My husband, James Powell, was Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Salford prior to his retirement in 2009. Harold approached me and said he would like to do a sketch of me as a gift for James and to present at his retirement ‘do’. He wasn’t entirely sure whether he would have the time to complete it so asked me to keep it secret! An appointment was made for a Monday morning at his studio. He gave me a book to read whilst he sketched – The Wind in the Willows. He chatted and asked me what my father did, he was a hairdresser. He sketched for about 45 minutes and then we had tea and biscuits with Ashraf his wife. It was a special experience.
He did manage to finish the sketch and it was a wonderful surprise for James. Sharp eyed people saw that the book I had on my lap was entitled The Hairdresser’s Daughter!
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