Full steam ahead as funding secured for unique maritime art collection

Ahead of Hull’s year as City of Culture, the city council is acquiring a privately-owned collection of 1,300 paintings of British steam ships which is regarded as being of international importance. It has been assembled over four decades by Michael Charles, from Shoreham-by-Sea.

The works start with the very earliest steam ships in the 1810s and go right through to the last era of steam in the 1960s and cover an “amazing” range of ship styles, painting styles and use different types of media, including glass. The creators range from fine artists to sailors who painted portraits of their own ships.

Dr Robb Robinson said: “There’s nothing like it anywhere in the world. You see large collections of sailing ships, quite often Royal Navy.

“What you don’t see is a large collection of steam ships and of course Britain led the world in the construction and operation of steam ships.

“Hull is incredibly well placed to house this collection because it played a significant role in their development. Firms like Wilson Line led the world in their day.”

The acquisition of the collection, which will be displayed in its own gallery, has been made possible by £1.23m in the Budget - another win for Hull which also gained £13m for City of Culture.

The possibility of the British Mercantile Marine Memorial Collection coming to Hull emerged during negotiations to bring HMS Illustrious to the city which eventually stalled. Coun Terry Geraghty said it fitted in with moves to brand Hull as Yorkshire’s maritime city. He said: “Hull has been the main port right throughout the ages.

“Henry V111 had it as a Naval headquarters - and we have let it lapse in my opinion. Now we are trying to bring it back to the fore. We are improving the Maritime Museum as well and it will add to more people visiting the area.”