signed 'J. Steven Dews' (lower left), inscribed with title on the reverse
oil on canvas
101.6 x 152.4 cm. (40 x 60 in.)

FOOTNOTES
Provenance :- acquired directly from the artist.

Traditionally one of the highlights of the yachting year, the ‘Clyde Fortnight’ was a hugely popular event which, particularly in that golden era between the two World Wars, attracted the finest yachts afloat. In this unusually topographical work, Dews portrays seven of the most famous yachts of the day as they jill around off Hunter’s Quay waiting for the start of the race for the prestigious King’s Cup in the 1928 regatta on 7th July. From left to right, Dews himself has identified them as “Shamrock”, “Lulworth”, “Cambria”, “White Heather II”, “Westward”, “Britannia” and “Astra”, each and every one of which was a thoroughbred at the top of her class.

“Astra”, designed and built by Camper & Nicholson at Gosport in 1928, was a large and splendid Bermudian-rigged composite cutter ordered for Sir A. Mortimer Singer, the naturalised British son of the fabulously wealthy American inventor of the sewing machine. Registered at 91½ tons gross (83 net), she was 115 feet in length with a 20 foot beam and enjoyed a highly successful racing career, first under her original owner and then, during the 1930s, under her subsequent owner Mr. Hugh Paul.

“Britannia”, arguably the most celebrated racing cutter of them all, was extremely successful throughout her long life and even though she was re-rigged seven times in all, her hull shape was so efficient that she remained competitive almost to the end. Starting with 33 wins in 39 races during her maiden season, she enjoyed two brilliant but quite separate careers under first, the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII (1893-97), and then his son, George V, after 1921. The latter grew so attached to her that, under the terms of his will, she was scuttled after his death in 1936 following the removal of all her salvageable gear.

The second of the two famous yachts named “Cambria” was designed and built by William Fife at Fairlie for Sir William Berry, later Lord Camrose, the proprietor of the Daily Telegraph newspaper. Completed in 1928, “Cambria” was registered at 86 tons gross and net and measured 93 feet in length with a 20½ foot beam. Another magnificent Bermudian-rigged composite cutter, she soon became one of the most well-known racing yachts of her day but was sadly sold out of British ownership in the mid-1930s and taken to the Aegean where she was renamed “Lillias”.

“Lulworth”, originally named “Terpsichore”, was designed and built by White Brothers at Itchen in 1920 for R.H. Lee. Registered at 123 tons gross (111½ net) and measuring 95½ feet in length, she really made her name flying Mr. Alexander Paton’s colours although, in 1928, she was briefly owned by Sir A. Mortimer Singer (see “Astra”) who disposed of her shortly afterwards.

“Shamrock” was owned by Sir Thomas Lipton, the tea magnate, who, in 1928, had already built four other “Shamrocks” with which he had challenged for the America’s Cup. A fifth (and last) “Shamrock” would soon follow for one final challenge in 1930, although the “Shamrock” pictured in this work is none of these; in fact she was an altogether different vessel and the only one of the Lipton sextet not ordered specifically to challenge for the ‘Auld Mug’ races off Sandy Hook. “Westward”, 323 tons, was built by Nat Herreshoff at Rhode Island in 1910 but soon purchased by a syndicate of German businessmen who renamed her “Hamburg”. Bought by the American Clarence Hatry after the Great War, he restored her original name and, after four seasons, sold her to T.B.F. Davis in 1924. Thereafter becoming one of the most successful yachts on the circuit, she also became a regular challenger to “Britannia” as Davis and King George V developed a close though friendly rivalry.

“White Heather (II)”, another of the ‘23 metre’ creations, was designed by William Fife (Jnr.) and built in his yard at Fairlie in 1907. Yet another impressive big cutter registered at 90 tons gross (179 Thames), she measured 95½ feet in length overall with a 21 foot beam and proved a remarkably successful boat well into old age. Originally owned by Mr. Myles Kennedy, by 1928 she was in the possession of Lord Waring and still one of the fastest regular competitors at whichever regattas she attended.