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Painted around the turn of the 20th century by renowned British artist Sir Gerald Festus Kelly, the portrait of Burmese Empress Saw Ohn Nyum IV has played guardian angel to everyone at HE Simm.

In 1955, the painting was presented as a moving in present to company founder Ernie Simm by Mrs Doyle of CJ Doyle, the builders of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral, proclaiming she would bring great luck. The painting hung in the office of Ernie Simm until 1970,when Lawrence Simm took over, subsequently moving her to his own office.

There she remained until 2003, overseeing the companies continued growth, until the business again relocated to their current premises, Spinnaker House. During the move the ‘Lucky Lady’ went missing. After three months, Lawrence had had enough and so commissioned a thorough search for Saw Ohn Nyum. Upon her discovery, draped in an old curtain in a dusty back room of the old premises, she was reinstated to the wall of the Managing Directors office. New contracts prevailed and the company has enjoyed continued success ever since.