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Lot 8AR

Helen Bradley
(British, 1900-1979)
Going for a Walk Before Bedtime 40.6 x 50.8 cm. (16 x 20 in.)

29 May 2013, 14:00 BST
London, New Bond Street

Sold for £37,250 inc. premium

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Helen Bradley (British, 1900-1979)

Going for a Walk Before Bedtime
signed 'HELEN BRADLEY' and with fly insignia (lower left); and inscribed 'Going for a walk before bedtime...warm Summer Evening Mother would/say, "Children, its too nice to go to bed, let/us get our hats on, and go for a walk,"./The country behind Grandpa's was mainly/farms and country Lanes, Lovely Cottages and/lots of trees. The aunts and miss Carter (who/wore pink) and also Mr Taylor (The Bank Manager)/always came with us. Mother said that she liked/Mr Taylor when he walked with us, because he always/had his stick with him, because we never knew/what we might meet. It might be cows or a horse,/but tonight it was Geese which hissed and looked/very fierce, but he shooed them away and the year was 1907.' (on two labels attached to the backboard)
oil on board
40.6 x 50.8 cm. (16 x 20 in.)

Footnotes

Within Helen Bradley's recurring cast of Edwardian characters Miss Carter (who wore Pink) lives near the Aunts (Charlotte, Edith, Frances and Mary). Her parents and brother have died leaving her with 'private means'. She has set her sights on Mr. Taylor, the widowed bank manager (who sends all the ladies into a flutter), and is trying to manoeuvre him into a proposal of marriage. Everyone is in awe of Miss Carter because she dresses in the latest fashions, created for her in Manchester (Ina Taylor, Helen Bradley's Lancashire, Halsgrove, Bolton, 2002, p.21).

Additional information

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