The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Conundrum is cracked after Catherine sees father’s paintings hit the headlines
DUNDEE: Mystery over artworks found under wallpaper finally resolved
The mystery behind a series of hidden paintings in a Dundee flat has been solved.
Mother-of-two Sarah Graham uncovered the paintings while redecorating her flat on Morgan Place .
The artist behind them was yesterday revealed by our sister publication, the Evening Telegraph.
Benjamin Hutton, a plumber by trade, painted the walls when he lived in the property with his wife and four children during the 1950s.
His daughter, Catherine Andrews, 76, recognised the paintings when they hit the headlines last week.
Catherine lived in the flat with her parents and siblings, Margaret, Moira and Charles.
She said: “He was a clever man. He had a lot of hobbies and he was always making things with his hands.
“He made a fantastic dolls’ house and a fort for my brother.
“He made us the most incredible dressing table – we thought we were film stars, it was brilliant.
“I remember seeing him paint those pictures. We would watch as he painted. It was a happy house and a fantastic place to be brought up.”
Benjamin was born in 1906 and died in 1973. Catherine’s mother, Rita, lived in the flat for a further 10 years before she died.
Catherine remembered the painting of a castle on the rocks with a rainbow above. She said: “He just did them off the top of his head. The two in the hallway, they were above doors and every door was a different colour in that hall.”
Catherine visited her old home to meet Sarah and see some of the paintings again.
Sarah, 32, was excited to finally uncover the mystery of the artworks.
She said: “I’ve loved uncovering them. I love stuff like this, the history, human life – this is really exciting for me.”