My mother Maruja was Spanish from La Linea and my father Jose from Gibraltar. I was also born in Gib. My father's mother and sister were evacuated to Kensington during the War. My father lost a lot of money since he was a money lender! After the war they encouraged him to join them.

Querrin Street was quite a smart road. I think that in those days most people rented. We lived at number one. We owned the house but only lived in the top flat. The toilet was downstairs and we had a bathroom upstairs off the kitchen. The flat had been refurbished for sale and it was quite a high standard for those days so we did have hot water.

In those days mums stood at the door and chatted whilst the kids played in the street. We all played happily alongside our friends from Byam Street and Kilkie Street....loads of kids and we had such fun. Every November 5th we built an enormous bonfire at the intersection of Byam and Querrin Street....and the fire brigade came around several times in the evening to put it out! 

I can remember many of our neighbours. The Coopers were a very large family. They lived at the other end of the street. All dark haired and good looking. I always thought they might have had a gypsy or indian background. The Glossops...well there was mum and her two daughters. Phoebe  was the name of one. I forget the name of the other.  Anyway the other daughter who was quite middle aged had a daughter of her own. I think she was called Rose. There were also a couple of blond boys..the Irwins. I believe their names were Ian and Kevin. They emigrated to Australia in the 1950s which was quite common in those  days. The Larkin family also lived in the street. They were a large irish family with four boys and a girl. John was the eldest child. Also knew the three Yeats boys who lived in Stephendale. Their father died quite young and they went to live in Tooting as did we.

I trained as a teacher and left college in 1979 and worked in Merton, the last 20 years as a head teacher at The Priory School in Wimbledon. I was involved turning around failing schools in Lambeth and Mitcham whilst still retaining my own school. It was very hard work. I was also a council member of the National Association of Head Teachers for 10 years of which I spent three years as Chair of the Primary committee for England, Wales and N Ireland. I retired in summer of 2007.

My husband died 10 years ago and I have never re married....too fussy. I have two grown up children Francesca and Denise- both are married and I have a lovely 6 year old grandson.

Tom Selleck of TV 'Magnum' fame was on location in Kilkie and Querrin streets during the 80s. See pictures and article in News Stories section.