It all began last year when we spotted a newspaper article in the Herald Sun. There was a photograph of Neil Roberts and the house in Elizabeth Street, East Brighton in which Neil grew up.

Sensing another well known personality we might claim as our own, and keen to start up another file, the article was cut out, slipped inside a plastic sleeve and placed in the ‘R’ section. “Wouldn’t it be great,” we said, “If we could get him to come and speak.”

And that’s exactly what happened. On Sunday, 30th March an enthusiastic crowd gathered in the Clocktower Theatre. Amongst them were people who had taught with Neil, been in the scouts with Neil, nursed Neil, lived next door to Neil ….. The list went on and on. They were all there because they knew what a special man and great speaker he was, and he didn’t let us down.

Neil led us on a journey through his childhood, roaming free in the paddocks of East Brighton, raised by a father who made their soap and cut the children’s hair and a mother who sewed all their clothes and the holiday tent. He told of his fights and escapades, his second home at the Brighton Baths, the characters he knew and places he had been. His story was told without pretension and peppered with humour.

It was with regret we had to put the kettle on and move upstairs to an afternoon tea. Neil didn’t get to taste much because he was mobbed by fans anxious to share a moment with him. What a fantastic talk!