This series of drawings mythologises the life of my great, great aunt, Nellie Doubleday. She was born in 1894 and was apparently a singer on the stage in Liverpool, before being institutionalised in Winwick Mental Hospital, staying there until her death in 1984.
Between the anecdotes and few records I could find, there are many gaps. I had been told about a romantic relationship she had with a married jeweller. I found the addresses of places she lived, the names of her family members, and her occupation as a domestic servant, but I can only speculate on her character and experiences. The drawings depict imagined scenes from her time as a singer in the 1910s, and consider a young woman’s place in society of the time.
Through this process, I have gotten to know Nellie, who I had only spoken about previously with my Nan (Nellie’s niece). I was following this distant yet continuous thread back to her, imbued equally with sadness and curiosity. Although I am, in principle, against the romanticisation of women and their minds, I utilised this device to explore narratives that would otherwise get lost in the narrow path of history.
