Title - The Irish Mail at Holyhead.
Location - Holyhead - Wales.
Artist - Norman Wilkinson CBE (1878-1971).
Description - Wilkinson has depicted a night scene of the S.S. Cambria at the quayside in Holyhead harbour, with the Irish Mail boat train waiting at the platform alongside. Holyhead was a link to Ireland even before railways, but the boat train and shipping link has been a constant since the new railway station and terminal were completed in 1850. A little history is given at the base of the poster.
This is the earlier edition of this poster, which was later reissued in 1937 with slightly different wording and the wording contained within a black box.
Year Published - c1925
Size - Quad Royal (approx 50 x 40in or 127 x 101.5cm) plus linen border.
Other Details:
Original Vintage LMS British Railway Travel Poster.
E.R.O. 53351
Printed in Great Britain by Jordison & Co Ltd, London
Condition Grade and Condition Report:
Grade: B+, we have had this poster conservation-backed on linen. For more details of the process please see the "Conservation" page of this website.
Replacement to paper loss at top left corner with watercolour pencils used to restore missing colour. Repairs to tear into image from right side. Residual evidence of some minor damp staining along bottom and right side borders. More detailed photos are available on request if required, including before and during the restoration.
More About The Artist:
Norman Wilkinson was born in Cambridge. His greatest love was painting, and he was largely self-taught, in both oil and watercolour. During WWI he created 'Dazzle Painting' as a form of camouflage for ships. He was one of the best marine painters, and his work is in many public collections, including a series of WWII sea battles at the National Maritime Museum. He initiated the 1920s LMS poster work, and created a large number himself over the years. He received his CBE in 1948.
