Super-heroes in London

Having been born and lived in London all of my life, I have many memories of this world city which has been transformed in the last decade or so and continues to changing so much before our eyes.

And no better example of such a dramatic transformation than Shepherds Bush?

All Londoners will have a particular tube station etched on to their hard-drive – and for me it is Shepherds Bush – the station closest to my school, Cardinal Vaughan.

In the underpass to the station, I recall having a fight with Joe McCarthy – a year younger but much bigger and better fighter as it turned out. Joe is no longer with us – tragically one of the victims of Hillsborough RIP.

And in a similar vein, in a pub along from the green is where Lloyd Sylvester – a ridiculously good looking and cool black guy who I much admired and liked was stabbed to death.

But it’s not all mawkish memories – I loved the place and still do.

I used to love the grime of Shepherds Bush market which remains today but I imagine is teetering in the shadow of West Field – the biggest addition and change to the area.

The BBC was very close by and might have had an influence on my career path. It was where Wogan was filmed – a show I watched avidly as a kid and where I would film two episodes of The Stand Up Show for BBC1 which was something of a game-changer in said career.

Shepherds Bush was a tough place and it still is, bordering the notorious estates of White City. And much of the old Bush remains. The patch of grass hemmed in by some of the busiest roads in London is still there and is still a meeting place for a crew of winos who I fear are not the same members I needed to avoid as a kid. And whilst the houses around Shepherds Bush have sky rocketed in value such that only ‘millionaires’ can buy modest houses now – the place will always be a dirt-poor cousin to its neighbours of Holland Park and Notting Hill.

But new and old – it’s a place in London that I am very affectionate about and so I had to smile last week when I learnt that the London premiere for Captain America Civil War will take place in Shepherds Bush, Westfield.

A landmark date in my life if ever there is one.

I will probably drive to the event but I really should take the train – just like I did all those years ago.

I left school 31 years ago. I’ve been back a few times since and I have driven through Shepherds Bush many times since.

But going back to watch the biggest film of the year and featuring my little boy will be I suspect a memory to eclipse all others from my Shepherds Bush archive.

2 thoughts on “Super-heroes in London

  1. Wendy says:

    I like that you refer to your eldest bouncing baby boy as “my little boy”. I still call my favorite little nephews (ages 15 & 17) the cutest little boys in the world as in where are the cutest little boys in the world) who tower over my 5’8″ height at 6′ and 6’1″.

  2. JAY OAKS says:

    HI. I AM A DELIVERY DRIVER AND ON THE SIDE I AM A SINGER/SONGWRITER/COMPOSER AND WRITE STAND UP TOO.I AM A BIG SPIDEY FAN AND .I HAD NO IDEA THAT YOU WERE TOMS DAD.I ONLY FOUND OUT WHILE LOOKING ABOUT HIM ON WIKI ONE DAY AND I COULD NOT BELIEVE IT.HE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB.I DRESS AS SPIDEY(homecoming outfit too,specially made) TO MARKET MY MUSIC BECAUSE I HAVE WRITTEN AN ALBUM ABOUT NEW YORK CITY AND ONE OF THE SONGS IS SPIDEY TELLING THE STORY OF SAID CITY HIS HOME.I AM TRYING TO GET MARVEL TO HEAR IT AND MAYBE YOU CAN HELP ME VIA TOM PLEASE.PEOPLE LOVE IT.PLEASE GIVE IT A LISTEN.PLEASE DONT THINK I AM TAKING THE PISS.WELL I AM REALLY BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO MAKE MARVEL HEAR IT FOR AGES.CHECK IT OUT AND HIT TOM WITH IT PLEASE.ITS BIG/BAND/JAZZ/SWING.YOU MAY LIKE IT AND I HOPE TOM LIKES IT AND PASSES IT TO MARVEL,I HAVE A VIDEO IN MY HEAD FOR IT.CHEERS.GIVE A GUY A SHOT.BYE AND THANKS.WOW THE GUY/LLOYD YOU MENTIONED.MY OLDER BROTHER KNEW HIM.SMALL WORL.I AM FROM EALING.1 BUS RIDE AWAY.

    jayoaks.bandcamp.com
    NEW YORK(what we do)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *