Having bought the house in 1996, Vivien carried out sporadic research over several years.

After reading a book by Julie Myserson, in which she traced all the people who had lived in a house she and her husband had bought in Clapham, London, Vivien was intrigued, found her old research file and set about trying to find out something about the people who had not only owned her property but also the people who had lived in the house. It has proved to be a fascinating journey from Patrick or Peter Gourlay the weaver, John Grier, master mariner, local families who brought up their families and the effects of two world wars.

Vivien has split the talk roughly in two halves, the first about the renovations and the house. The second about the people who have been proprietors and tenants.