Peggy, bulldog mascot of HMS 'Iron Duke'

Framed pastel drawing previously titled 'Peggy, Bulldog, Mascot of HMS Iron Duke and of Jutland fame' (though the reason is unclear), which is signed by the artist.

Peggy is described in Liza Verity’s book 'Animals at Sea' (2004), as follows: 'Peggy entered the Royal Navy as a puppy in 1915 and joined the battleship Iron Duke, Admiral Jellicoe’s flagship at the Battle of Jutland the following year. She was a playful dog. One of the crew recalled that every morning while they were exercising as the band played, Peggy would suddenly hurl herself at an unfortunate rating. The sailor would fall down and Peggy would waddle back to her vantage point under the muzzle of a gun turret. This portrait was painted in 1919 by Georgina Shaw Baker while Peggy was ashore for a year – the proceeds from the sale of the painting went to St Bartholomew’s Hospital. She rejoined HMS Iron Duke but in 1923 became ill, remaining propped up by pillows for several days, until she died and was given a sailor’s burial at sea.' The group of which this item forms part was presented by members of the artist's family: very little is known of her beyond her dates (born 1860, died 1951) but she appears to have been essentially an amateur or at most semi-professional artist who became known for doing animal portraits, of which examples occasionally appear on the market.

Object Details

ID: PAJ2960
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Baker, Georgina Shaw
Date made: 1919
People: Baker, P. Shaw; Peggy
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Image: 700 x 475 mm; Frame: 850 x 645 mm