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Miranda Davenport was a one-off character who appeared in "Yesterday Never Comes".

An antique dealer, she got close to Del Boy Trotter after he tried to sell her what he believed to be antique furniture. However, Miranda instead took a liking to a painting in the Trotters apartment, and eventually persuaded Del to give it to her.

Backstory[]

Miranda Davenport was born in about 1950. She grew up to become a snooty lady who ran an antique's shop. She made her money by obtaining things by slippery means.

1983[]

In "Yesterday Never Comes" she got close to Del Boy Trotter after he tried to sell her what he believed to be antique furniture. However, Miranda instead took a liking to a painting in the Trotters apartment, and eventually persuaded Del to give it to her.

At the end of the episode, Del went to visit Miranda whilst she was at an auction. Davenport was embarrassed by Del's appearance, asking him to leave and promising to meet him later. As Del made his way out, however, a new item was placed up for bid. It is the very same portrait that Del had given her.

The painting it transpires is worth thousands of pounds. With the game now up, Miranda gloatingly informs Del that she had recognised the pictures true value straight away and only pretended to like Del, so that she could her hands on it. When Del tries to talk to her about this, Miranda tells him firmly and smugly that there is nothing he can do. The painting, she declares is now hers. Miranda reveals that she has already registered the picture in her name and has even gotten her parents to sign an affidavit, swearing that the painting had been in the family for generations.

For a brief moment, it looks as though Davenport has successfully managed to swindle the Trotter family out of a small fortune and that there is nothing they can do about it. However, Del Boy quickly turns the tables and ultimately manages to get the last laugh. To Miranda's confusion, he is completely relieved to learn all of this. Smiling, he happily informs Miranda that he knew all along who had painted that picture, was fully aware of the pictures true value and had been trying to get rid of it for years.

Miranda is initially dismissive of this, sarcastically remarking "How could someone like you possibly know that?" Prompted Del answers, telling her it's because his grandmother, Violet, worked as a cleaning lady to an art dealer. Miranda immediately assumes that Violet had the painting examined, but Del informs her that isn't what happened, oh dear no. Dear old grandmother, Violet Trotter, stole the painting!

Miranda's smugness and joy instantly evaporates upon hearing this. Turning around, she looks back at the front of the auction room in horror as the painting is purchased, having learnt far too late that she is, in fact, selling stolen property. With their position's reversed, the triumphant Del Boy sarcastically wishes his fickle ex-love-interest good luck. He gives the deflated Miranda a parting kiss and the small bouquet he had originally brought for her. Knowing that the painting can never be traced back to either him or his family, Del adjusts his collar, then promptly marches out of the auction room, leaving Miranda Davenport to her fate. Meanwhile, at the front of the auction room two men begin to examine the painting's authenticity.

He Who Dares[]

In his 2015 autobiography, He Who Dares, Del revealed that following the auction, Miranda was investigated. When several other suspiciously acquired items were uncovered in her shop, she was arrested and spent an unspecified amount of time in prison.

Appearances[]

1983

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