Catkins, sticky buds, and pussy willow, the staples of primary school nature tables, are reliable early signs of spring. Catkins (1936, Aberdeen Art Gallery) is a wood engraving by Agnes Miller Parker (1895-1980) who excelled in the medium.

It may still be a way off, but even now in February, the subject on the Post this week, there are already a few tiny and very welcome signs of spring. The first daffodils are appearing, as in Early Spring (c1936, private collection) by Evelyn Dunbar.

Rachel in Greenbanks also visits the "Art Gallery', the Walker Art Gallery which we recommend highly. One of its many outstanding collections is Mrs Tinne's Wardrobe. During the inter-war years, Emily Tinne (1886-1966), the wealthy wife of a Liverpool doctor, bought enormous amounts of ready-to-wear garments from the leading ladies’ outfitters and department stores. What is unusual, though, is that she hoarded and often never wore the clothes, which were discovered after her death, many with their original packaging and tags. As a result, the Tinne Collection is the largest collection of a single person’s clothing in any UK gallery, and a fine reference point for the many garment details in Dorothy Whipple novels. This is a silk crepe and lace dinner dress (c1934-36).

Rachel in Greenbanks (1932) commutes to Liverpool University as an external student after her father refuses to allow her to take up the Oxford scholarship she has won. She finds it all unexpectedly liberating, and in her free time explores the city. She visits Liverpool Cathedral which at this time was an enormous construction project. Built between 1904 and 1978, it is huge and magnificent, the largest cathedral and religious building in Britain, and the fifth largest cathedral in the world. It also has two fine windows dedicated to Noble Women in the Lady Chapel. 

"Liverpool excited her." Rachel in Greenbanks takes a tram from the "begrimed terracotta buildings of the University" (now cleaned and very red) down to the docks where "there were great American liners...Lascars lounging on the quayside, and a great Biblical cloud in the sky that looked as if God ought to be sitting on it". Today, this view of the Three Graces (the Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building, Port of Liverpool Building plus the Mersey Ferry) seen here in a 1930s photo by JH Williams still excites.