Last week after walking to Alison Uttley's birthplace near Cromford, my sister and I walked along the canal towards the old mill buildings and turning left, joined the road towards Cromford's market place. The first right before the market place takes you to Scarthin Books of Cromford, we plodded up the gentle hill and entered the familiar shop.
It is a joy to browse this shop full of new and pre-loved books. In the Art Room we discovered a pile of postcards and photographs and leafing through I found the first image, then deeper in the pile the second photograph turned up. At first I thought it was of the same woman but my sister noted the faces were different, and I searched again for the first image and placed them together.
Two friends, posed outside between a window and doorway. You take my photo and I'll take yours. What was happening on this day? What plans did they have, what did they speak of? I'm intrigued by the informal poses and what appears to be finger knitting in the first image. Looking at the stone around the doorway it looks local, but who knows. There is nothing written on the back of either photograph, so my imagination can create their story.
I placed them together and returned them to the pile, feeling strongly that I didn't want them separated. When we left the shop my sister handed me the photographs, having bought them secretly for the princely sum of £1. How thoughtful and kind.
