Estranged from her father and very poor, she lived with her mother in one room tenements most of her childhood and early adulthood. The two of them worked menial secretarial jobs but escaped the monotony and disappointments of everyday life by going to The Movies and reading novels. A gifted writer with a passion for film, photography, and music, Helen, like most women of her generation, never had
the opportunity to pursue a fulfilling career. Her adult life was dedicated to being the wife of a world famous mathematician, Harry Pollard, and the mother of five children. However, she never lost her passion for film and literature, which she instilled in her children and grandchildren. In 1932, Helen, twelve years old, began keeping a diary in which she recorded daily events (and many details that history buffs may find interesting) as well her personal thoughts and aspirations. Her diaries span her life from the depth of the Depression, through World War II, and into the changing times of the 1950s. Her words have provided to us a window into the life of a young woman who lived in a world remarkably different from our own in some ways…and quite unchanged in others. Now, 83 years after she started her diaries, this connection with our mother’s/grandmother’s past has inspired the creation of Helen May Vintage. Our shop reflects life from that time, including fashion, culture, entertainment, and everyday life. Our merchandise includes vintage women's clothing, hats and accessories, art pottery, housewares, jewelry, children's toys and books, risqué "girly" items, old photographs, ephemera and much more. The items for sale in our shop also share with you the juxtaposition of the world as young Helen knew it - the extreme poverty and deprivation of her everyday life with the glamour and opulence she escaped to in Hollywood films and literature of her time. We hope Helen May Vintage inspires you as well to learn more about your own roots and to appreciate what our parents, grandparents and others before us experienced that led to who we are today. If you want to learn more about the life of Helen May Rickard, you can read about her on her blog at HelenMayRickard.WordPress.com and corresponding accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
