This new marine painting measuring 30″x48″ (762×1219mm) has absorbed some 200 hours including location visits and research by myself and friends in Plymouth.

The scene is based principally on my numerous memories of Plymouth Cattewater by moonlight and shows the “crack” clipper ship Samuel Plimsoll during the 1880’s, loading emigrants Australia Bound. Colour and tone bars are placed here in the picture margin so you can adjust your monitor/screen if you wish to better view this new marine painting

This painting is intended as one of the center pieces for the exhibition next year offered me at the European Parliament; ~ unless some one makes me an offer I can’t refuse!

I also hope this formidable marine painting will inspire Plymouth City Council to make better use of the site in the same sort of way the splendid “Port of Chester 1863″ inspired Chester council, a splendid story documented on page http://frickers.co.uk/marine-art/chester.html which included a civic reception for the painting and artist.

You can pre order a copy of this painting, quickly, safely and securely  for as little as £150.00 using page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/making-a-payment/

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There was a time when Plymouth was the preferred venue for emigration from Britain and only London and Liverpool saw more emigrants leave.

The facilities (the buildings on the right) at Plymouth were the best in the country by far, some thing Plymouth  can always be proud of.

This historic  site has been semi derelict and very neglected since the two large buildings were demolished in the 1930’s and is now up for re development.

The building nearest still stands and is the home of the Mayflower Sailing Club.

Cattewater? because this was a secure anchourage.

In former times ships would load in Sutton Pool and from adjacent beaches and coves which we now call Plymouth.

Then the ships would anchour and await favourable tide and wind.

When departing the anchour was raised and to re secure the anchour a type of derrick known as a Catte  was used.

Plymouth as many people world wide are aware was a point of departure for numerous emigrations probably the most famous being the settlement at by the Elizabethans inspired by Sir Walter Raleigh

Prior to the site being used as an emigration depot it’s history includes use by the British Royal Navy as a victualing quay up to about 1840  before  the construction of the victualling yards on the River Tamar at Stonehouse.

The Roanoke Colony settlers,  the first English colony in the New World, sailed from Plymouth (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Colony) as splendidly documented in the book Elizabeth Big Chief The historic site of the Roanoke Colony is off of U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island, North Carolina

The infinitely more famous Pilgrim Fathers emigrated from Plymouth in the Mayflower, boarding Mayflower from about where Gordon Frickers has composed this painting .

Thousand more people emigrated from Plymouth following those adventurers and famous voyages too numerous to cover here started from Plymouth Cattewater, to name drop a few, Francis Drake, first captain to circumnavigate the world, the Elizabethan fleet to combat the Spanish armada, James Cook navigator and discoverer.

We know the ancient Phoenicians were here trading for tin, they used the beach opposite under Mount Battern and probably the beach where Phoenix Wharf quay and the emigration depot were eventually built.

All would have departed from this same stretch of water, Plymouth Cattewater.

You can pre order a copy of this painting, quickly, safely and securely  for as little as £150.00 using page

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/making-a-payment/

Of course the history of this splendid port goes back way before the 1880’s as shown here and it is to be hoped Plymouth City Council will develope the site sensitively for our future.

When I have more time I’ll add here credits, principal sources and some of the story of the Clipper ship Samuel Plimsoll, watch this space!

Similar Posts:

• Plymouth, the Samuel Plimsoll and a big surprise
• Meeting the Lord Mayor of Plymouth
• A Cheshire cat, a quay, an emmigrant and Chester port mid 1600’s
• Progress report, Samuel Plimsoll, emigration and Plymouth Cattewater
• The Royal William Yard, Plymouth

Tags: Australia bound, emigrants, emigrants Australia Bound, marine painting, Mayflower, new marine painting, North Carolina, Pilgrim Fathers, Plymouth Cattewater, Roanoke Colony, Samuel Plimsoll, The historic site is off of U.S. Highway 64 on the north end of Roanoke Island

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 12:59 pm and is filed under Marine Art, diary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.