Minnie Pratt's scrapbook reveals social history of Barrow

Minnie Pratt's scrapbook was bought by Gary Johnston in an auction market in Carlisle. 

When he opened the book, he found detailed paintings of places across the world. From the Lake District to Uganda and France. Through a popular group on Facebook, he managed to piece together the life of the artist. One of Minnie's paintings

Minnie Pratt was born in Barrow in 1880 and died in Ulverston in 1980, just after she celebrated her 100th birthday. She never married nor had children. Her own extended family now living in the UK, the US, and Australia had little knowledge of her. 

Yet she led an extraordinary life of adventure that Gary and the Dock Museum will publicise in a three month exhibition starting on November 4. Gary said: "I had never done anything like this in terms of genealogy research or history research. I thought that a few dozen people would join my Facebook group but now it is 2000.

Minnie's watercolour of Giverny, in Normandy-dated 1919 with a photo underneath.

"The scrap book has been my constant companion over the last year or so. I knew once I found out about the story that I wanted to show it to a wider audience-the museum was open to doing that.

"It shows what is possible. Barrow is a male dominated town. In terms of the ship building we think about male figures. But here we have this lady who went against the grain and achieved so much in her life. 

"My focus now is helping out with the exhibition. They want me to work very closely with them. I am actually writing two books about Minnie's story. One will be about her, but the other will be about how it came together through social media.

'The Salt Mill' near Portland, Maine

"Finding that scrapbook has completely changed my life. I've made friends from across the world. I have a sense of responsibility. Minnie's life is coming home."

The book has been left in the safe hands of collections and exhibitions manager Charlotte Hawley. 

Minnie Pratt, the artist and traveller.