Image: A Footpath to Sheldon, 1935. Credit: Florence Mare © The Artist’s Estate. Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust.
A new display celebrating the work of local artist Florence Mare will open to the public at Blakesley Hall, Yardley on 3 July 2026.
Florence Mare: A Record of Yardley showcases paintings by the Yardley-based artist whose work captured the area’s countryside, footpaths and village life during the 1930s, before later development transformed the landscape.
The display offers visitors a rare opportunity to see Yardley as it once was through the eyes of an artist whose work has become an important visual record of the area’s past.
Born in North Wales in 1875, Florence Mare moved to Yardley in 1920 with her husband and two children, settling in a bungalow on Stoney Lane.
Florence was one of the first female students at the London School of Economics and later worked as personal secretary to the Marquis of Salisbury.
Mare did not begin painting until the age of 55, using her daughter’s school paints. Her talent was quickly recognised by a tutor at Birmingham School of Art, who encouraged her to study and develop her practice.
She went on to create atmospheric paintings of Yardley’s rural landscapes and village scenes, preserving a vivid record of a place on the cusp of significant change.
The display includes A Footpath to Sheldon (1935), one of several works that document the character of the area before suburban expansion.
Blakesley Hall is one of Birmingham’s oldest and most historically significant buildings. The Tudor timber-framed house in Yardley was built in 1590 by Richard Smalbroke, a member of one of Birmingham’s leading merchant families.
Councillor Deborah Harries, Cabinet Member for Culture at Birmingham City Council, said:
“I first came across Florence Mare’s watercolours a couple of years ago with her beautiful ‘Yardley Church and Cottages under Snow’ (1937) which, as the local councillor for Yardley East, I was keen to use for my Christmas card to residents.
“Discussions with Birmingham Museums Trust revealed that not only were there more of Florence Mare’s paintings of Yardley in store that had been left to the city, but also what an interesting woman she herself was.
“Living locally, just a stone’s throw from Blakesley Hall, with her family, she was variously described as eccentric, formidable and not conforming to the stereotypes of her era. Taking up painting later in life, she was unapologetic about her intended ‘true to life’ record of Yardley in the 1930s, and we are grateful to her for that.”
Deborah added that she was absolutely delighted that Blakesley Hall had found a way to exhibit Florence Mare’s ‘naturalistic impressions’ of Yardley for free this summer, not only for local residents and visitors to discover both a long-lost and talented artist, but also the local landscapes and communities of yesteryear.
Laura Cox, visitor experience manager of Blakesley Hall, said:
“Florence Mare’s paintings provide an extraordinary window into Yardley’s past. Through her work, visitors can experience landscapes and views that have long since disappeared and gain a deeper understanding of how the area has changed over time.
“We’re delighted to be sharing the story of a remarkable local artist whose work continues to connect people with the history of their community.”
Entrance is free to the exhibition which opens in the visitor centre on 24 June.
Visit the Blakesley Hall website for more information about the house and ticket prices for admission to the hall.