Norman Hartnell (1901-1979), a pen, watercolour and gouache fashion illustration,
from the House of Norman Hartnell, for a tweed coat for HRH Queen Elizabeth, c.1980, with a tweed fabric sample,
together with two other fashion illustrations,
one of a pink spotted dress and the other of a blue day coat with fabric sample, both of which can be seen worn by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in a book titled 'The Queen Mother' (qty.)

In August 1979, after answering a job advertisement for a ladies' tailoring assistant apprenticeship, the vendor went to work for Miss Margaret Mayo at the haute couture house of Norman Hartnell, an experience she describes thus:

'The main aspect of my role was to prepare for the first fitting of the garment, prior to the garment being taken by Miss Margaret to Clarence House. At Clarence House, the garment was then fitted for the Queen Mother or other titled ladies. Despite the long hours and low wage, I enjoyed the role and the labour of love that went into the garments. The skills I learnt have stayed with me my whole life. To this day, I still wear a tailoring thimble to sew, which back then had to be worn at all times.

I worked under Miss Margaret for a little over six years and during that time was lucky to become a friend for the rest of her life. During the six years, I met in person Barbara Cartland, Lady Raine Spencer and various other titled ladies, although I was never allowed to meet the Queen or Queen Mother; that was Miss Margaret's role.

I left Norman Hartnells shortly before the arrival of my eldest child in 1986, but Margaret and I remained good friends and continued to write letters as frequently as once a month. When Miss Margaret sadly passed away in the early 2000s, she left a suitcase of these designs to me amongst other things'.