Diary extracts for June 1951 to January 1956
1st Jun 1951:
Cartwright Hall: Met up with J.B. Priestley and Nan Kivell etc.
At the Town Hall “a certain ‘stickiness’ in the air as a result of JB’s new novel in which he guys town clerks etc.!” At the end of the day “ I presented him with a pipe. He replied that he knew if he came often enough he would get something! He purchased the little ‘Angry Clown’ saying ‘That’s what we all are.””
2nd Jun 1951:
Attended the York Mystery Play enacted in where John Kay acted Caiaphas. Entacted in St Mary’s Abbey Grounds.
Very impressive altogether
See 'York Festival Triptych' (1956)
16th Jan 1956:
Set off late (alarm clock didn’t work) to Camberwell taking pictures to Rex for next one man show (1st Feb)
16th Jan 1956:
Having to fill in a form about his students’ aims. He said, and Philip Mathews agreed
. . . that we believed in students painting still life etc., with a view to discovering the design as they went along. That composition was something to be found out and not superimposed by theories etc.
16th Jan 1956:
Supper at CAC [Chelsea Arts Club] with Edward Bishop.
17th Jan 1956:
Camberwell in the morning. Talk at RA Schools in afternoon.
18th Jan 1956:
Mavis off to teach at Atherley School in Southampton. Caroline to Brockenhurst Grammar School. Richard for a walk with Star the red setter.
8.30 Crispin and Mavis leave in the car (Crispin to Art School). Philippa does piano practice and then R takes her to catch bus to school in Beaulieu.
18th Jan 1956:
Then
got to work on the large canvas of York in Festival time which I started a week ago. [York Festival Triptych (1956)]
19th Jan 1956:
. . . Decided towards the end of the day that I must put the side wings of this triptych in, so as to give a general solidity to the whole thing, then the figures can be given their proper value.
29th Jan 1956:
Crispin has got down to his thesis for the NDD.
On Friday developed most painful rheumatics and sciatica in the right leg, could hardly move. Difficulty getting in and out of bed, had to ask for assistance when coming down stairs.
29th Jan 1956:
Painted all the same on the large York Festival canvas, but only making slow progress. The design, or general layout is done, apart from the figures.