A memoir, with twenty-two standing figures. Pencil script and drawing by P. Mayes.

1900-1999

1 drawing and script : pencil ; sheet 46 x 55.7 cm

Dear readers, I hope you enjoy reading my life story ... Yours truly. P. Mayes. The memoir reads as follows: "Dear readers, I hope you enjoy reading my life story. I am going to enjoy writing it to you. I was born on January 25th, 1894, in Bolingbrook Road, S. Kensington, London, on a very wintry day. My father was an actor, my mother a lady's companion. My childhood was a happy one. When I was 5 years of age we removed to Streatham, & stayed there 7 years. When I was twelve years of age, I went to live with an aunt & uncle in Chatham, Kemt, for 1 year. They were Salvation Army members so I lived a riotous [i.e. righteous?] & sober live. Uncle had an allotment at Walderslade, so we grew all our vegetables, & flowers. When I was fourteen years of age we moved to Epsom, in Surrey. Their were four children, 2 boys & 2 girls. I left schooll when I was twelve years of age. Then we all went hop-picking in Kent for a few weeks. I remained at home 4 years, helping to keep house, then I went selling Hoovers for 3 years. At twenty-one years of age I met my sweetheart. I went to his people to live in Cecil Road, Hale, Cheshire. We were married on Easter Saturday, April 3rd 1916, & my husband joined the army for 2 years. When he returned we went on the stage together, in a revue called Rapid fire. My husband was stage manager, & I was in the chorus, doing the major towns of Wales for 2 years. Then we went to Leeds as clerks in the Anglo-American Oil Co. Ltd. for 4 years. We visited Roundhay Park at the week-ends. I went Hoover selling for 4 years in Leeds, Yorkshire. Then we went to Bexhill-on-Sea in Sussex to live. Then we wentnto live in Sale, Cheshire. Then we went to Epsom, Surrey. I had a nervous breakdown and I have been in hospital ever since. Yours truly. P. Mayes."

This work is untitled, the title has been supplied by the cataloguer.

Wellcome Collection 3001132i

Executed by P. Mayes at Netherne Hospital in Surrey, with support from Edward Adamson