Launching the Lifeboat on the Yorkshire Coast
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Research by Rita Calvert
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Acc No 92
Artist W Crossley Artist dates 1898-1903 Medium Oil on canvas Size 73.7 x 127cm (29 x 50 in) Date painted 1903 Inscr: Signed and dated 1903 Donor Mrs Annie Clegg, 76 Park Road, St Annes Date donated 15 February 1937 |
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ARTIST & PAINTING
W Crossley was an artist working in the second half of the 19th century and was known for his loose atmospheric style. Most of his paintings show coastal scenes and the working lives of fishermen. His paintings still appear on the market (August 2020). The lifeboat was called the 'William and Frances'. It was a 37ft rowing and sailing boat, built in 1895, which was pulled by two horses to the waters edge on a wooden cart with large wheels. You can see one of the cart wheels in the picture. There are seven crew members. They are on their way to a rescue and would only be able to use their oars as the sea is so rough. To the left of the picture there appears to be two masts of the stricken ship. The people to the left could possibly be relatives of those in danger at sea. It has been suggested that the lifeboat could have been launched at Bridlington. DONOR Annie, the donor of the picture, was born in 1877 in Blackburn, Lancashire, to Alexander Anderson and his wife Ann. Alexander was a Scottish born engineer who sadly died at the age of 36. His widow remarried and young Annie Anderson was brought up in the house of her stepfather in the Spring Hill area of Blackburn. Annie married Edward Clegg in 1901. He was then a cashier working in a paper mill in Salford where his father, Henry, was manager. A son, Henry Alexander Clegg, was born in 1908 and the 1911 census shows them living in Salford at that time. However, by 1924, according to street records, the family were living at 76 Park Road, St Annes on Sea. Edward died in December 1935 and Annie must have moved shortly afterwards as the register of 1939 shows other occupants in the house. |
REFERENCES
Peter Thompson at Whitby Lifeboats www.amounderness.co.uk Barretts Directory of Blackpool and Fylde 1924 |
