Mum's Diary

June 21st, the second day of summer and a beautiful sunny day. I checked mum's diaries to see what she was doing on this day in 1941. It was also a beautiful day, a Saturday. She wrote

"didn't go to Watlings. Lovely day. Sat in the garden all afternoon, then did some gardening."

I think Watlings was somewhere she used to go dancing at the weekend with her sister. There was nothing in her 1950 diary. But 1949 was really interesting, it was a Tuesday, she said

"Went to Longford Park ( I know she used to play tennis there), very (underlined) surprising to see Peter Caro, didn't speak to him. I think he would have liked me to, trailed after us all over the park."

Mum often mentioned about going out with Peter Caro for a little while. He's the brother of the sculptor Anthony Caro and I think she met him at the Mid-day Studios in Manchester. I couldn't find very much information about the studios except for a picture by L.S.Lowery of them which you can see here if you like. It mentions that it was established by Ned Owens and his first wife, Margot Ingham.

Margot Ingham was one of the group called the Manchester Artists. She was a friend of my aunt who was also an artist, and on the fringes of the group. I remember going to Margot's house with my auntie. I can't remember much except that it was in a leafy cul de sac. But I remember seeing a lot of Margot, usually on the bus. She had a wide face with a high colour and white hair and a strong accent, I think she was Austrian. She was more handsome than beautiful. I imagine she must have been quite striking as a young woman. She promised to do a drawing for me, but I can't remember what happened.

But back to mum and Peter. This obviously wasn't the first time she'd met him, that was at the studios. I quickly read back and she'd been to the theatre and dancing, debates, hiking, played tennis in the park and exhibitions in the previous days, but with someone else, that she'd mentioned to us before. Someone she's known before she met dad. I wonder what happened next.....ooh haven't got time now... but I know what my bedtime reading tonight will be.......I'll keep you informed......