The yacht at centre appears to have been identified as the 'Lively Mary', though how is not clear. It has a naval hoy to the left and in the left foreground is a good image of a small fishing Peter boat. Sheerness Fort can be seen in the left distance. John Kitchingman was a miniature painter who also did some theatrical, genre, marine and landscape subjects in oils. 'Fond of water', according to Redgrave's 'Dictionary of Artists,' he gained in 1777 the silver cup at the Thames sailing match; and he painted four pictures, which were engraved by Pouncey, to illustrate the progress of a cutter. These he exhibited at the Academy, his last contribution, in 1781.' He died aged about 40 on 28 December that year after having a leg amupatated owing to bone disease. The Duke of Cumberland founded the Cumberland Sailing Society in 1775. The Royal Thames Yacht Club was an off-shoot of the Society and when the latter was finally discontinued in 1831, most of the members joined the RTYC. [PvdM 4/18, amended 11/21]