| |
Pat’s
mother was the daughter of an Irish professional watercolour painter,
Anthony Carey Stannus, who exhibited regularly over a long career. The
Ulster
Museum
,
Belfast
and the V&A have works by him. Pat
always felt close to her mother and very much a part of her.
Although there had always been nurses, governesses and au-pairs Pat
loved to be near her mother and take part in each new activity that her
fancy focused on. As well as
looking after the dogs and garden there was jam making, dress making and
making things to sell at bazaars for animal charities.Although Pat was
very close to her mother, nevertheless she felt that she was second in the
pecking order and that her elder sister always had more and better of
everything. It was explained
to her that because her sister’s stomach was bigger she should have
larger helpings. When Pat
brought up her own children she made every effort to ensure that they had
totally equal treatment.
The most memorable experience of her early childhood happened because she
fell ill just before the family was due to go on holiday in Totnes.
It was decided that her sister Peggy should not miss any of her
holiday and she and the nurse went on ahead.
Pat said: “There could be no more contended child in the world
than me as I revelled in the unaccustomed situation of having all the
attention centred on me … the object of both my parents’ undivided
attention.”
|
|