Shirley loved the arts - particularly music, theatre and literature. Delving into the archive I came across this unassuming folder and discovered a scrapbook of cuttings that she started in 1937, when she was 11 years old, and kept it going through to 1947-48. It contains c. 300 cuttings, mainly from the Radio Times but also programmes and programmes notes, mainly about music and also some theatre. Typically, not satisfied with creating the scrapbook, my mother typed out a full alphabetical index with page numbers 1- 146 of all the entries!​​​​

​

Shirley's interest in the arts can be traced, when she was 11 or 12 years old, to her friendship with Carmel Brickman and the 'very different world' of the  Brickman family - a very bohemian, artistic  and musical family. She writes: "It must have been their influence that made me start the music scrapbook - in the green folder - I still have it. Sister was a pianist....she died young....there was Ben and Miriam."

 

In the margin of the scrapbook (see photos below) Shirley added the following handwritten note: 'It was cuttings from the Radio Times about the music being played each week - I wanted to learn what was what'.  

​

Shirley retained that curiosity and love of the arts throughout her life. She was an avid reader and loved going to book readings, art exhibitions, theatre, opera and concerts. In the years after Alfred died, she would often drive into the centre of London in the early evening and start ringing round various theatres to see who had some spare tickets. She would then, taking advantage of her blue 'disabled' badge, park close to the theatre and go and see the show. 

​

Shirley's 1937 Scrap Book