The riddle of the mystery Braithwaite painting has been solved after its anonymous donor was unmasked thanks to the Keswick Reminder and one of its readers.
Last week, the Reminder featured a story about how pensioner Wendy Scott was bemused after discovering a framed watercolour at the back of her home, which was partly depicted in the scenic view from Braithwaite.
Wendy, of Peter House, had drawn a blank after trying to fathom out who had gone to the trouble of leaving the painting for her, so she made a public appeal for help.
Reminder reader Jenny Musther, of Braithwaite, spotted that it used to be at the village’s Methodist church and youth centre, now an Orthodox church where her husband is the priest, and that former neighbour Paul Lucas had helped clear it out during a lockdown clearance.
Paul now lives in Dearham, but a quick call to him confirmed that he was indeed the mystery donor who had taken the painting to Wendy’s house rather than throw it out.
“I’m so delighted to know how it came about and to be able to thank the mystery donor by name,” she said.
“I’m amazed and really grateful for this wonderful surprise and for everyone’s help in solving the mystery. It is absolutely fantastic and I’m really glad. I’ve had several phone calls about it.
“Now I just need to find a place to hang it as it will have to stay here,” added Wendy, who five years ago received the OBE for services to education.
Paul returned to Wendy’s house to have his picture taken with her and the painting.
He said: “She was absolutely stunned when I told her on the phone I was the mystery donor. I hate to throw things away and I’d recognised Wendy’s house on the painting. It wasn’t far away so I shoved it in a sheltered nook at her back door as she wasn’t in, thinking ‘she will find it’. Then I forgot all about it.
“It isn’t a particularly amazing picture but to someone who lives in one of the houses, it is very worthwhile and quite fun too.”
The painting has the artist’s name — Tom McGregor — on it, along with a sticker on the back giving his address in York.
However, it remains a mystery about how his painting got to the church in Braithwaite.
