Cat o'nine tails
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| Artwork | x cm ( x in) |
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Cat o'nine tails
The infamous 'Cat' (whip) was used to flog unruly convicts on board the prison hulks. It was also a key factor in Royal Naval discipline in the 18th and most of the 19th centuries. Sailors, like the convicts, were flogged for minor crimes. Yet they accepted flogging as a necessary means of instilling discipline. At Spithead and the Nore in 1797, the mutineers made no mention of flogging in their lists of grievances. A label is attached and sealed with the Admiralty foul anchor seal. "Sealed pattern of cat to serve as a pattern of the instrument wherewith corporal punishment awarded by court martial by commanding officers of HM ships for offences against the Naval Discipline Act shall be carried out. Not for use on board but to be carefully preserved and returned into store on the ship being out out of commission". The Naval Discipline Act was passed in 1866 and corporal punishment in the navy abolished in 1879.
- Image reference: D3920
- National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
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Our prints
We use a 240gsm fine art paper and premium branded inks to create the perfect reproduction.
Our expertise and use of high-quality materials means that our print colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Read more about our fine art prints.
Manufactured in the UK
All products are printed in the UK, using the latest digital presses and a giclée printmaking process.
We only use premium branded inks, and colours are independently verified to last between 100 and 200 years.
Delivery & returns
We print everything to order so delivery times may vary but all unframed prints are despatched within 2-4 days via courier or recorded mail.
Due to the coronovirus pandemic and Brexit situation, current shipping times may be longer, particularly for destinations outside the UK.
Delivery to the UK is £5 for an unframed print of any size.
We will happily replace your order if everything isn’t 100% perfect.
