James Bolivar Manson (1879-1945)

The identity of the sitter of this portrait is unknown, although it has traditionally been suggested that she is Manson's first wife Lillian. However, photographs of Lillian indicates that she was fair haired. In 1938 Manson and Lillian separated and he moved to Bolton Studios with his mistress Elizabeth Hayward who, in 1941, changed her name by deed poll to Manson. The present work was presumably one of several left to her on his death in 1945.