A woman is hoping to unearth a mystery man’s identity after she discovered his picture in a frame she purchased from a charity shop.

Fiona Walker-Quilliam, from Kendal, bought an old picture frame from the Age Concern Warehouse in Kendal before lockdown.

Returning home she soon found two pictures within the frame, including one of an unnamed man and another of a woman.

The only clue came from a note with the words ‘Blackstone NY.’

Ms Quilliam soon found the subject of the other picture was a woman called Patricia Ramsey, but the second of the man still eludes her.

“So far I’ve been unable to identify the man,” she said.

“He looks distinguished and powerful, but remains nameless.

“The only clue in the photo is the cryptic note,‘Blackstone NY’.

“Who, or what is Blackstone?

“The NY must stand for New York, so indicates links to America.”

Ms Quilliam is eager to find out how the man’s picture came to be in Kendal and if he has any connections to Patricia Ramsey.

“How did his photo come to be in Kendal?” She said.

“After establishing Patricia’s identity, I looked for photos of her father and husband.

“ He’s not an obvious match to either, so who was this man, and what, (if any) his connection to her?”

Ms Quilliam is hoping The Westmorland Gazette readers could help her in her search for answers.

“In the absence of facts, the photo invites speculation,” she said.

“Was he an American tycoon perhaps?

“Director, politician, or economist? Maybe some witty and waspish writer?

“Perhaps one of The Westmorland Gazette’s readers can help me solve this mystery?

“Is his a face you recognise? From something studied?

“Or possibly an old family album?

“He may turn out to be your great grandfather.”