A scene depicting the Custom House, with various craft at work on the river. On the left is a steam tug with a cargo ship beyond and several lighters. On the right is a Thames barge, its sail brailed up, being manoeuvred by two men with sweeps. The work is signed ‘W L Wyllie’, lower left margin.

In 979 King Ethelred introduced the first known customs duty. In 1275 the first Custom House was built on the Old Wool Quay east of the present site. Since then the present Custom House has been rebuilt several times. From 1956 the Board of Customs and Excise have also occupied King's Beam House in Mark Lane.

W. L. Wyllie (1851-1931) was a British Marine artist. Born in London, Wyllie painted, drew, and etched Thames scenes throughout his life. He moved to Portsmouth in 1907, where he continued working, supported the restoration of the Victory and painted the Trafalgar Panorama. Early in his career Wyllie was an illustrator for The Graphic, and he became a member of the Royal Academy in 1907.