Fred in is and is a retired businessman.

Fred is a retired businessman from Wandsworth who keeps and races pigeons. He lets us into his coop to look at his collection of birds and offers a unique perspective on a little-known but enduring working class London sport.

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Questions & Answers

  • What's your first memory of London? My first memory of London was when I was about 3 years old and we used to play on the streets, they were empty and it was safe for children back then. It was a lovely time of my life.
  • What do you miss when you're away from London? Funny thing is, when I’m away from London, I miss the hustle and bustle. And, if I go away without my wife, I miss her!
  • What's your favourite neighbourhood? I love Wandsworth because it’s got lots of parks, lakes, green areas, sports areas and swimming baths.
  • What's your favourite building? Goodness me, I really like the museums, but if I had to pick one, it would be the V&A.
  • What's your ideal day out in London? Funnily enough sometimes we sit in the gallery of the Old Bailey and listen to the different cases, it’s very interesting!
  • What's your ideal night out in London? I enjoy taking my wife out to a good restaurant.
  • What's your most hated building? A block of offices next to Colliers Wood Tube Station, it’s about 20 stories high and the concrete’s falling off it so its been fenced in. It’s horrid, it looks like something out of former East Germany’s communist era, absolutely awful.
  • What's the best view in London? The Shard, you can see for miles and you’re even above the helicopters, amazing!
  • What's your favourite open space? Battersea Park, I was born quite near there and have lots of fond childhood memories, and now we take our grandchildren there.
  • What's the most interesting shop? Selfridges
  • What's been your most memorable night out in London? The 2000 millennium celebrations on the Embankment, it was really special.
  • How would you like to spend your ideal day off in London? When I was working, I’d say spending time in the garden and tending to my pigeons.
  • Where would you take someone visiting from out of town? I often take visitors to the South Bank, there’s always lots to do, then perhaps out to the West End for a meal and after to a musical. London’s buzz is always quite an experience.
  • What's your personal London landmark? The Albert Bridge, it’s beautiful in the night, a very romantic place.
  • Who's your favourite fictional Londoner? Andy Cap.
  • What's your favourite London film, book or documentary? Litte Dorrit, Charles Dickens.
  • If you could travel to any time period in London, past or future, where would you go? I’d go back to the 60s, I liked the sense of freedom and aspiration, also going down to Brighton as a Mod.
  • For you, who is the ultimate Londoner? Sir Henry Cooper, he was famous for his boxing abilities, but he was also a decent bloke.
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