A view over Whitley Bay towards St Mary's island and lighthouse, constructed in 1896. The seaside town of Whitley is suggested by the houses included on the left. In the foreground, on the left, the rocks form the furthest outcrop of the area known as Table Rock. In this large painting, the artist has concentrated on the depiction of the sea and has suffused the painting with a warm light and created a hazy effect in the distance.

The artist worked mainly in landscape and genre subjects. He lived in Northumberland and Newcastle and was best known for subjects such as this, depicting the north-east of England. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1889. The painting is signed and dated lower right hand corner, 'J. F. Slater 1909'. It was formerly property of the Chevrons Club, London, which was founded with official support at the end of the First World War for non-commissioned officers of all three armed services: it's last premises, which were formally opened by Princess Elizabeth in 1948, were nos. 3-5 Dorset Square. In the early 1970s the club ran into financial difficulties and this painting was kindly offered as a gift to the Museum by its Chairman and Trustees when its affairs were being wound up in 1975. How and when the Club obtained it is not yet known and a second painting also offered at the same time was declined.