My parents-in-law, Ursula and Brian Kirby, who have died within two months of each other aged 92 and 89 respectively, first met at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1959, in the audience watching the Count Basie Orchestra. They married the following year, and from 1967 onwards, when Brian started to work for the National Trust in the Lake District, they lived in and cared for historic properties across Britain.
During their time in the Lakes, the Kirbys lived in Hooper’s Cottage – formerly owned by the children’s author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. Brian’s job included choosing pieces from Potter’s original artwork which would be put on display in the NT property at Hill Top for visitors to admire throughout the season. He produced quite a number of paintings himself, and every wall in the Kirby home was covered in artwork, including several of his creations.
