When the HEART MELTS
Nancy shivered in the dawn light as she left her tiny chamber and descended the ladder to the workshop of ‘Celia Suggs’ Incredible Lifelike Wax Show’.
The exhibition itself filled two floors of the establishment in London’s Holborn. Nancy was tasked with opening the exhibition each morning and spending the first hour taking the shilling admission fee in exchange for viewing Mrs Suggs’ parade of wax models.
In the workshop, Mrs Suggs’ nephew and protégé, Ned Starling, was mixing powders for the flesh tints to cover new wax heads. Ned lived across the street with his aunt Celia, owner of the show. They came and went through a side door into the exhibition building, using their own keys.
So, unlike Nancy, Ned didn’t have to sleep close to the clay, sacks of straw, glass eyes, shelves of wigs and racks of clothing.
In addition, the vegetable wax and beeswax had to be kept cool for moulding – which meant Nancy was not allowed a candle, much less any sort of fire, in her narrow chamber. This made the place cool in summer but freezing in winter – and chilly every morning. Ned looked up with his sly smile as Nancy went by, fastening her apron.
‘Have you unlocked the exhibition rooms?’
‘I am on my way,’ she replied.
‘You agree we would make a good match?’
The figures on display included King Henry VIII and his six wives,
