In Autumn last year one of our members, Mrs Barbara Sexton, wife of the late Basil Sexton who was a founder members of the civic society, donated a painting of Mellor Mill to the society.
She had bought the painting at an auction in 1958 from Abney Hall in Cheadle. The painting is listed in the 1912 inventory by the Watts family who have owned the hall for four generations since Sir James Watts purchased it in 1850. Sir James Watts was a cotton magnate who moved in high circles and built a warehouse in Manchester which is now the Brittania Hotel. His grandson was married to the sister of novelist Agatha Christie.
We thank Mrs Sexton for her very kind donation to the society but the timing of the donation is quite extraordinary because Ann and John Hearle had purchased an original painting of Mellor Mill by Joseph Parry on behalf of the Mellor Archaeological Trust (MAT) about tweve months ago. When we met to comapre the two paintings, and also an etching of the original painting which hangs in Marple Library, we found all three were remarkably similar.
The society has sought an opinion from Bonhams whose advice is that the civic society painting is also an original painting of Mellor Mill by Joseph Parry painted around 1800.
MAT has arranged to display their painting in Marple Library as part of the 'Revealing Oldknow's Legacy' project.
We now have to decide where the civic society painting should be displayed. If you have any suggestions please email us: mail@marplecivicsociety.org.uk
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