1938 also sees John Logie Baird demonstrate his first colour television set in the UK, whilst fluorescent lights, a non-stick substance called Teflon and Superman are invented in the USA. The first children’s zoo in London’s Regent’s Park opens to whoops of delight three weeks after Hitler claims Austria; Paul Daniels enters a troubled world with a shout. A couple of years ago Debbie, my wife, and I lived in a beautiful house set in 12 acres of formal gardens and stunning woodland. We held a garden party for showbusiness people at our home. My brother-in-law, Simon, wasn’t feeling too good so he went upstairs to have a lie down. While he was there, he heard some of the guests in the upper corridor going on about how wonderful the house was. ‘This place is fantastic.’ Another voice cut in with ‘if you want to know how fantastic this place is, you should see where he comes from …’ I was born in South Bank, a small industrial town between Middlesbrough and Redcar in the north-east of Yorkshire.
