Kirk Collection

The 205 ton J-class yacht Velsheda sailing close hauled, 1933
The 205 ton J-class yacht Velsheda sailing close-hauled, 1933. Velsheda was designed by Charles E Nicholson and built in 1933 for Woolworths founder William L Stephenson

Cremona crashes through wave, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6-metre Cremona crashes through wave, 1913

The steam yacht Wanderer (later named Vagus ) hoisting sails. Built by Robert Steele and Co, Greenock in 1878 for Charles Joseph Lambert as a private yacht

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

The steam yacht Joyeuse, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Joyeuse, 1914

The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor, 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor, 1939

The sailing yachts White Heather and Shamrock, race downwind. Shamrock was designed by William Fife and was Sir Thomas Liptons first challenger for the Americas Cup

Scotland / Middleton
A scene at Middleton, Midlothian, Scotland, with its kirk and the 15th century Borthwick Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots and Bothwell made their retreat. Date: 1960s

Hole torn in the hull of RMS Olympic after the collision with HMS Hawke in the Solent, 1911
Hole torn in the hull of RMS Olympic after the collision with HMS Hawke in the Solent, 20th September 1911. The collision took place as Olympic

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

Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Creator
Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Shamrock IV was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton and designed by Charles Ernest Nicholson. She was launched in June 1914

Kirk and Saraski music hall aquatic acrobats. Sisters known as ?the aquatic marvels?. Performed dives, acrobatics and endurance feats in a tank of heated water

Sloop (Dragon? class) sailing with spinnaker, c1938. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Sloop (Dragon? class) sailing with spinnaker, c1938

The 142 ton steam yacht Sapphire under way, 1920. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 142 ton steam yacht Sapphire under way, 1920. The Sapphire was built for the Duke of Bedford, by John Brown and Co. Limited, of Clydebank in 1912

The steam yacht Niagara, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Niagara, 1912

The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913

The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Lisette was built at Cowes in 1873

The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Vanity was designed by William Fife III and launched in 1909

The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Julnar was designed by William Fife and built at Southampton by Summers & Payne to the order of Sir Maurice FitzGerald, the Knight of Kerry, in 1909

1st Earl of Birkenhead with his daughter on board their yacht, (Isle of Wight?), c1925
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead (1872-1930) with his daughter Lady Pamela Smith Berry, Baroness Hartwell (1915-1982) on board their yacht, (Isle of Wight?), c1925

Wee Kirk o Heather Wedding Chapel, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Wee Kirk o the Heather Wedding Chapel, South 5th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA -- the wedding place of the Hollywood Stars! Date: circa 1950

The Yarmouth One Design Greywing, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Yarmouth One Design Greywing, 1922. The Yarmouth One Design class was established at the Solent Yacht Club in 1910, on the instigation of Sir Arthur Cope, RA

Trivia, a 12 Metre class yacht sails close-hauled, 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Trivia, a 12 Metre class yacht sails close-hauled, 1939. Trivia was designed by Charles Nicholson for Vernon W. MacAndrew. She achieved first in her class in 1937, her first season

The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Wendur was built by D & W Henderson & Co. Glasgow in 1883

The 6 Metre Womba II running downwind, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Womba II running downwind, 1913

The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Shamrock, designed by William Fife, was Sir Thomas Liptons first (1899) challenger to the Americas Cup

Stella sailing close-hauled, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre class Stella sailing close-hauled, 1914

The 6 Metre class Lanka, Wamba and Stella racing on reaching leg, 1914

Wamba II running downwind under spinnaker, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Wamba II running downwind under spinnaker, 1914

The 6 Metre Stella, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Stella, 1914

The steam yacht Chimaera, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Chimaera, 1914

The 6 Metre Vanda sailing broad reach, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Vanda sailing broad reach, 1913

The 7 Metre Ancora (K3) sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 7 Metre Ancora (K3) sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Ancora went on to win gold medal in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics

The J-Class yachts Shamrock V and Britannia, 1934. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The J-Class yachts Shamrock V and Britannia, 1934

The sailing yacht Sea Belle under way, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The sailing yacht Sea Belle under way, 1911

The steam yacht Surf at anchor, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Surf at anchor, 1912

The steam yacht Aldebaran under way, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Aldebaran under way, 1913

The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The Lady Anne was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Norada was designed by Charles Nicholson and Mariquita by William Fife III. Mariquita is the only surviving 19-metre of the six that were built

The auxiliary sailing ship Sunbeam, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The auxiliary sailing ship Sunbeam, 1911. The 565-ton three-masted schooner was owned by Lord Brassey who had her built in 1874

Steam yacht Liberty running east. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Steam yacht Liberty running east. Liberty was built for Joseph Pulitzer in 1908. Designed by George Lennox Watson she was one of the largest private yachts of her day

The 23-metre cutter Astra sailing close-hauled, 1932. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 23-metre cutter Astra sailing close-hauled, 1932. Astra was designed by Charles E Nicholson for Adam Moritimer Singer and was launched in 1928. It was converted to J-Class in 1931

The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912. Creator
The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912

The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. The Lady Anne, a 15 Metre cutter designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912

HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. After Britannia had been stripped of her spars and fittings, her hull was towed out to St Catherines Deep near the Isle of Wight

Lauder Kirk with its unique octagonal tower, Lauder, Scottish Borders, Scotland, United Kingdom, Europe

Scottish National church
Crown Court Church was established near Covent Garden in 1711, but extensively rebuilt in 1909 on the same site. The church is named after a small courtyard adjacent to its location

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Kirk & Sons of Cowes: Masters of the Sea Step into the world & Sons, a legendary shipbuilding company that has left an indelible mark on maritime history. With their exceptional craftsmanship and unwavering dedication to perfection, they have created some of the most iconic vessels known to man. In 1933, the majestic 205-ton J-class yacht Velsheda gracefully sailed close hauled, showcasing Kirk & Sons' unrivaled expertise in yacht construction. The sight of this magnificent vessel slicing through the waves was nothing short of awe-inspiring. Another masterpiece from their workshop was the steam yacht Boadicea, anchored majestically amidst tranquil waters. Every detail meticulously crafted by Kirk & Sons spoke volumes about their commitment to excellence. The year 1913 witnessed a breathtaking moment as Cremona crashed through a mighty wave. This powerful image captured by Kirk & Sons showcased not only their technical prowess but also their ability to capture raw emotion in every frame. Joyeuse, a steam yacht built in 1914 by Kirk & Sons exuded elegance and sophistication as it glided effortlessly across pristine waters. A testament to timeless beauty and impeccable design. La Toquade, a motor yacht launched in 1939 by Kirk & Sons stood proudly at anchor - its sleek lines and modern features reflecting an era defined by innovation and progress. Kirk & Sons were no strangers to thrilling races either; White Heather and Shamrock raced downwind with sheer determination etched on their sails. These yachts embodied speed, skill, and fierce competition - all brought together under one name: Kirk & Sons. Their legacy extended beyond England's shores when RMS Olympic suffered a devastating collision with HMS Hawke in the Solent in 1911. The hole torn in her hull served as a stark reminder that even great ships could face unexpected challenges at sea.