song was recorded The song was recorded and produced by John Martindale, Blank Studios Newcastle and mixed with love and care over several months. The track has already drawn emotional responses from early listeners, resonating deeply in today’s world, where themes of sacrifice, memory, and connection are more relevant than ever.
“It’s a fantastic coincidence that Nigel was asked to go and find a grave in France, and it turned out that it was my great uncle and Michaels’s great great uncle. We hope that this song will pay tribute to all the fallen who sacrificed their lives for freedom – something that is all too poignant today too,’ said Andy.
“I was amazed when Andy got in touch and said he’d found a letter in an old suitcase and it was from the solider in the very grave I’d photographed for one of his relatives. I think it is a wonderful song that has a lot of meaning and I hope that when people hear it they will take time to think about its meaning and the fact that it brings a little piece of history alive on Tyneside.”
No Rain for my Honey bee is available now under the artist name The Western Quay, named after a car park in North Shields, where much of this musical journey began.
The band is currently producing a music video and exploring opportunities to share the story with wider audiences.