Sea History 085 - Summer 1998

Page 39

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Oil on can vas, 36" x 24"

Farnham, England. A mill had stood on this site probably from Roman times. But in 1820 the miller decided to enlarge the mill and acquired a substantial amount of timber from the breaking up of USS Chesapeake , which, after being captured by Shannon, was taken into the Royal Navy. Dr. Brighton wrote that in 1864: Nothing ship-like or of the sea was discernible from without the mill. A comely young Englishman of some eight and twenty years of age was coming f orth to j oin his cricket club on a neighboring down , and this proved to be the owner of the Chesapeake Mill. A large cigar box, constructed of polished pine of the old ship and bearing the inscription 'Chesapeake' in small brass nails, stood upon a table. The beams were pock marked in many places with grapeshot. The mill was merrily going, but as I stood in the midst of this peaceful scene I remembered that, beyond all reasonable doubt, on one of these planks Lawrencef ell in writhing anguish of his mortal wound; on another, if not the same, Watt' s head was carried away by a shot; and on another Broke lay insanguined and his assailant dead, while nearby SEA HISTORY 85, SUMMER 1998

"Farewell Old England." It was these words, written in large letters in the journal of Lieutenant Richard Pickersgill as he left Plymouth aboard Resolution rhar inspired Robin Brooks to recreate the scene of departure in this painting made in 1995. Ludlow must have poured out his life's blood. Thus pondering I stood and still the busy hum went on, wheat passed beneath the stones, flour poured forth and the merry millers passed around their kindly smile and lithesome j est. In 1982 I investigated, not expecting to find anything still standing. I was delighted to find a Georgian three-story building of handsome appearance. I was made most welcome by the owner and he graciously gave me some spare pieces of timber from alterations that recently had been made. In 1984, as I worked on my last picture of this action , this piece oftimber still had a wonderfu l aroma

which somehow helped me touch the spirit of that beautiful ship.

Captain James Cook, "Son of the Land, Master of the Sea" Eleven years ago I had to do a great deal of research on Captain Cook 's ships. I found myself so captivated by the written words from the journals, diaries and logs , that I determined to put on canvas the scenes those words recreated in my imagination. On all three voyages Cook was accompanied by a team of scientists, naturali sts and artists. Before the advent of the camera, the artist's job was threefold: to help with the making of charts and views for use }! by mariners; fl~ ( to ass ist the -

The Chesapeake Mill in Farnham, as sketched by the author.

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