Number one

On Saturday Stephen Giles, originally from Carleton Place, and who now lives in Ottawa bought an oil painting at St. James Anglican Church Bazaar in Carleton Place. To anyone who wasn’t really looking, it could have been just another oil painting found on a White Elephant Table. But I have personally always believed that everything once had a story, and when Stephen showed it to me I became intrigued. The inscription on the bottom of the painting was signed “Roy F. Fleming” and I wrote it down thinking it might have some local interest.

The old painting might have been used just for the frame until he also showed me a ripped label on the back with only the words inscribed: “it was something grandfather had painted” showing. When I got home I did some sleuthing and found out the late Roy Franklin Fleming and the late Bertha Elizabeth Hawley were the parents of Bruce Hawley Fleming who passed away in Almonte in 2010.

Bruce was also the husband of the late Agnes Hogarth– father of Ruth and her husband Ed Larmour, Carleton Place. I immediately recognized the last names and wondered if the grandfather of the Larmours could be the painter of this piece of art. The next day I posted the information on Facebook and the artist was indeed verified by the Larmour family as Roy Franklin Fleming their grandfather.

It’s one thing to have found the artist of an old painting, but it is another to have the whole story come 360 with a Hallmark ending. The finder of the painting Stephen Giles and the great granddaughter of the artist Megan Akey were reunited on Facebook thanks to Joanne Morris Samler who caught my posting. Stephen decided to give the old family painting to the great granddaughter as he said it would mean more hanging on her wall than on his.

With one kind gesture you can change a life and gestures like this could change a world. Remember every act of kindness creates a ripple with no end. Thank you Stephen for helping to keep family history alive.

Author’s Note-sometimes I think things turn up when they do– as a sign.

Stephen Giles

Read the rest here: Lost Family Art Found Creates A Hallmark Moment

So what happened?

Stephen reunited it back with Nathan Akey, Great Great grandson of the artist.– As Stephen says: It’s back in the family where it belongs.

Nathan Akey—Great great grandson of the artist.–Back in the family where it belongs.

Number 2

Sydney Perkins is with Tyren Babcock.

Does anyone know who this lady is? My boyfriend found it in the Tay River over the summer and we have been wanting to get it to the rightful owner, or the persons family!
The name is Maureen Ann Barzey, she was born June 14th 1937. If people could share to try and get this to its rightful owner that would be amazing!

So thanks to all of you this post was circulated around when I shared it.

Update

Seems that the late Mrs. Barzey sadly passed away in 2014. She was mugged and robbed in Carleton Place at the Bank of Nova Scotia several years ago. She had her wallet and money taken by a young man who the family searched high and low for it and no luck. Last week I heard from her brother, Ivor Bayley of Carleton Place.

Hi Linda,

Just to let you know the young couple came by on the weekend and returned my sister’s ID. They were such a nice couple and I told them the story of my sister and they were so interested. My sister had quite a life. Thank you for your help– Ivor

Author’s note;

This item had been lost for years, but again, sometimes I think things turn up when they do– as a sign. This was amazing what happened, and I thank Sydney and Tyren for caring. This was amazing.