No. 6 of 36 (PAI0849 - PAI0884). .

(Recto) Inscribed top left: 'H.M.S. Trafalgar / Honbl Capt M Stopford / Sheerness. from the Old Shannon / 28 Dec 1850'. The 120-gun 'Trafalgar' is shown lying in the Medway off the basin of Sheerness Dockyard, with a shipbuilding shed and sheer crane to the left. A cutter is passing up river in front of her, and a passenger paddle steamer about to pass downstream behind.

Mends was appointed first lieutenant in the 'Trafalgar' at Sheerness in July 1850, under Montagu Stopford. Her reduced rig in this drawing suggests she was on harbour service there at the time but early in 1851 he sailed in her to the Mediterranean on active commission until his promotion to commander in January 1854. His viewpoint here is from the hulk 'Shannon', which he also drew from the 'Trafalgar' (see PAF6175).

(Verso) A side of pencil studies comprising an elegant lady and gentleman walking closely arm-in-arm top left, he in a top-hat, she with a muff; three sprit-ketch-rigged Thames barges making passage, probably up river on a following wind, all seen from astern off the port quarter; and a study of a small tree. The barges have a very low profile and large rudders, which suggests they may be the up-stream type used inland but not as far as the outer Thames estuary.