Ames, Miss (McKechnie Section 2)

Known only from a trade label in the British Museum (Banks collection). Miss Ames has been mentioned by previous writers on profiles, but she has hitherto been confused with a Mrs Ames (see below; also the main entry on her in Section Three), who is know to have advertised in 1785. Miss Ames's trade label in the Banks collection is marked '1784', which presumably indicates the period at which she was working.

Since Miss Ames mentions only one price on her trade label, we must assume that she only produced work in one category, and since this price is as low as 2s, one can only guess that her work was executed on paper. From the address at the top of the label we know that she worked in Bath. Jackson interpreted this address in her Dictionary as either 'at Mrs Innes' or 'at Mrs Sands'. To me, 'at Mrs Jones' seems a more likely reading. At any rate, it was certainly opposite the Pump Room that Miss Ames was working at some time during 1784. Such a finely produced trade label suggests that she must have produced a substantial quantity of work.

It is possible that Mrs and Miss Ames were mother and daughter, but the surname is not uncommon in England, and we cannot assume that there was any connection between the artists.

No example of Miss Ames's work has been identified. But Mayne appears to have been familiar with the work either of Miss or Mrs Ames (it is not clear from the context). He comments, 'work sound, but not exceptional'.

Ill. 666