UGO PATRIARCA moved to London in the 1930s and worked as a hairdresser in Walthamstow for more than 50 years.

His family-run business was based in Gosport Road, and they had shops in Leytonstone, East Ham and other parts of London.

His autobiography, More Than A Haircut, has now been published. Here are extracts from the chapters which focus on Walthamstow.

"WE moved to Walthamstow from Aldgate in 1934. Whereas before I could not sleep because of the comings and goings of trams, now I could not sleep as it was so quiet, compared to the City of London.

It was midday when we arrived at St James' Street station.

A row of shops contained an amusement arcade that took my pennies in later years, plus a butcher's shop and also the pub on the corner.

The road opposite led to the back of Markhouse Road School, where there was a sweet shop. In a mad moment once I looked in. There was no-one about, so I ran in and pinched a bar of chocolate. I ran off as if my backside was on fire!

The baker at the junction of South Grove and Gosport Road had a sideline.

The local women bought their Sunday joints to be cooked by the baker, who would place the meat in the big oven and have them ready for the women to take home before the old man came back from the pub.

In those days, nine times out of ten the men would be drunk. I should know, as my father often staggered from the Ringwood Castle or the Brewery Tap in Markhouse Road, helped by two of his cronies, to the front door.

The joints would have been bought in High Street late on Saturday night, when the butchers would auction the meat to get rid of it. I remember the crowd pushing and waving their coins in the air! Who had fridges in those days?

On High Street songs were sung - Kay Star The Wheel of Fortune'. That was from the music shop, next to Manzie's Pie-Eels shop. I still miss them.

I was around nine years old when I started as a lather boy.

Did I play with the boys in the street? No, I had to earn my keep. I did not like hairdressing, the clients were all working class, drank beer and fought outside the Ringwood Castle pub every Friday and Saturday night.

At that time a lot of people would use Gosport Road as a shortcut from the High Street to Markhouse Road.

When night fell the High Street came alive with the kerosene lamps giving out a bluish glowing light, their hissing and popping added to the sounds and smells and shouts of the vendors.

Markhouse Road School had no time to teach just one foreign child, so they gave me a job of ringing the schoolbell, but I rang it too loud and too long.

Then I had the job of making the tea for teachers. That was also shortlived - the biscuits were disappearing too quickly.

I always looked forward to going to school, if only I knew what they were trying to teach."