Harbour Scene, The Lambeth Walk / St Ives
Medora Heather Bent was born in Ireland and spent much of her childhood on the family estate at Errislannan, situated on a remote peninsula in Connemara. Her parents bred race horses and reputedly christened her Medora by randomly choosing a name out a stud-book (it was either that or 'Cob-web'), but her aunts demanded an Irish name: thus she was known always as Alannah. In 1930, she enrolled at the Slade in London, and upon completing the three year diploma course began teaching art at Benenden school, in Kent. She also maintained a London studio in Charlotte Street, near Fitzroy Square. In 1941, as a result of wartime bombing, the Benenden school and all of its staff were relocated to Newquay in Cornwall.