A sticker-up of bills on Tower Hill at the rendezvous at the King's Arms
The King's Arms on Tower Hill, London, was the City naval rendezvous, most significantly that for the local impress service, which included both voluntary recruitment and the 'press gang' when emergency required this. Recruits of both sorts were housed on the 'Enterprise', the name of a series of receiving ships moored off the Tower, before being shipped down to Sheerness and beyond by naval tenders. Whether this bill-sticker was specifically naval (for recruiting posters) is not clear, since there were many other sorts, but this anonymous portrait is an extraordinary record of a worker at one of the lowest levels of London life. He appears to be wearing a dilapidated fair wig on top of naturally dark hair. Since there are several October 1774 drawings in the Bray album which may be London subjects, it is possible Bray was at the King's Arms waiting for (free) passage by sea round to Portsmouth on one of the naval tenders, rather than taking the public coach. It is probable from other evidence that he was in fact in London by about the end of September.
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s 'Duke of Argyll' moored alongside a quay, c 1928-1948.
Original oil painting by Norman Wilkinson for a London Midland & Scottish Railway poster. Many British railway companies also operated ferry services. Wilkinson was commisioned by several of the companies to produce artwork for use in posters promoting their services. The London Midland & Scottish Railway Company (LMS) was formed in 1923, and operated ferry services acros the Irish Sea on routes between Holyhead and Dublin, and Heysham and Belfast. In 1948 all the private railway companies' shipping fleets were nationalised, becoming part of the British Transport Commision. The s 'Duke of Argyll' served the Heysham to Belfast route between 1928 and 1955.
s 'Duke of Argyll' moored alongside a quay, c 1928-1948.
Original oil painting by Norman Wilkinson for a London Midland & Scottish Railway poster. Many British railway companies also operated ferry services. Wilkinson was commisioned by several of the companies to produce artwork for use in posters promoting their services. The London Midland & Scottish Railway Company (LMS) was formed in 1923, and operated ferry services acros the Irish Sea on routes between Holyhead and Dublin, and Heysham and Belfast. In 1948 all the private railway companies' shipping fleets were nationalised, becoming part of the British Transport Commision. The s 'Duke of Argyll' served the Heysham to Belfast route between 1928 and 1955.
'The Continent via Hull & Goole', BR poster, 1955.
'The Continent via Hull and Goole - Regular Services for Cargo & Pasengers'. Poster produced for British Railways (BR) North Eastern Region (NER), promoting services to the continent on Asociated Humber Lines steamer ships from Hull or Goole in Yorkshire. The poster shows the 'Fountains Abbey' Asociated Humber Lines steamer ship at sea, and details destinations including Rotterdam, Antwerp, Hamburg and Copenhagen. Artwork by Harry Hudson Rodmell (1896-1984).
's Maid of Orleans', BR poster, 1950s.
Poster produced by British Railways (BR) to promote the company's short sea route to France on the new ship s Maid of Orleans. Artwork by David Cobb.
'Three New Luxury Ships', LNER poster, 1935.
Poster produced for London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) promoting the Harwich-Hook nightly service on three new luxury ships, the largest vesels in regular service between England and the Continent. The poster shows these three ships: 'Amsterdam', 'Prague' and 'Vienna', viewed in isolation and from below to exagerrate their size. Artwork by Frank Henry Mason, who was educated at HMS Conway and spent time at sea. He painted marine and coastal subjects and was involved in engineering and shipbuilding. He designed railway posters for the North Eastern Railway (NER), Great Western Railway (GWR) and London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). Dimensions: 1016 mm x 1270 mm.
'Three New Luxury Ships', LNER poster, 1935.
Poster produced for London & North Eastern Railway (LNER) promoting the Harwich-Hook nightly service on three new luxury ships, the largest vesels in regular service between England and the Continent. The poster shows these three ships: 'Amsterdam', 'Prague' and 'Vienna', viewed in isolation and from below to exagerrate their size. Artwork by Frank Henry Mason, who was educated at HMS Conway and spent time at sea. He painted marine and coastal subjects and was involved in engineering and shipbuilding. He designed railway posters for the North Eastern Railway (NER), Great Western Railway (GWR) and London & North Eastern Railway (LNER). Dimensions: 1016 mm x 1270 mm.