Merton Council has a small collection of paintings featuring people, places and events associated with the London Borough of Merton and its predecessor authorities – the Borough of Mitcham, the Borough of Wimbledon and the Urban District of Merton & Morden. The collection spans some 250 years, with the earliest pictures dating from the 18th century. Some of the paintings were commissioned by the local authority, others were purchased with the aid of public subscriptions or donated by the artists. Perhaps the most notable item in the collection is a portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson, who lived at Merton Place with his lover Lady Emma Hamilton between 1801 and 1805.