I have very fond memories of Harold Riley and thought you may like to see some photographs of a visit I paid to his studio with my family in 2003.

My husband bought a lithograph of one of his Stations of the Cross images for my 50th birthday and as a surprise, Harold invited us all to visit him at the Old Fire Station, Salford.

We spent an hour or two, chatting over a cup of tea, looking through his sketchbooks and paintings he was working on.  He shared a love of musicals with my daughter and I remember him playing the LP of Kismet as he made a sketch of her.  He was, of course a great friend of Howard Keel and she was excited to hear some stories of him.

My youngest son was handed a sketchbook to look through of drawings Harold had made at Old Trafford football ground and was fascinated by the accuracy of what must have been fleeting moments during the match.  I believe Harold later gave the book to Sir Alex Ferguson on his retirement.

When he found out we were Catholics he invited us to join him at Mass in the evening at St.Lukes, Irlams O’ Th’Height where we viewed the original Stations of the Cross in situ.

That day is one I remember with great affection.