The daughter of a former landlord of a Wrecclesham pub is on a heartfelt quest to track down a painting that once hung in its saloon bar.

Now living in Australia, Joan English is hoping to uncover the fate of the artwork, which was once cherished by her late father, William ‘Bill’ Wright, a well-known publican who ran the Bear and Ragged Staff pub for 25 years.

The painting depicts an elderly man smoking a pipe. It is framed in a wooden frame painted gold, but its uniqueness lies in the way the light is captured in the artwork. The only source of light in the painting comes from the man lighting his pipe with a match.

Originally displayed in the saloon bar of the pub, the painting was later moved upstairs to avoid damage from cigarette smoke.

Joan said: "I remember my dad was left the painting of the old man, by an uncle of his. I was very young at the time and don’t remember any other details. The picture was large and I think it hung in the saloon bar.”

Since then, it disappeared and Joan would like to know the fate of the lost artwork.

Bill passed away in Australia at the age of 80 on May 9, 1998, following a terminal cancer diagnosis earlier that year.

He was well-known for his love of fine cars, particularly his Daimler Jag, and for his musical talent with the mandolin-banjo. He even performed with notable musicians such as Phil Collins of Genesis.

Before becoming a publican, Bill served as a sergeant major in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) during World War II.

After retiring from the Bear and Ragged Staff, Bill continued working in several local pubs, including the Barley Mow in Tilford and the Running Stream in Weybourne. He later moved to Victoria, Australia, to live with Joan, where she cared for him until he was too ill to stay at home and was hospitalised.

A spokesperson for the Bear and Ragged Staff said: “It’s not here I’m afraid and the ownership has changed many hands over the last few years. But this is a lovely story and I hope somebody in our tight-knit local community can help.”

If anyone knows the whereabouts of the painting, please email [email protected], where any information will be passed on to Joan.