AN exhibition of 19th century colourwashed drawings recently attracted a large and enthusiastic crowd to Wellow Village Hall.

The display, mounted by the Wellow History Society, comprised a series of impressions of life in the village in the 1840s, believed to have been drawn by the wife of the Wellow vicar.

They were accompanied by informative written commentaries and old maps showing the location of the properties shown in the pictures.

Visitors from as far away as London and the Midlands came to see images of houses in which their great grandparents had once lived, and were able to extend their understanding of the lives and family relationships of their ancestors.

Some were even introduced to relatives they had not met before.

Many older visitors were able to supplement the information already researched, and their contributions will be added to the archived data for future reference. Other visitors were current or recent residents of the properties shown and were interested to see the ways in which the houses and their surroundings had changed over the years.

A number of the houses portrayed in the pictures are still recognisable today and fairly modern photographs were placed alongside the artist’s work for comparison.

Wellow History Society received considerable praise for staging the exhibition, and the written information placing the locations, properties and inhabitants in context was greatly appreciated.

A display of artwork by senior pupils at Wellow Primary School, who were inspired by the pictures, was also included in the exhibition.