It’s not often that you get the chance to meet the person featured in a painting you see hanging on your wall.
But the mystery of a lady hard at work collecting cockles seen in a painting which hangs in Carmarthenshire County Council’s Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole’s office at Llanelli Town Hall has been solved.
The portrait had been commissioned by the Council many years ago.
But it was only recently that Cllr Dole was made aware that the lady in the picture was Linda Jones who runs Penclawdd Cockles, Laverbread and Shellfish stall with her daughter Ann Mainwaring in Llanelli Indoor Market.
Cllr Dole was keen to meet her and to show her the picture and visited the stall at the indoor market on Thursday.
Cllr Dole said: “Every time I sit down behind my desk I see this painting and I’ve wondered who the lady in it is.
“So I was thrilled to get the chance to go along to the market and meet Mrs Jones in person, along with her daughter Ann Mainwaring.”
And it was quite a special occasion for Mrs Jones.
Daughter Ann said: “My mother’s never seen the painting before, it was the first time for her to see it. It’s a lovely painting of my mother. It took her back a bit to see her in her working clothes doing what she enjoyed.”
The picture was painted by Mel Tonge from Llwynhendy who used to design the signs for the family’s cockle vans and market signs.
Mrs Jones, who will be 84 in November, has been collecting cockles in all weathers since she got married, and only stopped when she was 65-years-old.
She continues to come to the market stall where they have traded for 40-years.
“Mum likes to have a chat with people and enjoys coming to the market,” said Ann.
The visit was also a chance for Cllr Dole to have a tour around the indoor market in his role as Leader and to meet and have a chat to some of the traders.
Penclawdd Cockles and Laverbread Shell Fish stall is open every Wednesday-Saturday.
- For more information on Llanelli Market, including news and events, please visit www.carmarthenshiremarkets.co.uk.
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