I remember when I was growing up that the only black man I knew to talk to was Mr ‘Jacko’ Jackson, who ran the garage at Motspur Park. A proper garage with attended petrol pumps, servicing, repairs and so on, it has since been razed to the ground and had offices built on it. He was very jolly, much-loved by locals, and as far as I know retired homewards to Jamaica or Trinidad. Somewhere in that general direction. I don’t think there were any Afro-Caribbean children or teachers in my primary school, or Asians for that matter.

I remember a time when if you missed something on television, you had missed it. Nowadays most programmes seem to be on two or three times – and there is always the internet to fall back on - so there isn’t the sense of occasion that there once was.

I remember going to see West Side Story at the cinema at the top of Sutton (which is now a night club) with Sue Joins, I think that was her name. Alex’s girlfriend.

I remember wanting to do a production of the The Persecution and Assassination of Jean Paul Marat by the Inmates of the Asylum at Charenton under the direction of the Marquis de Sade at school. There were a few of us very keen to do it but we didn’t have much hope. I don’t think we even approached any teachers because we knew there was no way they would let us do it.

I remember wanting to do West Side Story with the Tiffin Arts Society, but David Nield said the music was too difficult, ie we’d have to hire an orchestra, which would cost too much money. And as he was the musical director, we never did do it.

I remember Bernard Lang’s stories, especially the one where he went out to post a letter and didn’t come home for two weeks.

I remember Al Stewart at Les Cousins saying what an amazing acoustic guitar player Pete Townshend was – Pinball Wizard had just come out. And the acoustic guitar work was impressive.