We used to take a horse and cart round the streets on a Saturday. I remember driving the horse and cart by myself back to the stables at the top of Stephendale road near Hammonds the fish and chip shop - I was about 10 at the time.

My uncle Sidney Sayers and his wife Bertha ran a greengrocers shop in Townmead Road which used to belong to my grandfather.Sid and Bertha Sayers had four children - three girls and a boy. I also have contacts with the greengrocers which was near the Sunlight in Stephendale Road. This was run by the Bertha's sister/brother. I am told that my great-grandfather had the "Rose" pub near the gasworks (later known as the "old Rose")

Photo copyright of Derek Sayers

My parents were Charles (Charlie) and Julia (Julie) Sayers. I am an only child. My mother worked at the Bluebell factory* in De Morgan Street off Stephendale Road during the 1940s. Bluebell metal polish was made there. At the museum where I work (Bletchley Park) we have a memorabilia and toy collection which includes a can of "Bluebell" with the Fulham address on it. De Morgan Street was named after a pottery factory which must have closed at least 100 years ago. The pottery is very valuable now. Whilst we are mentioning this area can anyone remember the big fire in the warehouse opposite De Morgan Street during the 1950s? I think it was owned by a company called Fats. Soap ran down Townmead Road and blocked the drains.

I had a Aunt Dorothy (Doll) who lived at 54 Stephendale with her husband.They had two children Joan and John whom I am still in contact with.Upstairs at number 68 lived Mrs Allen (I think). She had two daughters whose names I have forgotten - think one was Jean. Downstairs was Mr and Mrs Tate and their son John. Mrs Rains lived upstairs  at number 72 and Mrs Mellam ( I might have spelt this wrong) below her. Both were widows and Mrs Mellam still had gas lighting in her place until she died about 1950. All these had died or moved out by the middle 1960s.  

About 1946 my father was asked if he wanted to buy our house for £400 (my parents rented it). He turned it down because the back wall was bulging and because there was a crack down the centre of the roof where the house was subsiding front to back. In fact if you a put a marble down on the front room lino floor it would roll over to the window.The house also had some dry rot that was treated.My mother moved out about 1996 after living there for about 60 years.I had planted three apple pips in the back yard in 1941 which grew into trees as big as the house - I do not know if they are still there. 

I attended Sloane Grammar School between 1948 and 1954. I retired from being a full-time Biomedical Scientist working on orthopaedic research in 2003. I have published a couple of books. One of them is the history of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital. I also run a small company dealing in microscopes and other optical and medical equipment and have begun painting (in oils). Perhaps I might have a new career in the arts !

Derek Sayers

Derek has kindly supplied these photographs taken during the Stephendale Road Coronation Year (1953) street party, for which he retains copyright. He writes; "The party took place between Edenvale Street on one side and Hazelbury Road on the other. The boys were supplied with a paper red Indian feather hat and the girls with something that was flat and round and perched on to of their heads. After the party we had a bonfire in the street opposite Edenvale. I remember that the older boys went along the street pinching wood from the fences to fuel the fire. "