Day after Day 9

Muriel posted the poems selected at her poetry day to Mr Tree. In reply he said he hoped to have news about them when he met her at the picnic planned for August.

On a day in late July Muriel's father, George Williams King (pictured above) asked if she would like to accompany him to an auction of fine art in Worcester. He was eager to add to his collection. As
his only child, Muriel would one day inherit his paintings, and he thought it was essential that she should like the works he might buy. She had of course studied the history of art and read many books on the subject, and he valued her critical opinion.

Muriel enjoyed going on outings with her father, who was a handsome man, with laughter-filled brown eyes and a thick, slightly curly moustache. She had always been a daddy's girl. Naturally she loved her mother, but it was her father that she adored. She looked to him for praise, accepting his criticisms and valuing his opinion.

George was well known in the town as the owner of a large grocery store. He had started in the grocery business with hss father and elder brother William  in Guildford. When his father died,
because of the link with his mother's brother, James John Williams, George decided to come to Worcester. The Williams family treated him as though he was their child. They had children of their own, but it was George, with his talent, who was offered a partnership in their grocery business.

James Williams passed on numerous business tips to George, introducing him to valuable local contacts. Eventually he sold his share in the business to George, transplanting himself and his family to Surrey.

The business continued to trade in the name of Williams, but now it was George Williams King who guided its continued growth. Everyone liked George, who was by nature somewhat shy, shunning public gaze unless it benefited his business. He was a Mason and a member of commercial organisations. At the suggestion of James Williams he had succesfully sought election as a town
councillor, but he disliked the public appearances which were part of his duties and did not seek re-election.

Muriel was excited to be going to the art auction, which was at Everill Frank and Co. whose auction rooms were located at 59, Foregate Street. When they arrived the auction room was
crowded with businessmen and art dealers. Mr. Henry Walker from Perdiswell Hall was among the throng. She caught his eye and smiled at him. He returned the smile, but in a way that conveyed that he was failing to recognise someone that he felt he should know.

Enjoying a little mischief, Muriel, indicating Mr Walker, asked her father "Do you know that man?''

"Yes, I recognise him.'' her father replied. "It's Mr Henry Walker, though I have never been introduced to him.''

"Allow me to introduce you,'' said Muriel, drawing her father across the room. Then, confidently, she said “I am so pleased to see you here Mr. Walker. May I introduce you to my father, George Williams King, who is the proprietor of J.J. Williams and Co. Grocers. I am sure you have had occasion to patronise the store.''

Henry Walker, showing even greater embarrassment, realised he did not know who this young woman was.

“Pleased to meet you, I am sure,” he said, extending a hand to George Williams King, who shook it bemusedly.

"And how is your daughter Eva?” asked Muriel. “I haven’t seen her since her ball to which you so kindly invited me and my friend May Stinton. You might not have heard, poor May’s father died on the very day of the ball, so we experienced a sad end to that evening.''

Henry Walker, relieved at finally being able to attach a name to the face which was addressing him, said with great sincerity “I am very sorry to hear of that loss. Please give Miss Stinton our condolences. In regard to my daughter I am pleased to say she is very well. I will tell her you were asking after her.''

“I have been in correspondence with Eva since the ball,'' said Muriel with an innocent expression. "She is helping me to discover my noble ancestry.''

Her father, taken aback, was about to ask what she was talking about, but at that moment the auction began to get underway.

George was obviously well known to the assembled bidders and auctioneers.

Muriel and her father had earlier registered their interest in making a purchase, then examined the paintings which were to be auctioned. George had pointed out the pictures which particularly appealed to him. He had indicated some by John Clayton Adams. "He was a prolific painter,'' George explained to his daughter. "He did many paintings of Guildford, which is where I come from. I would like to bid on these highland scenes.''

The paintings showed majestic scenery, mountains, with heather in the foreground. Each tiny flower had been painted with great care. There were no people in the pictures, but Muriel liked them and hoped they would acquire them.

"John Millar Nicholson is another favourite of mine,'' said George. "He comes from the Isle of Man and has painted in various parts of the world. I particularly like his shipping scenes.”

“Oh Father,” Muriel begged "please buy that little one by Mr. Nicholson called In Pulrose Meadow. It would go so well in my bedroom, and it is small enough to take with me wherever I go.''

“I will do my best,” said George. He went on to express an interest in works by one of Worcester's best known artists, Henry Harris Lines, who mostly painted aspects of the local cathedral and scenes in the Malvern area. He had two pictures in the auction, one showing an old woman in a church porch and the other a view of trees. George hoped to buy both of them.

He was as good as his word, successfully bidding for all the pictures which he and Muriel had admired. Besides being an art lover, he was an astuthe businessman and valued paintings as
long term investments. He also bought a water colour by Richard P. Leitch - Cattle Watering in a River Landscape - and two other river scenes in oils by Edward Waite, whose work was well known in London Galleries. Waite, he announced to Muriel, reading from a guide book, was born in Leatherhead, Surrey. His father, Rev Edward Waite, a dissenting minister, was a water colour painter, and his grandfather, William Watkin Waite, was a miniaturist. Three of his brothers became
artists.

George noted hat some of Waite's pictures were exhibited in Bristol. "We must go there soon and become familiar with more of his work,'' he said.

George and his daughter left the auction room carrying the smaller works they had bought. There was a promise that the larger ones would be delivered to their home the following day. They were pleased with their purchases, and asked Mrs King to make space on her walls for eight more paintings.

Muriel would take charge of the hanging of the ninth picture.