Sidney Walton (born 1924) a welding instructor and Evelyn Mary Banks (born 1925) a worker at a shoe factory, on their wedding day, 1950.
After all the stress of finishing my MRes, I have been spending time contemplating and working out what I want from my life, which amounts to a truly scary prospect. This process of introspection was helped the other day by a photograph my mother showed me and which is inspiring me. The photo was taken in 1950 and it captures my grandparents on their wedding day. I never met my grandfather, and knew my grandmother only during my early childhood, but I feel a sense of closeness while looking at this photograph, a familiarity and warmth which I cannot explain. My grandmothers look of pure, unadulterated joy, excitement and anticipation for her future life as a wife, of a life spent bonded to my grandfather, is infectious. Being nearly the same age as she was when this photograph was taken, I feel a kinship as a woman and of course I'm envious of the effortlessly cool nature of both of their outfits!
Whilst I don't intend to get married any time soon, the sentiment expressed by my grandmother is something I want to ensure lasts for me. I loved working on my masters, researching and discovering women's place in the art world of the Napoleonic era, and I'm having a wonderful time at the moment being inspired at Wightwick Manor. Hence, I want to make sure that I have goals to strive for, to prolong my happiness. This means as well as being fulfilled at work, taking time to engage with my family and friends, to really appreciate and enjoy their company. I pledge to not get overly pessimistic when things go wrong, or fixate on my failings, but to learn and to feel as my grandmother here feels, joy, often and with abandonment. Hopefully I can also make those around me feel the joy my grandmother does in this stunning photograph.
Best,
Evalily Harlow xxxx
