Pleasley Pit

Maude Verney (nee Hay-Williams) was born on 7 Feb 1847 and married Frederick William Verney in London on 8 June 1870. Frederick Verney's father, Sir Harry Verney, was Lord of the Manor and a major landowner in Pleasley, and Frederick's stepmother was Frances Parthenope Nightingale, sister of Florence Nightingale. Maude and Frederick Verney had three children and despite living in London, the family continued its associations with the areas of Pleasley and Lea Hurst (the Derbyshire home of the Nightingale family).

When in Pleasley, Maude painted watercolors of the landscape. Coal mining was the principle industry and Maude made many paintings of the colliery, Pleasley Pit. In contrast to her colourful views of Pleasley village, her colliery paintings always depict a dark and grimy looking landscape.

Maude died on 28 Aug 1937 aged 90 and is buried at Middle Claydon Cemetery, Aylesbury Vale District in Buckinghamshire.