Boating on the Avon, circa 1912

While looking through my mother's old family albums recently, I came across this serene photo of my grandmother Mona Forbes, 2nd from right, with her older sister Bess sitting in front of her and their little brother Charles, aka Dick, sitting at the back, looking as though he is not really enjoying the day out on Avon river, Christchurch with his big sisters! no doubt he would prefer to be doing something rather less sedate and more exciting, but Mona looks calm and confident. The rower behind Mona could be Flo, another of the Forbes sisters, as she and Bess were rarely separated, but I'm not sure about this. It's nice to know that the girls were able to go out and enjoy physical activities now and again. Mona went to art school, while Bess became a dressmaker and and Flo a tailoress.