Two paintings by acclaimed Wigan artist Theodore Major have been bequeathed to the council by a former Leigh GP.
Dr Elena Zadik, pictured right with her husband Frank, left the paintings, entitled Houses in the Snow and Sun and Works, in gratitude to the council for maintaining the parks of Leigh and Pennington Country Park “which have given me immense pleasure and have added much to the quality of life in Leigh”.
Following conservation work the paintings are now on display at the Derby Rooms at Leigh’s Turnpike Centre.
Mayor Cllr Rona Winkworth said: “This is an act of enormous generosity and we are delighted to accept these paintings.”
Dr Zadik practiced as a GP in Leigh for almost forty years, and was a founder member of the Grasmere Street Health Clinic. She died in 2006 aged 86.
Her husband Frank was a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Leigh Infirmary. He worked particularly with coal miners, treating their injuries and helping them to claim compensation.
Theodore Major was born in Wigan one hundred years ago and lived in Appley Bridge until his death in 1999. His works have been described as “among the best English paintings of their time.”
The Mayor attended a small ceremony to mark the opening of the display along with members of Dr Zadik’s family.
