On the night of 8th September 1961 my parents were awoken by the sound of breaking glass and cries. Only a wall separated their bedroom from the Knight's house next door. Their main concern was to lead my three year old sister, six year old brother and me, their ten year old son away from danger. As eldest child it was thought that I was following them down the stairs and out in the street and to safety but I was a heavy sleeper in those days and had returned to my bed. When it soon became apparent that I was missing a Spanish friend who was lodging with us at the time quickly returned to 'rescue' me. She later said that she literally had to pound me and drag me out of bed.

As we came out of our house I looked to the right and the commotion of the night hit me. People were shouting, lights were flashing and worse of all flames and smoke were coming out of the top floor of the Knight's house. Fire engines were parked diagnolly across the road. We assembled in our neighbour Hilary Dalton's dining room, shocked and trying to make sense of what was going on. Every now and again a neighbour would come in with a snippet of news, the latest being worse than the previous.

My family were eventually offered accomodation for the night by the Greenmans who owned the grocery shop on the corner of Langford Road. I can remember constant knocking on their door by journalists requesting interviews. "Why don't they leave us alone?" was my mother's desperate plea.

Four year old Sharon Knight, eight year old Jackie and a lodger Arthur Mobley all lost their lives on that dreadful night. Judy, Susan, Charles and Valerie were rescued by neighbours. Their mother June  also survived but was badly burned. Mr Knight, a hotel waiter was at work at the time.

The Fulham Chronicle named the heroes of the night as Jack White and his son Jack, Mr M and Mr T Webster, Mr C. Moulton, Mr E. Wilton and Mr R. Neve. If it had not been for their gallantry more of the children would probably have perished.

Fulham MP Michael Stewart visited the scene the following day and spoke to my mother and other neighbours. He also visited the injured in hospital.

The Knight's house suffered extensive damage.  Our house was affected by smoke  and we were unable to return for a couple of days. We were also told that had there been more of a breeze that night our house would also have gone up. But one should also remember that the walls of those old Victorian properties were a lot thicker than the walls which divide today's modern houses.

The Knights were re-housed in Fulham Court. My chum Charles Knight was later found a place at a local authority boarding school at Wolverstone near Ipswich and the family took me to visit him.