Portrait of Mary Markendale to be restored!

Thanks to the generous donations from supporters of Salford Museums and Galleries we are delighted that the portrait of Mary Markendale will be restored later this year.

Mary Markendale, Copyright Salford Museum not to be reproduced without permission

The Markendale portraits were painted in the 1850s and depict Ellis and Mary Markendale. The Markendale family were tenants at Ordsall Hall from 1815 to 1871 and were prominent and prosperous butchers and tanners.

In 2011, the portraits were being stored in an out-building of a farm in Cumbria and were in a very poor condition. The farmer, a direct descendant of the Markendales, contacted the curator at Ordsall Hall as he thought that the portraits may have a connection with the Hall. The farmer kindly donated the portraits to museum collection in 2012.

In 2017, we were delighted to be awarded grants from the Charles Hayward Foundation, the Skinners’ Company Lady Neville Charity and the Friends of Salford Museums Association to enable the full conservation of the portrait of Ellis Markendale (1790-1853). The conservation of the gilded gold frames on the portraits of Ellis and Mary was paid for by the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Ellis Markendale, Copyright Salford Museum not to be reproduced without permission

Following the restoration of Ellis we have been fundraising to restore the painting of Mary and thanks to many generous donations we have raised over £5000 to allow the work to happen.

The portrait of Mary Markendale will be taken off display in the autumn of this year to be restored by the Lancashire conservation studios and will then return to the Hall to hang alongside her husband’s portrait.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to make this happen, your donations really make a difference.

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