The gentrification of Fulham started in the late sixties. The actress Hattie Jacques bought two houses in Harwood Road because rates were cheaper in Fulham than in Chelsea. It was time when people regularly started discussing house prices.

The houses in Settrington Road were built by the Brightwell family in late 1800s. They picked the best two houses for themselves. My parents  Henry and Marie Potton came from East End and bought 14 Settrington Road in 1956 after renting in Bowerdean Street. Our house had no inside toilet or hot water. We first used a round tin tub for baths which was kept on the garden fence and then dad plumbed in a sit up and bed bath. We shared the garden and toilet of our house with our tenants. They smoked boars head tobacco and you could always smell it in the loo.

Dad worked at Imperial Gas Works between 1952 and 1972 but was made redundant. He then went to work for General Assurance in the West End. Mum worked in the canteen at Sunlight Laundry, Peterborough Road with her neighbour and friend Mrs Moran, who later took over the café in Townmead Road. She also worked as a dinner lady at Ackmar Road and as a char. She once worked for the parents of musical lyricist Leslie Bricusse who wrote for Anthony Newley.

As kids we played “dare” by jumping in front of Mann Overton taxis. We also used to jump on and off barges at Putney. I was friends with Stevie Fowler who lived above greengrocers' in Wandsworth Bridge Road near Clancarty Road.

My parents moved from Fulham to Merton Park in 1972. I  married Debbie in 1992 and we live in Mid Somerton near Bath.