The life of a sailor

(caricature) A self-explanatory Victorian music cover, whose central image entitled 'Safely Moor'd in Greenwich Hospital' shows a peg-legged Greenwich Pensioner sitting at a table in one of the Hospital colonnades, with the masts and sails of a ship beyond in the river. To the left, a bust of the 17th century naval hero, Robert Blake, sits on a cylindrical plinth bearing the names of Royal Naval victories, with a trophy of British flags and arms behind; a similar arrangement on the right, including an anchor, supports a bust of Nelson. Narrative panels of the earlier 'life of the sailor' run left to right across top and bottom. At the top, 'The Waterman' shows the young man with his oars and wherry against a view of St Paul's Cathedral and the Thames. Then comes 'The Farewell' to his sweetheart as he embarks in the Navy and 'The Yarn', a deck scene of him relaxing with four shipmates (one being black). At the bottom our hero and a companion struggle to control the ship's wheel in 'The Storm', then he forms part of a gun crew in 'The Battle', under direction of an officer. The final panel shows him stepping ashore from a boat, wounded in the arm, to meet his girl again. The complete item was published in 'London, [by] Leoni Lee & Coxhead, Music Sellers to Her Majesty Queen Victoria, 48 Albemarle St. / Where may be had uniform with the above 'The Life of a Soldier' by C. W. Glover'.
M. & N. Hanhart

Original size: 350 mm x 243 mm