Arthur Henry Kirk Collection (page 3)

The 23 Metre sailing yacht Cambria, 1928. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 23 Metre sailing yacht Cambria, 1928. Cambria was built by William Fife for the newspaper magnate Sir William Berry

Queen Mary, King George V and crew on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1925. Creator
Queen Mary, King George V and crew on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1925. Group portrait of King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953) with the crew of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert

The spectacular 338-ton Big Class schooner Westward, 1926. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The spectacular 338-ton Big Class schooner Westward, 1926. Westward was designed by Nathanael Herreshoff and built in 1910

The Prince and Princess of Wales at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, c1908. Group portrait of the Prince of Wales (1865-1936, later King George V) and Princess of Wales (1867-1963)

Christening Group for the Yugoslavian Bakar, J Samuel White and Co, Cowes, Isle of Wight, 1931
Christening Group for the Yugoslavian Bakar, J Samuel White and Co shipyard, Cowes, Isle of Wight, 10 Jan 1931

The Prince of Wales and Prince Edward at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, 1908. The Prince of Wales (1865-1936, later King George V) with his son Prince Edward (1894-1972)

Prince Arthur on board HMY Victoria and Albert, c1925. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Prince Arthur on board HMY Victoria and Albert, c1925. Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (1850-1942), was the seventh child and third son of Queen Victoria

The launch of Shamrock IV with H. M. S. Victory in the background, May 1914. Creator
The launch of Shamrock IV at Gosport with H.M.S. Victory in the background, May 1914. Shamrock IV was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton and designed by Charles Ernest Nicholson

PS Princess Mary, July 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
PS Princess Mary, July 1911. The Princess Mary paddle steamer was built in 1911 as a general purpose ship for excursion, ferry and tender work

The schooner Astria sailing close-hauled. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Astria sailing close-hauled

The beautiful schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The beautiful schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

Queen Mary and King George V on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1930. Creator
Queen Mary and King George V on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1930. Group portrait of King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953) with the crew of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert

The steam yacht Greta at anchor, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Greta at anchor, 1912. Greta was built by Scott & Co at Greenock in 1895. She was later named Laranda

Prince Edward at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, c1909. Creator
Prince Edward standing in front of the officers quarters of the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, c1909. The prince in naval cadets uniform at the college where he spent two years

The Duke and Duchess of York aboard HMY Victoria and Albert, 1933. Prince Albert (1895-1952), the future King George VI, and his wife Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002) on board the royal yacht

The gaff rigged cutter Bloodhound sailing on a broad reach, August 1912. Creator
The gaff rigged cutter Bloodhound sailing on a broad reach, August 1912. The 40 ton cutter, Bloodhound was designed by William Fife and built in 1874

The ketch Cariad and schooner Irma racing downwind, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Cariad and schooner Irma racing downwind, 1911. Cariad, named after the Welsh word for Sweetheart was built by Summers & Payne in Southampton for Lord Dunraven in 1896

King George V and Queen Mary aboard HMY Victoria and Albert, 1933. King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953) on board the royal yacht

Saunders motor launch on slipway ready for launching, 1908. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Saunders motor launch on slipway ready for launching, 1908

Prince Edward at the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, c1909. Creator
Prince Edward standing in front of the officers quarters of the Royal Naval College, Osborne, Isle of Wight, c1909. The prince in naval cadets uniform at the college where he spent two years

The 6-metre Lanka sailing close-hauled, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6-metre Lanka sailing close-hauled, 1914

Royal Naval College group portrait, Isle of Wight, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Royal Naval College group portrait, Isle of Wight, 1914. Cadets posing for a photograph during their 6th term, Christmas 1914

The Library at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Library at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes

The Alarm winning the Ladies Challenge Cup at Cowes, 1830 by GM Gilbert on stone by L Haghe

Theatre show, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, c1935. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Theatre show, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, c1935. Performers on stage in Victorian costume

The yawl Lola under sail, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Lola under sail, 1913

The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi at anchor, 1921. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi at anchor, 1921

The motor yacht Margery at anchor, 1929. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht Margery at anchor, 1929

The ketch Hoyden at anchor, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Hoyden at anchor, 1911. Hoyden was built in Lowestoft in 1890 and owned by the founder of magazines The Lady and Vanity Fair, Thomas Gibson Bowles

Motor yacht Stella Maris under way, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Motor yacht Stella Maris under way, 1914

The 8 Metre class Antwerpia IV sailing under spinnaker, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre class Antwerpia IV sailing under spinnaker, 1912

The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi, 1921. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi, 1921

The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi under way, 1921. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 65 ton motor yacht Mairi under way, 1921

The 28 ton motor yacht Edina at anchor, 1921. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 28 ton motor yacht Edina at anchor, 1921

The ketch Lady Camilla under sail, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Lady Camilla under sail, 1912. Lady Camilla, originally called Nyria, was designed as a cutter by Charles E. Nicholson and built in 1906. In 1912, under the ownership of Mr H

Motor yacht Estelle under way, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Motor yacht Estelle under way, 1922

Motor yacht Ytene under way, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Motor yacht Ytene under way, 1914

The 36 ft Edie II running downwind. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 36 ft Edie II running downwind

The ketch Corinda under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Corinda under sail

The yawl Pleiad under sail, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Pleiad under sail, 1911

Motorboat Ytene (18) under way, 1921. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Motorboat Ytene (18) under way, 1921

The ketch Corisande under sail, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Corisande under sail, 1911

The cutter Nanette sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Nanette sailing close-hauled, 1911

The 40 ton yawl Hyacinth at anchor, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 40 ton yawl Hyacinth at anchor, 1913

The racing cutters Sonya, Onda and Carina, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The racing cutters Sonya, Onda and Carina, 1911

Hospital ship at anchor. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Hospital ship at anchor

Unknown steam yacht at anchor. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Unknown steam yacht at anchor

The yawl Roma raising main sail, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Roma raising main sail, 1912

All Professionally Made to Order for Quick Shipping

Arthur Henry Kirk was a renowned shipbuilder and naval architect from Cowes, known for his exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs. His legacy lives on through the magnificent vessels he created, each one a testament to his expertise. One of Kirk's notable creations was the majestic J-class yacht Velsheda. With its sleek lines and impressive 205-ton weight, it gracefully sailed close hauled in 1933, showcasing Kirk's mastery of yacht design. Another masterpiece by Kirk & Sons of Cowes was the steam yacht Boadicea. This vessel exuded elegance as it anchored peacefully, reflecting Kirk's attention to detail and commitment to creating luxurious yachts. In 1913, Cremona crashed through a mighty wave, displaying both her strength and Kirk's ability to construct sturdy vessels that could withstand nature's forces. Kirk also designed the steam yacht Joyeuse in 1914. This exquisite creation exemplified his dedication to combining beauty with functionality in every aspect of his work. The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor in 1939 showcased yet another side of Kirk's talent. Its modern design highlighted his adaptability as he embraced new technologies while maintaining timeless aesthetics. Kirk & Sons' contributions were not limited to luxury yachts alone; they also played a role in sailing competitions such as the America’s Cup. The iconic Shamrock IV raced without topsail in 1914, demonstrating both speed and agility under Kirk's careful engineering. However, even great ships face challenges at times. In 1911, RMS Olympic suffered a torn hull after colliding with HMS Hawke in the Solent waters—a reminder that even amidst adversity, Arthur Henry Kirk’s designs stood strong against unexpected obstacles.