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Details
Watercolor and gouache painting of the ship Judith Hillaria, signed R. Rowe and dated 1776. Historical records show the ship embarked on her journey out of Portsmouth, England, setting sail for Jamaica. On board was Robert Sewell, soon to become Attorney General of Jamaica, along with his wife and her three sisters.
Robert Sewell was a British politician and colonial official who sat in British Parliament. It is interesting to note that he argued it would be economically impossible to abolish slavery. In April and May 1798, he spoke against the abolitionist William Smith’s proposal to provide a minimum level of space for enslaved Africans on slave ships, arguing that “negroes prefer being herded together.”
Walter Brett was the master of the Judith Hillaria and, with this ship, became a British privateer during the American Revolution.
The condition is excellent with some age discoloring.
Inside dimensions: 21 x 15 1/2 inches
Frame dimensions: 24 x 18 1/2 inches