We moved to 44 Rosebury Road from Wallington Surrey in 1965. When we first moved in people mistook us for a Bohemian set as we dressed in dark colours. Corduroy was the in-thing but they got used to us in no time at all.

It was mentioned by one lady that she imagined that my mate Ray Philpott was the father of my daughter as both were blond. We all had a laugh at that much to the lady's embarrassment. It was through Ray and his wife Dot that we rented the place. They lived in the same house but upstairs. At this time both my wife Pat and Dot Phillpot were pregnant with our daughters who were born in 1966.

My good lady Pat was a Notting Hill lass who I met through my two sisters. We were married at the Baptist Church in Westbourne Grove Notting Hill in June 1961. When we moved to Rosebury there were thee of us - Pat and I and my son John. Ray Philpott is a very long serving mate since we met at school when we were 11 and we are still in contact.

Our properties were owned by the Hever Estate and the  rent then was £5 per month which was quite affordable. It was a very comfortable home and we had brilliant neighbours, not only next door to us but all down down the street. It seemed to be a very 'young' street, with mainly young married couples. Doors were open to anybody who wanted to pop in for a 'cuppa' and the kids used to play in the street whilst the mums sat on the wall chatting and keeping their eyes on their respective offspring.

Another neighbour was Ernie Price and his wife Joyce. Ermie worked with me at the Co-op in Parsons Green Lane where he was a 'Setter Out' in the Carpenters Workshop under the foreman whose name was White. I worked there for over a year as a Building Surveyor.

We must also have had two of the earliest India/Pakistani doctors in the NHS at the time. I am going back to 1946/47 but Dr Naidu and Dr Gupta from Wandsworth Bridge Road were great men. They did really take care of us.

School pals of mine who lived in Broughton were Colin Brent (I think), David Blake, and my two best pals at the time, Leslie Lavall and Matthew McGee. Les was my best mate for many years, until we lost contact when we both left Henry Compton/Fulham Central School at 15/16. A few years ago, I endeavoured to try to find him, only to be told by his sister that he had died a year or so before. I have great memories of that lad, who was indeed a character. Matt McGee I made contact with for a while, but then nothing...unsure why!

A few of us guys used to get together for a few pints and a game of darts, and used to wander over Wandsworth Bridge, to a pub down by the river. I remember a bit of a bust up between some of the neighbour's and a mate named Alec Pow. Alec was an amateur Boxer Champion, Middleweight I believe. I used to go training with him at a gym in Maida Vale, and we worked out in each others flat with weight training.The dispute was about where to park your car. Alex saw it different to everybody else. He also played football for the team I was in, and was quite good and extremely fast. Had a lovely unassuming wife, who's name escapes me.  

We emigrated to Sydney. Australia from Rosebury Road in late 1968, arriving in Sydney on 23rd December but later returned to the U.K.

*John lived in William Parnell House before he moved to Rosebury Road. Read his memories in the WPH section.

*The former Fulham footballer Trevor (Tosh) Chamberlain also lived in Rosebury Road. Read about him in Personalities.