In 1969 I was 16. I used to go with a few friends from Macclesfield College to the Spinners Arms in Bollington for their Tuesday night folk evenings run by the Woods family.

Mary was a regular performer.I recall chatting to her many times during refreshment breaks whilst we sat on the stairs outside the room waiting for a song to end.She definitely drank pints then and smoked tipped cigarettes that she inserted in a holder at the top of her guitar.I subseqently saw her many times at Poynton and associated venues.

But 1971 saw me leave the north west and go off to university.Apart from odd visits to see family and friends I never returned ( though on one return visit in 1976 I saw Mary do a one woman show at Images nightclub in Macclesfield).

I had no ongoing interet in English folk music so heaven knows what jogged my mental processes to learn a couple of years ago that Mary had recorded an album and I could get it on CD. Brilliant.I could relive days.

Equally I have no idea what caused me to hit this site today.

Fran, I trust the passing of time has helped you. Also that your partner caused a spark for someone miles away, in both time and distance, to recall the gifts she had and gave

Regards

Tony Williams