There is a vast amount of history behind the folk song John Barleycorn; written sources can be traced back to the 1500s, and its genealogy goes back further. But that, as they say, is another story and if you do want that story, I suggest you read Pete Wood’s 2009 essay John Barleycorn revisited: Evolution and Folk Song ).

One of my first memories of going to an art exhibition was actually of going to a degree show. My dad was an art teacher and one of his best students (Sue) was graduating from Central St Martins; we must have travelled to London from the south west after school/work and we arrived a bit late.