A remarkable painting depicting the Edwardian Hull trawler Ellesmere, renowned for its heroic rescue of rival crew members, is scheduled to be auctioned this Friday. The artwork features Ellesmere, distinguished by its dark brown hull and two masts, adorned with the number H767 in white on its side, set against a backdrop of choppy seas.
Ellesmere operated out of the Humber from the turn of the 20th century until the early 1930s, frequently encountering the Irish fishery protection vessel Muirchu before ultimately coming to its aid. Also included in the auction is a painting of the trawler Pharos, whose mysterious disappearance continues to intrigue maritime historians, alongside a depiction of the Seti, an early casualty of World War I.
Coralie Thomson from auction house David Duggleby highlighted the significance of the watercolor by Hull marine artist Joseph Arnold, painted in 1913, noting that it captures Ellesmere “in her prime.”
Pharos, painted by Cleethorpes artist George Race, is characterized by its black hull and the GY1211 marking, featuring two masts and a wooden deck.
Muirchu, originally a Royal Navy ship, was primarily tasked with combating illegal fishing. On the night of May 7, 1947, as it neared the breakers yard, the vessel began to sink in the Irish Sea. Reports from that night indicate that Ellesmere was fishing nearby and promptly responded to the distress signal, rescuing the crew just before the vessel went under.
Ms. Thomson recounted the good spirits aboard Ellesmere during the rescue, quoting the chief engineer: “To think of all the times she’s chased us, and now we are picking up her crew.”
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