Mural

In the early 1970s the artist Robert Lenkiewicz painted a mural on a wall in The Barbican area of Plymouth. In extras you can see how magnificent it was - but sadly now it it is all but gone. There have been some attempts to crowd fund a restoration, to no avail. It’s so sad. 

Today Sarah and I had a lovely wander around The Barbican, went for a swim in the hotel spa, and have been at my Mum’s this evening for fish and chips. I also managed to set up briefly with my lovely friend from school, Gill, who is down in Plymouth packing up her Dad’s flat as he’s now in a care home, a really sad task. 

The mural and the meeting with a school friend reminded me of our old Head Mistress, Miss Newman. She was an absolute stickler for decorum for her girls, a bit of an anachronism even in the 70s actually. Some of my year group were friendly with the daughter of the artist who painted the mural - he was a brilliant artist; he loved pushing boundaries and he cared not a jot for protecting middle-class sensibilities! Several girls posed for him nude, or semi-nude, and were featured in a high profile exhibition. Can you imagine how well that was received by Miss Newman. I still chuckle at it 40 years later.