I was born at 108 Broughton Road and have lived in the same house for over 50 years. Members of my family have lived here for the past 100 years. My dad was Tom Crack. He was well known in the area and I never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He worked for the GLC (Greater London Council) for over 40 years as an electrician visiting schools, ambulance and fire stations. He used to race motorbikes and met my mum Catherine at the Duke of Cambridge pub near what is now the Kingston-by-Pass and they got married in 1952. They first lived in rented accommodation in Wimbledon but were evicted when mum became pregnant with me. They then moved into this house. They bought the property with a Council mortgage in the mid sixties for just £1500!

My grandad was Albert Crack. He worked for Shell in Townmead Road, delivering fuel by horse and cart. After he died my Nan Violet continued living with us until she went to live with one of her daughters in 1970. My cousins David and Malcolm and uncle Eddie all lived upstairs.

I was educated at Peterborough and Chelsea Central and joined Hoffman's in Carnwath Road as an apprentice toolmaker when I left school at 16 but I was laid off when the firm closed down two years later. About 100 people worked for the Company and my mate John Spiers from Hamble Street also lost his job. I helped him to get into BT. He married a girl called Kate who worked  in the "Punch Room" at Watson House (North Thames Gas) and now lives in Ewell. I have worked for BT for over 35 years.

Opposite our house on the corner of Furness Road was a grocers' shop run by Bill and 'Mabs' Dewberry. I think her father bought the business for her and that he was a coalman. She later moved into sheltered accommodation in Marinefield Road.

(Left) Dewberry's Grocer's shop (courtesy Hammersmith & Fulham Archives). (Right) The shop was converted into a house when it closed- something that happened to most of the shops in Broughton and Stephendale roads.