1917 Watercolour Painting of the 'Gull' Lightship

Title - The Gull Lightship
 
Date - December 31st 1917
 
Medium - Watercolour Painting on paper
 
Signed - E. N. Dearden
 
Picture size - 16.5cm x 11cm / 6.5" x 4.5"
 
Outside frame size - 30cm x 26cm / 12" x 10.25"
 
Condition - Excellent
 
Frame - Antique Victorian / Edwardian oak picture frame with period glass
 
Lightships are vessels that act as the equivalent of a Lighthouse in waters too deep for a Lighthouse or over unstable sands that are a hazard to Shipping.
The 'Gull' is Lightship No 38, a historical Lightship that first operated from 1860 in King's Lynn in Norfolk before being transferred to Gull Station on the Goodwin Sands, off the Deal Coast in Kent, Uk in 1928.
The 'Gull' was attacked and damaged by the German Luftwaffe in 1940 after which She was towed to Gorleston and laid up. She was purchased by the Thurrock Yact Club in Essex in 1947 for £750 and used as their clubhlouse till 1971. She was left semi-abandoned when a new Clubhouse was built on land  and plans were made to restore her but never came to fruition.
She was destroyed in 2002 after being set alight by vandals.