Long lost family portraits discovered in an attic in Shropshire have been identified as several generations of a Welsh farming family thanks to detective work by researchers.
During the research, it was found that Margaret Williams snr, the matriarch of the family, was a generous hostess and a figurehead in the local community. The family worked the land and farm at Pencoed Castle throughout the 19th century, until Ms Williams’ retirement in 1895. She then put the estate up for public auction. Pencoed Castle
Pencoed Castle The mystery of how the paintings ended up in Shropshire was solved when records were located that showed Ms Williams’ son Thomas moved with his family near Bridgnorth in the 1880s, settling and working in the country. Margaret junior married a Frederick Brookes and they also raised their family in the area, continuing the farming tradition.