In this combination of history and memoir, Denis draws on research, family recollection and living memory to tell the story of the Dangerfields. The story spans 250 years, from the Dangerfields of the 18th Century, to those born in the 21st.
Denis tells how his antecedents moved from the west country and the Isle of Wight to settle in Portsmouth, his family home. He describes his childhood in that city – interweaving the everyday life of a schoolboy with historic events; the abdication of Edward VIII, the outbreak of WWII, evacuation, D-Day and National Service.
He writes with warmth, affection and humour of his family and childhood and brings to life the members of his large extended family.
Denis paints a vivid picture of post-war London and the bachelor life of a young customs officer, building a career and lifelong friendships.
The bachelor becomes a married man and father, and Denis describes a life which combines his interests in sport, travel and music with the pleasures of family life; raising his children and becoming a grandfather.
As he reflects on the history of the Dangerfield name, he shares his hope that the next generation will take up his mantle of telling the family story.