EDWARD (TED) FINLEY

Brindle Heath Backs - 1952
Oil
16ins x 12ins

TED FINLEY was born in South Ann Street Salford in 1907, and except for four years with the Lancashire Fusiliers, he lived and worked in Salford all his life. In his time he was furrier, cartographer, street sweeper, gallery attendant and caretaker of Ordsall Hall.
He was very much aware of the poor conditions of the working people among whom he lived and he dedicated his life to their improvement, Ted’s brother was the trade union activist Larry Finley, a fictionalised version of whom appears as Larry Meath in Walter Greenwood’s book Love on the Dole.
He was deeply interested in music, but painting-was his passion. Ted was a self-taught artist who for over forty years painted the changing landscape of old Salford as he saw it around him, the streets and alleys, the industry and the docks, he couldn’t usually afford canvas, unless someone kindly provided it, so most of his work is on board
He was a founder member of Salford Art Club in 1948, with his first exhibition at Salford Art Gallery in 1951, he then was a regular exhibitor with Margo Ingham at the Midday Studio’s. Since that time he has exhibited with other artists and in one-man shows in various galleries in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Many of his paintings are in private and public collections in this country, America and New Zealand.
Ted died in January 1979 aged 71, a retrospective exhibition was held at Salford City Art Gallery ... See MoreSee Less

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