I thought I’d look up what was happening all those years ago, and give you, dear reader, a chance to guess my age.

I’ve have lived for 28,855 days.

First, it was a Monday and the temperature outside was 54°F with showers after heavy rain the previous day.

Mick Box guitarist member of the heavy metal band Uriah Heep was born not far from me in Whipps Cross Hospital, Walthamstow on the same day.

Fitzrovia, where I entered this world, curiously now has an Indian restaurant on Charlotte Street named after the year of my birth.

Before the Second World War Fitzrovia had a highly visible German community and Charlotte Street was nicknamed Charlottenstrasse. Greeks and Italians came to Fitzrovia post-war about the time I arrived.

A post-war shortage of commercial space in central London prompted the re-zoning of Fitzrovia as a light industrial area and some fine Georgian properties including British artist John Constable’s house was knocked down and replaced by an office block.

Fitzrovia had been the centre of Bohemian artists, including Walter Sickert, Ford Maddox Brown, Dylan Thomas and George Orwell.

Souvenirs by Frank Sinatra had reached number 1 on 29th May and remained there for 4 weeks until 26th June, so the nurses tending to me could have been singing along to Old Blue Eyes.

Labour leader Clement Attlee was Prime Minister having recently beaten Winston Churchill in 1945, it would be another year before the National Health Service was formed making me one of the last to ‘benefit’ from pre-NHS obstetrics. Nearby Harley Street was called by cabbies ‘The Resistance’ due to doctors opposing the proposed National Health Service.

My generation was later dubbed ‘baby boomers’.

Potatoes were rationed as the long hard frost and deep snow in the first 3 months of the year had destroyed much of the stored potatoes.

Brighton Rock was showing in London’s cinemas, it starred Richard Attenborough whose brother, David is still making nature films for the BBC.

Ten things I’ve done in London

I was once filmed in a BBC documentary.

Twice took Diane Abbott home by cab within a week, no tip each time, but a receipt was requested.

Watched three Concordes flying up the Thames from Lambeth Bridge.

Photographed by a news agency holding four martins that my father was nursing for the London Zoo.

The Queen waved at me from the Gold State Coach as I stood in Fleet Street commemorating the fifth decade of her reign.

Served a six year printing apprenticeship in Clerkenwell.

Took my first girlfriend to see Seven Brides for Seven Brothers at the pictures in Barnet – bored.

Dragged off to panto at the London Palladium to see Tommy Cooper say Pieces of Eight in Robinson Crusoe.

Watched nine Red Arrows fly overhead whilst standing by The Queen Victoria Memorial.

Picked up a bust of Tony Blair from Ten Downing Street and took the artist to Hampstead.