Coincidences – really nice ones – abound in Ladybird Land. I don’t know why and perhaps I don’t want to know why, in case the magic one day stops.
But last week I heard of a really special coincidence – one that took my breath away – and I’d like to share it with you.
My good friend Caroline happens to be the daughter of Douglas Keen. It’s probably no real exaggeration to say that Keen, as editorial director of Ladybird over the golden years, was the mastermind behind the colossal success of Ladybird. So his family grew up surrounded by all things Ladybird. The artists and writers were family friends, editorial meetings happened at home and sometimes young Caroline was asked to pose for preparatory photographs by prolific Ladybird artist Harry Wingfield when he needed to illustrate a girl of the same age.
Caroline is now all grown up and lives in Kent and has grandchildren of her own but still looks back fondly to those days.
One day last summer she was on a trip to the South West – to Bridport – and spotted the old Wesleyan chapel there. Now there’s a connection with Ladybird Land even in the backdrop to this story because Bridport Wesleyan Chapel features in the Ladybird book ‘Churches and Cathedrals’. I have sometimes shared these photos on social media and Caroline (who follows me) recognised the building – now an Arts Centre.
The street was hosting its usual Saturday market of craft and bric-a-brac stalls, several of which had some boxes of old Ladybird books. Drawn to them like a magnet, Caroline started to browse (even though she already has a fine collection of her own).
Looking through a box, she came across a copy of Magnets Bulbs and Batteries – and had to pick it up. You see, this was one of the books that she had ‘modelled’ for back in the early 1960s. (She even has a piece of the original artwork from this book on the wall of her home, which she had bought from the artist, who was a family friend).
As she stood there, musing on the cover picture of her 11-year-old self, she noticed a lady standing next to her who had also been browsing through the box of vintage books. But now this lady had picked out a different Ladybird book and, like Caroline, was looking at the cover. And then, out of the blue, this lady turned to Caroline and, holding up ‘How it Works: The Camera’ she said:
“You won’t believe it, but I am the little girl pictured on the cover of this book”.
“You won’t believe this,” replied Caroline, “But I am the little girl pictured on the cover of this book”.
Of all the people in the land who might have been browsing next to her in at that very moment, it was artist Bernard Robinson’s daughter Helen. Both of them were on holiday in Dorset and were visiting the market for a very short time.
The two had never met before, although their fathers had known each other well and respected each other highly. Both had, independently, lent me items for my touring Ladybird exhibition: Caroline had lent me the original artwork showing her modelling for Harry Wingfield. Helen had allowed me to use her image from How it Works the Camera.
Later Helen could not explain what possessed her to turn to the stranger next to her and to tell her about the picture. It certainly wasn’t something she was in the habit of doing. But something instinctive made her do it – and the outcome was very happy. The two were so delighted to meet and exchange memories and contact details and they have given me permission to share this story – along with this delightful photo that they took to mark the moment.
Another reason to love Ladybird Land and the things that happen there.