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3.
July
2017.
Lost Portrait returns to Llantrisant

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A missing portrait of a former Lord Mayor of London who came from Llantrisant has been found and returned to his hometown.

The painting of Sir David Evans was discovered in the Mansion House storage room by Cardiff Council staff and has now been permanently loaned to Llantrisant Town Trust.

The Rt. Hon The Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Bob Derbyshire said: "This painting has baffled our curators for many years because it has no name plate or any reference with which to identify it. But when Llantrisant Town Trust contacted us with a photograph of Sir David, we were able to identify the painting at long last. We feel that it is only proper that the painting can be admired once again by the people of his hometown in the setting of the restored Llantrisant Guildhall where he became a Freeman."

Sir David Evans was one of Llantrisant's most notable sons after becoming Lord Mayor of London in 1891 but until now a portrait of him has never hung in his hometown.

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It is believed that the portrait was gifted to Lord Bute and hung for many years in Cardiff City Hall but nobody knew the subject's identity. Since 1995 it has been carefully stored at Cardiff's Mansion House.

Clerk to Llantrisant Town Trust, Dean Powell said: "We were absolutely overjoyed to finally discover a painting of Sir David Evans and are very grateful to the Lord Mayor of Cardiff and his staff at Mansion House for all of their hard work and support. Once our Guildhall is completed later this year he will be assured of pride of place in the main Georgian court room of the building. We very much look forward to bringing a Lord Mayor of London back home once again."

Llantrisant Town Trust has spent six years raising £1.1million to transform the town's Guildhall into a heritage and visitors' centre.