Painting of life-saving vessel to be auctioned

The 1913 painting of Ellesmere by Joseph Arnold is up for auction

A painting of an Edwardian Hull trawler that saved the crew of its sinking archenemy is to go under the hammer on Friday.

Ellesmere sailed out of the Humber between the turn of the 20th Century and the early 1930s and had been involved in numerous brushes with Irish fishery protection vessel Muirchu before coming to her rescue.

Also included in the collection is a painting of the trawler Pharos, whose disappearance remains a mystery, and the trawler Seti, which became an early victim of World War One.

Coralie Thomson, of auctioneers David Duggleby, said the Ellesmere watercolour, which was painted by Hull marine artist Joseph Arnold in 1913, showed "the ship was painted in her prime".

The trawler Pharos captured in oil paint by Cleethorpes marine artist George Race

Muirchu was a former Royal Navy ship that worked mainly in countering illegal fishing. She was on her way to the breakers yard on the night of 7 May 1947 when she began to sink in the Irish Sea.

According to reports at the time, Ellesmere was fishing nearby and saw the distress signal, coming to the aid of the crew on board just in time before she sank.

Ms Thomson said the rescue caused much merriment on board Ellesmere, with its chief engineer remarking: "To think of all the times she's chased us, and now we are picking up her crew."

Seti, like Pharos, was built at the Hull shipyard of Cook, Welton & Gemmell for Grimsby trawler owners Roberts & Ruthven

The collection also includes paintings of early steam trawlers Pharos and Seti, both built at the Hull shipyard of Cook, Welton & Gemmell for Grimsby trawler owners Roberts & Ruthven.

Both sank a few years after they were immortalised in oil paint by Cleethorpes marine artist George Race (1877-1959).

"Pharos sailed for the Faroes fishing grounds in September 1906 and was never heard from again," Ms Thomson said.

"She was posted missing after two days and officially declared lost with all hands some weeks later. Her fate remains a mystery to this day."

Seti was one of the first shipping victims of World War One.

The conflict was just a month old when she was captured by a torpedo boat, which was part of a German squadron that had been laying mines off the mouth of the Humber.

The crew were taken prisoner before the sinking.

The paintings are part of a large number of pictures amassed by a North Lincolnshire maritime history enthusiast. They each have pre-sale estimates in the £200-£500 range.

Viewing is taking place at the Vine Street Salerooms in Scarborough during the week until the start of the auction on Friday at 11:00 BST.

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