Diary extracts for May 1951

1st May 1951:

Asked by ‘The Sphere’ if they could reproduce my painting of ‘A Judgement’ in colour, full page. I said “yes!”

6th May 1951:

Off to York with 13 paintings. Picked up “Old Fawley Mill” from Olive Sampson in Leicester . . . 

7th May 1951:

Motored to Bradford with the 14 paintings, and had the experience of seeing about 70 of my paintings of the last 15 years together! What stands out a mile is that those which have been kept under glass, are in superb condition. Others are filthy, cracked and damaged.

After hanging was completed I started cleaning. Those from the Imperial War Museum were the worst: grease and dirt, damage and bird lime! ‘The Blue Barge’ appears to be as fresh as a daisy and in good condition.”

8th May 1951:

Working all day on this cleaning business. 

The Solent Fort looks fine in a magnificent frame which Nan Kivell has put round it for the occasion. The ‘Work Suspended, Winter’ from Hull looks in its clumsy way very good, and I can’t help feeling that the rather heavy paintings are my forte, the design being rather simple and impressive.”

17th May 1951:

Grock the Dalmatian is put to sleep.