Going grey

writing by Lois

I know people are supposed to go white over night when they have received a terrible shock, I’m not sure whether that’s true or not; I can imagine if something catastrophic has happened in your life you might change physically as well as mentally and emotionally.

I still have dark hair; OK I have grey threads and a little bit on one side, like a grey curl, but really, overall my hair is still dark where most of my friends my age are definitely going grey… although ssssh, they may disguise it! It is just genes; my Mum had dark hair until she was in her fifties and when she died, too young before she was sixty, her hair was still not completely grey. My uncle who lived well into his nineties, and his cousin who is still going strong at a similar age, both had olive complexions like me, and dark hair well into old age. Another cousin, however, went grey and then silver while very young. I don’t dye my hair, although I do have highlights in the summer, but purple or cherry or gold, and I know I won’t dye my hair as it goes greyer.

Last night on TV I was watching a programme about powerful women in the Roman Empire, you know, Agrippina, Messalina and the others, but what fascinated me most was the presenter, a strikingly beautiful woman with silver-grey hair. I’m not sure what age she is, maybe forty, but young to have hair that colour and unusual in flaunting it so attractively. She wasn’t ashamed of her hair colour and she looked wonderful. She is Professor Catharine Edwards.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b021n60p/features/women-and-power

As usual, my mind wandered away from the interesting programme and thought about the characters in my stories; are any of them grey? The only one I can think of is Neil Cameron, but his hair is naturally white blond so going grey is more a matter of a change of shade rather than colour.  Bavol Polglass develops a grey streak in ‘Loving Judah’ but the rest of his hair is dark. In my unfinished novels, however there are some grey-heads, Paul and Marc Radwinter, for example, but they are in their fifties; Father Stephen Apinsky is maybe forty in the story of Frederico Milan and he is the only young character with grey hair.

Hmm, a heroine with grey or white hair…. hmmmm…

21 Comments

  1. Bob
    Reply

    Yes – I thought that Catherine Edwards was stunningly beautiful, which is why I ended up here trying to find out her age. I’d say she is probably about forty eight, but in fabulous condition.

    Liked by 1 person

  2. poetmcgonagall
    Reply

    Excellent documentary. Watched the first episode and looking forward to the next. I’m curious about the history behind the recent repeat of I, Claudius, which I loved. Whatever history says about that period, I’ll always see it through Robert Graves’ eyes. The power of fiction.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. tinasrabbithole
    Reply

    Many heroines with grey hair – mrs. Marple!! For one thing, I have a huge problem with the theory of hair ‘going white’ overnight with a shock – hair is a dead thing, and no matter what happens to you it cannot change colour without you actually doing it…. actively. It can perhaps start growing white from the base, but that wouldn’t be noticeable overnight. Hmmm.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lois
      Reply

      Miss Marple! What a great heroine! I agree about the white overnight, I really can’t see how the colour would leave what as you say is a dead thing… maybe a shock cause hair loss and the grey is more noticeable do you think?

      Liked by 1 person

  4. Phil
    Reply

    Similar story here too. After enjoying the I,Claudius re runs I was very keen to see the true history and yet find myself searching the name Professor Catharine Edwards on the internet. Despite the facinating subject of the programme, its the striking beauty of the presenter that lingers.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. bonerici (@bonerici)
    Reply

    just watching some of this roman bbc documentary. I would guess that Professor Catharine Edwards is 32 or 33 years old. She has obviously dyed her hair, and it’s hard to guess the reason why. On one hand her hair is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful combination. Maybe she woke up one day and realized she looked better with a shock of white over gray instead of her I think blond hair? I think she was blonde in 2011. Or maybe she had been dyeing her hair since she was in her 20’s and decided to quit doing it? Lots of possibilities, and it makes her more interesting, I like her hair a lot.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Lois
      Reply

      I have a cousin who went grey very early, in her twenties… but the colour is certainly very dramatic on Professor Edwards! I notice a lot of young girls are dying their hair silver grey but with a purple blue or pink tinge… fashion!!

      Like

  7. WC
    Reply

    Professor Catharine Edwards is a gorgeous woman… the grey hair adds to a mature look that make her more attractive. Also add in that she is an intelligent woman which makes her that much more attractive.

    Liked by 1 person

    2. Amy Sadler
      Reply

      Catharine Edwards was one of my university tutors in 1990-3. She was always beautiful and intriguing in addition to being supremely intelligent and I can confirm her hair was very dark in her 30s.

      Liked by 1 person

  10. martin newell
    Reply

    yes,I had to watch Catharine Edwards after she announced such as lurid introduction to Mothers,murderers and mistresses.
    Her grey hair puzzled me.so I looked up her age, only to find her personal details secret.
    I once had a lover who was widowed at thirty five,She became grey after her husband was killed in a road accident and she was pregnant at the time.

    Liked by 1 person

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