Goole by Barge and Reuben Chappell

Thanks very much to everyone who’s visited our Goole by Barge exhibition so far and left some lovely comments in the vistor’s book. The exhibition runs until April 13th, so there’s still plenty of time if you’re planning to go.

There is more than Goole by Barge to be seen if you make the trip. Our exhibition accompanies Goole Museum’s permanent exhibition of the town’s people and industrial heritage.

Alongside Goole by Barge you can visit the museum’s collection of models of vessels built in Goole, and ships that sailed from the port, each with their own intriguing tale to tell.

For ship, vessel and maritime art enthusiasts, there is the largest collection of paintings, outside the National Maritime Museum, by renowned ship portraitist, and Goole resident, Reuben Chappell (1870 – 1940).

Reuben Chappell was a prolific painter of ships and immersed himself in the life of his home-town port and its shipping industry. He painted portraits of ships for captains and working men, often quickly: a painting ordered when the ship docked and expected to be delivered by the next outgoing tide. Reuben Chappell’s was a unique and colourful style whilst also remaining entirely honest and accurate to his subject. It has been said that you could learn to rig a ship from studying his paintings.

The painting above is of the Humber Keel, ‘Edith’. The caption in the museum states that is was built for J. Batty of Hull in 1875 and commissioned by Captain John Taylor and then lost off Hull’s St Andrews Dock in a force seven gale in 1895.

The painting depicts the keel in choppy waters off Trent Falls, with the Church of St John the Baptist at Whitton on the coast, with a somewhat larger spire than its current day tower roof.

If you’ve any more information about the ship or it’s captain, we’d love to know.

Reuben Chappell’s oil paintings are in the education room at the museum and you can view some of his watercolours by request prior to your visit. Opening times and further information are at the bottom of the page and there’s a large free car park on Estcourt Street, behind the museum.

Photograph of Edith used with permission.

Rich and Lou Duffy-Howard

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