After leaving school she enrolled as an art student at The London College of Drama and art (L.A.M.D.A and trained as a dancer but ended up working in a variety of secretarial roles – for the book society, a literary agency and for the Lord Chancellor at the House of Lords. She also did a stint as a copywriter at her father’s advertising agency Rumble Crowther and Nicholas, but Theresa was a restless young woman who became increasingly dissatisfied with the life on offer in London. Then in the early 1960s, her mother died from breast cancer, leaving Theresa even more adrift and in an effort to recover from their loss, Nick proposed a painting trip to the Greek island of Corfu. 

On return to the UK, however she received a missive from the man she described as ‘a very nice pirate’ saying ‘Come bak darling. I look after you.’ And without hesitation she turned her back on England and headed back to Corfu.

Cristo was an enormous character who provided her with the alternative life she craved. A friend of Gerald Durrell who had grown up on the island, Cristo was feted a hero of the Greek resistance and a painter, but lived a hand to mouth existence. Theresa and Cristo would tour the burgeoning number of hotels on the island dancing to the music of Mikos Theodorakis and selling his paintings. As time went on Theresa also began to paint, although many of her works were then signed by Cristo. Cristo was never able to obtain a divorce, and their relationship was seen as controversial l but hey lived, danced and painted together until 1975 when he died of cancer