Agnes Joseph Madeline Dillon was born in
Cricklewood and she was known as "Una". Dillon was born in Hendon to Teresa and Joseph Thomas Dillon. She was one of six children who their Catholic parents paid to get well educated. The elder brother died during World War I, a sister became a nun and another brother emigrated.
Carmen, Agnes (Una) and Teresa were left to fulfil their parent's ambition for them. Dillon was working for the charity now known as
Mind dealing with books. She enjoyed this and decided to set herself up in business with a bookstore. Her parents lent her money and she bought out a shop which she thought she could improve. Dillon bought
Dillons Booksellers' first building on
Gower Street in
London, near
University College London, in 1936. Dillon drove the business forward delivering books by bike within her own target of eight hours. Her business thrived and her customers, and friends, included
C. Day Lewis, the poet
John Betjeman and other bibliophiles. Tess Dillon had led the physics department at
Queen Elizabeth College. In 1985 Una retired to Hove with her sister Carmen. Una died in 1993. Carmen survived her sister and died in 2000. == References ==