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Rajula at Madras.

A British India Steam Navigation Company ship, Rajula, much loved and best remembered for a record passenger lift.  Rajula_at_madras__print_wp.jpg

An interesting print order and story  has arrived for this rare painting of a much loved ship.

The gentleman wrote:

I chanced upon your website through a Google search as I was trying to find information on S. S. Rajula.

Iam an Assistant Curator of the Indian Heritage Centre (IHC) in Singapore. IHC is a government funded, small scale, museum standard heritage institution that will highlight the interactions between South Asia and Southeast Asia, particularly Malaya-Singapore.

Although my research into S. S. Rajula began as a professional pursuit, I found out soon enough that my maternal great grandfather, paternal grandfather, my father, and his siblings had all traveled aboard S. S. Rajula.

With such connections binding my personal history to this remarkable steam ship, I wanted to possess a painting or a print of the ship.

Thus the purchase.

Would have opted to get the bigger print, but alas, this is my very first job and finances are tight.

You website has been well put together in terms of providing a wealth of information and would certainly resonate with those who had traveled aboard the ships and even those genuinely love maritime history“.

The Rajula picture is on page:

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/wp-admin/post.php?post=4254&action=edit&message=1

This particular copy was ordered with a remarque.  Rajula_remarque_IMG_4040_wp.JPG

A remarque is excellent value, an original sketch that relates to the subject drawn by the artist  to enhance the margin of your new print

In a subsequent e mail he wrote:

I am absolutely fine with your inclusion of my account in your website
as it adds to the materials found on the Internet of S. S. Rajula and
may possibly help others looking for information on the ship or anyone
interested in the maritime history of the British Empire.

If you require the precise names, and years, I could provide these as well,
since I am currently in possession of documents such as my great
grandfather’s passport, baggage claim receipts, etc.

I have to clarify on a matter at this juncture.

The Indian Heritage Centre is a new project and will open only in late 2014.

The idea of it was first surfaced by the 6th President in 2009. Since then, a team
of political and community leaders, academics and other notable
individuals have been working on the project.

The curatorial team, which I belong to, has been in the meantime, been actively working to put together a storyline, acquire artefacts, source for community interviews, and doing intensive research on the various sub-communities within the Indian community in Singapore.

As such, our website is in its infancy stage and is primarily used to promote our artefacts and photograph collection drives and our special exhibitions“.

I’ve painted several BI (not to be confused with the Irish sea ferries) ships, fine classic vessels which produced excellent sea men.

BI was one of the largest fleets of merchant ships in the 19th and 20th centuries.

On one occasion a convoy of 200 ships was sent from India to (France).

The French were amazed to discover all 200 ships were BI.

Eventually BI merged with P&O.

It has been some thing of a honour to work with ex BI people, sadly most are now retired or long gone however that makes these pictures more historic and my association with BI people  more valuable.

At least one is I am happy to report  still with us and very active, the remarkable master mariner and very famous, Sir Robin Knox-Johnston.

Robin came to public notice first in 1968, you can read about Robin on the page in Yachts and Superyachts about “Roaring Forties“, incidentally my most famous painting and available in print, numbered and signed by us both.

http://www.frickers.co.uk/blog/wp-admin/post.php?post=4254&action=edit&message=6

Enjoy.