Lot 126: H.M.S.Namur

H.M.S. Namur signed and dated 'J Spurling 1931' (lower left) watercolour and bodycolour 35.5 x 51cm (14 x 20 1/16in).

35.5x 51cm

Warren Moore, Spurling, Sail and Steam, Patrick Stephens Ltd., (Cambridge, 1980), p.37-44, illustrated, p.39

"Then straightaway we left them in grief to complain, Whilst we are carousing along the sail main, Pray God bless our fleet and his majesty too, And grant them success wherever they go Concluding as this, and my song to end, In Matthew's brave ship these verses were penned." Old Song, 'Admiral Matthew's Engagement', Namur, off Toulon 1744. Born in Suffolk on 12th December 1870, John Robert Charles Spurling invariably known as 'Jack' was the son of a prosperous importer who dealt mainly in jute, the trade which gave the aspiring artist his first contact with ships and the sea. During his youth spent in London, he occupied much of his time by sketching ships usually in the East India Docks at Blackwall until, at the age of sixteen, he went to sea as an apprentice where he served for seven years. After coming ashore, he obtained work as an actor in George Edwards' musical productions whilst continuing with his painting as a hobby until his ship portraits came to the attention of Frederick Hook, the editor of the popular nautical magazine, The Blue Peter. The publication of the initial selection of paintings proved an immediate success and Hook thereafter commissioned Spurling to produce many more works for a number of publications which were produced over several years. In the present lot, Spurling depicts HMS Namur. Named after a town in Belgium which was considered a place of great strategic importance during the latter part of the 17th century, she was originally launched at Woolwich in 1697, before being taken to pieces and her remains sent to Depford for rebuilding at a cost of £29,403. At her re-launch in 1729, Namur was registered as a 2nd rate of 1,567 tons with 90 guns. Her active service before being rebuilt was largely contained to the War of the Spanish Succession under the command of Captain Christopher Myngs, where she was present at the capture of Gibraltar and the Battle of Velez-Malaga. In May 1731, she sailed for Cadiz as the flagship of Admiral Sir Charles Wager under Captain Edward Falkingham. Wager's mission was to assist the Marquis de Mari in conveying Spanish troops from Barcelona to Leghorn. Upon achieving these aims, Namur sailed back to port. With brief stints in Portugal and Spain between 1732 and 1740, Namur returned home and was laid up until 1741, when she was appointed to the Mediterranean fleet under Captain S. Cornish until being recalled to England in 1744. By January 1745, Namur had been cut down and razeed to 74-guns, joining the Western Squadron under Captain Honourable Edward Boscawen where, on 3 May 1797, she was involved in the First Battle of Finisterre capturing all but two French ships and £300,000 in prizes. On 29 May, the greater part of the ship's company began to mutiny. This was quickly suppressed and a court marshall held on 2 July where, out of 45 suspected, three were hanged and twelve whipped. On 19 July, Captain Marshall took command and sailed to the East Indies with orders to attempt a reduction in St. Lucia. This failed and the Namur sailed on to Fort St. David. Leaving briefly for a refit, on her return she was wrecked in a gale on 14 April 1749, with all 520 crew members perishing with their ship.