Hilary Bourne and Barbara Allen were
partners who designed and produced
fabrics for upholstery purposes. Hilary
Bourne was a school teacher by
profession, but retired in 1973 to
Ditchling, near Brighton, where with her
sister she established a village museum.
Barbara Allen was a philanthropist who
liked to help up and coming artists with
their careers. She was killed in the
fire at the Garden Hotel Cambridge,
1972. Her acquaintance with Madeau
Stewart came about through an interview
Madeau Stewart conducted with Dame Janet
Baker for the BBC which Barbara Allen
heard.
See P143/1/C2/7 for further
explanation.