I love a scarf; I have a bit of a thing for them. From my Tootal silk scarves to the lovely wooly one my daughter-in-law knitted a couple of winters ago, they all sit in an orderly pile* at the bottom of my wardrobe.Today's object can be found in amongst them. When my pop sadly passed away in 1983 his estate comprised nothing more than a few pound notes stuffed under the mattress and a modest bank book. Doreen, his second wife, was therefore left enough readies to pay the rent for the next couple of months and not a lot else. Before she took his clothes to the charity shop she asked me if there was anything I'd like. Quick as a flash I said 'That scarf' pointing to the coat hooks in the hallway. Pop's favourite scarf - the one he'd worn for years - hung on a peg looking every bit alone as Doreen would be in that already quiet house.
Nearly 40 years later and I wear it every winter. I'm proud to say it's never been washed and I'm sure I can still smell his scent on it.As a bonus to today's post you can see another object on display here (#2A!); that's right, the vintage coat hanger. This too has been in my procession for more years than I care to remember: liberated by my dad from the Bonnington Hotel in London's West End sometime in the 60s, this hanger, despite having endured upwards of a dozen house moves, is still holding up; a coat hanger amongst coat hangers!
* For orderly pile, read heap
Lovely. Re-reading your post about your pop, did you ever find out any more about the mystery woman in the photo?!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you clarified about the orderly pile. I was starting to worry.
Also - back in the '80s I went to many a record fair held at that Bonnington Hotel! The name brings back memories of my own - the smell of musty vinyl mingling with cigarette smoke and observing that fascinating species of collectors!
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DeleteThank you, again. No, I didn't - sorry it's taken me nine years to get back to you on that! I have hundreds more photos from dad he gave me on Friday and there are mystery women (and men, and children, and dogs!) galore; even he doesn't know some of them.
DeleteAh, record fairs. Every Saturday I would disappear to some far flung hotel/sports hall/town hall and spend all day in there breaking only for a pie and a pint at lunchtime. Happy days.
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This is a great series. I want more than 10.
ReplyDeleteThat's kind you to say, Rol; tho' maybe best to reserve judgement till you've seen all the runners & riders!
DeleteA lovely thing to own. You're giving us all inspiration for our own series. I know it would be closed at the moment anyway but does the Bonnington Hotel still exist?
ReplyDeleteI think so; you may even get to see it one day. Inspiration? Me? I don't know about that.
ReplyDeleteA quick look on Google and yes, the Bonnington is still a thing. Not sure if their coat hangers are made to the same high standards as they were back in the 50s & 60s though!