Details
- Object type
painting
- Title
Launch of the Christian
- Culture/School
English
- Place Associated
Scotland, Greenock, Scott of Greenock (place associated)
- Date
1818
- Materials
oil on canvas
- Dimensions
framed: 732 mm x 1086 mm x 34 mm; unframed: 582 mm x 934 mm588 x 942 x 24mm
- Description
-
Painting entitled 'Launch of the Christian' by R Salomon. Sailing vessel ‘Christian’ built by Scott of Greenock, 1818. On canvas. The Christian was built to join Stirling, Gordon & Co.’s growing fleet of ships and was designed specifically to carry goods produced by enslaved people from Jamaica to the Clyde.
The ship is named after Charles Stirling’s wife, Christian, whom he married in 1817. The ship flys the Stirling, Gordon and Co company flag and the Scottish saltire, the Union Jack and the red ensign that was used by British merchant ships. Looking down from a tower is a statue of Admiral Lord Nelson.
The Christian began sailing between Greenock and Montego Bay on the north coast of Jamaica. On a typical voyage, as noted in the Glasgow Herald of 3 July 1826, Christian brought back a cargo consisting mainly of sugar and rum, but it also carried 25 tons of logwood that was used to make black and blue dyes, 5 tons of fustic used to make yellow dye, a few barrels of coffee and ginger, and a keg of tamarind.
Christian was eventually put up for sale at the end of 1851 and was sold to Troon shipowner Captain Thomas Fisher. The Christian suffered serious damage in a storm in the Channel and in July 1852 it was wrecked off the coast of Mumbai (Bombay).
- ID Number
T.1957.15
- Location
Kelvingrove Glasgow's Great Exhibitions