Mervyn Moors remembers becoming a Teddy boy, aged 15, in the 1950s. He lived in a two bedroom flat with his mother and sister in Montpelier, Bristol.

Mervyn bought himself a tailored suit and blue suede shoes. 'My mother disapproved of my new-found wild ways.' He often stayed out late at night and his mother would wait up for him demanding to know where he had been. 'She thought I was a hooligan. I would answer her back and just did as I pleased. I wanted to stand on my own feet and to be like everyone else.' His mother's attitude softened and she always welcomed his friends for tea. 'People would often pop in for a chat and it was normal for friends and neighbours to look out for each other.' The boys used bad language but Mervyn never swore at home out of respect for his mother.

Things took a turn for the worse, however, when Mervyn and his friends got into a fight with a rival gang. He spent the night in a police cell and his mother 'was furious and ripped up, then threw my best suit in the fire, marking an end to my Teddy boy days.'

Mervyn recalls his mother telling him to have respect for older people and to do as he was told. He regrets not heeding her advice more when he was young, as his education suffered. 'My mother dished out sensible advice and only wanted the best for us.'