The inward bound sailing ship Siam 'hove to' for the Liverpool pilot off Holyhead, North Wales

With her lower sail furled and those on the mainmast backed, Siam awaits the approaching Liverpool pilot cutter (number 8) visible under the bowsprit tip. Towards the left margin is a second view of Siam as seen from astern. Holyhead Mountain lies between this distant view and the pilot cutter, with the charateristic outline of South Stack and its lighthouse between the cutter and the main subject.
The sea is typical of the artist's early style, as corroborated by the use of the Liverpool (or Watson's) code flags at the mainmast, reading from above 1800, 5.5; correctly indicating number 1855 or 'Siam, British ship'. Watson left Liverpool about 1839, his system then being replaced by Marryat's Code as illustrated in Samuel Walters' later painting Fulwood (see lot 159).
The indistinct date inscribed on the painting of Siam suggests 1839 which helps identify this vessel as the ship of 370 tons built at Whitehaven, Cumberland in 1837, so distinguishing it from the barque of the same name built at Newcastle in 1840. Owned by Boadle & Company of whitehaven, the ship Siam here depicted is reported 'wrecked' in the Lloyd's Register for 1839/40.
We are grateful to A. Samuel Davidson for his assistance in preparing this lot.