My Uncle J sat on the sofa and enthused about his new business idea: to sell custom-made T-shirts to the British middle classes. I told him that this venture was doomed to failure. I was British and middle class, and I would not buy such an item of clothing.

He dropped the subject in favour of firing University Challenge questions at me. I impressed him with my extensive knowledge.

However, all I really wanted to do was learn about the items of furniture in his house that he had inherited from my great-grandmother.

Meanwhile TPR was in the kitchen cooking fried steak and chicken (but not tomatoes) for breakfast.