The Tweed Suit: Week One. Part 4 and 5
Part 4. The house (and me). Moving up through the earth, the site, the history, the foundations, the floors, passing through the rug that lays on the brown polished linoleum. The date is Sunday 24 January 1981. I am seven weeks old, mum and dad have brought me to the house. Mum is to return to work in the morning. Summer now, seven months old, sitting on nana’s knee in the garden, granda stands behind us. Aged one, sitting in front of the house, wearing a sun hat. Summer again, on the grass wearing white strappy sandals and big white fluffy pants. Autumn, lying on the grass outside the house, looking at something on my hand. That afternoon, we sit on the big black glossy summer-seat, trying to wriggle away, nana holds my arm. Christmas, adults watching as I open a gift in the middle of the sitting-room. Standing beside the old barn with granda, he’s wearing a shirt and tie, the sun is in our eyes and his hand rests on my shoulder. Early Summer, aged seven, sitting next to my great-aunt, our arms are around each other. The same day, the flower border in nana’s garden becomes the backdrop. Granda holds my hand and nana has her arm round me. Indulging in these forgotten memories, leaves me lingering longer than expected over ‘the house’. Thinking about its site, history and those who have called it home.
Images 1–9: Family photos, at the house, Shrove, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1988.
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Part 5. The house. Honestly, it’s nerve-racking, my chest is tight. It’s hard to let this go, yet I want you to see. Two obstructions have appeared in my path, ‘revealing too much’ and ‘taking up space’. The obstructions invite me to stop, but I decline and proceed.
It’s 2010–2011, how I look at ‘the house’ is changing. Figures leave the frame, the focus on hallways, ceilings and light-fittings. In 2010 figures linger, with glimpses of backs and feet. Before 2010 the figures are the focal point. With each visit back from England, I try to scoop them up into every image.
Images:
1: 12 February 2011, 10.30pm
2: 23 September 2010, 12.02pm
3: 23 September 2010, 12.09pm
4: 23 September 2010, 12.13pm
5: 23 September 2010, 12.03pm
6: 23 September 2010, 12.15pm
7: 23 September 2010, 12.16pm
8: 11 July 2011, 1.02pm
9: 1 July 2010, 4.51pm
10: 28 April 2011, 2.54pm. 🤍🤍 In memory of Marmie Gillespie (1927–2020) and Dan Gillespie (1923–2013) 🤍🤍