Arthur Henry Kirk Collection

The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Vanity was designed by William Fife III and launched in 1909

The 205 ton J-class yacht Velsheda sailing close hauled, 1933
The 205 ton J-class yacht Velsheda sailing close-hauled, 1933. Velsheda was designed by Charles E Nicholson and built in 1933 for Woolworths founder William L Stephenson

Cremona crashes through wave, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6-metre Cremona crashes through wave, 1913

The steam yacht Wanderer (later named Vagus ) hoisting sails. Built by Robert Steele and Co, Greenock in 1878 for Charles Joseph Lambert as a private yacht

The steam yacht Boadicea at anchor. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Boadicea at anchor

The steam yacht Joyeuse, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Joyeuse, 1914

The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor, 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor, 1939

The sailing yachts White Heather and Shamrock, race downwind. Shamrock was designed by William Fife and was Sir Thomas Liptons first challenger for the Americas Cup

Hole torn in the hull of RMS Olympic after the collision with HMS Hawke in the Solent, 1911
Hole torn in the hull of RMS Olympic after the collision with HMS Hawke in the Solent, 20th September 1911. The collision took place as Olympic

The schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Creator
Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Shamrock IV was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton and designed by Charles Ernest Nicholson. She was launched in June 1914

Sloop (Dragon? class) sailing with spinnaker, c1938. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Sloop (Dragon? class) sailing with spinnaker, c1938

The 142 ton steam yacht Sapphire under way, 1920. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 142 ton steam yacht Sapphire under way, 1920. The Sapphire was built for the Duke of Bedford, by John Brown and Co. Limited, of Clydebank in 1912

The steam yacht Niagara, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Niagara, 1912

The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913

The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Lisette was built at Cowes in 1873

The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Julnar was designed by William Fife and built at Southampton by Summers & Payne to the order of Sir Maurice FitzGerald, the Knight of Kerry, in 1909

1st Earl of Birkenhead with his daughter on board their yacht, (Isle of Wight?), c1925
Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl of Birkenhead (1872-1930) with his daughter Lady Pamela Smith Berry, Baroness Hartwell (1915-1982) on board their yacht, (Isle of Wight?), c1925

The Yarmouth One Design Greywing, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Yarmouth One Design Greywing, 1922. The Yarmouth One Design class was established at the Solent Yacht Club in 1910, on the instigation of Sir Arthur Cope, RA

Trivia, a 12 Metre class yacht sails close-hauled, 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Trivia, a 12 Metre class yacht sails close-hauled, 1939. Trivia was designed by Charles Nicholson for Vernon W. MacAndrew. She achieved first in her class in 1937, her first season

The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Wendur was built by D & W Henderson & Co. Glasgow in 1883

The 6 Metre Womba II running downwind, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Womba II running downwind, 1913

The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Shamrock, designed by William Fife, was Sir Thomas Liptons first (1899) challenger to the Americas Cup

Stella sailing close-hauled, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre class Stella sailing close-hauled, 1914

The 6 Metre class Lanka, Wamba and Stella racing on reaching leg, 1914

Wamba II running downwind under spinnaker, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Wamba II running downwind under spinnaker, 1914

The 6 Metre Stella, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Stella, 1914

The steam yacht Chimaera, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Chimaera, 1914

The 6 Metre Vanda sailing broad reach, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Vanda sailing broad reach, 1913

The 7 Metre Ancora (K3) sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 7 Metre Ancora (K3) sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Ancora went on to win gold medal in the 1920 Antwerp Olympics

The J-Class yachts Shamrock V and Britannia, 1934. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The J-Class yachts Shamrock V and Britannia, 1934

The sailing yacht Sea Belle under way, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The sailing yacht Sea Belle under way, 1911

The steam yacht Surf at anchor, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Surf at anchor, 1912

The steam yacht Aldebaran under way, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Aldebaran under way, 1913

The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The Lady Anne was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Norada was designed by Charles Nicholson and Mariquita by William Fife III. Mariquita is the only surviving 19-metre of the six that were built

The auxiliary sailing ship Sunbeam, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The auxiliary sailing ship Sunbeam, 1911. The 565-ton three-masted schooner was owned by Lord Brassey who had her built in 1874

Steam yacht Liberty running east. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Steam yacht Liberty running east. Liberty was built for Joseph Pulitzer in 1908. Designed by George Lennox Watson she was one of the largest private yachts of her day

The 23-metre cutter Astra sailing close-hauled, 1932. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 23-metre cutter Astra sailing close-hauled, 1932. Astra was designed by Charles E Nicholson for Adam Moritimer Singer and was launched in 1928. It was converted to J-Class in 1931

The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912. Creator
The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912

The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. The Lady Anne, a 15 Metre cutter designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912

HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. After Britannia had been stripped of her spars and fittings, her hull was towed out to St Catherines Deep near the Isle of Wight

Saunders Shipyard (Interior), Cowes, 1938. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Saunders Shipyard (Interior), Cowes, 1938

The luxury steam yacht Nahlin at anchor. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The luxury steam yacht Nahlin at anchor. Nahlin is a luxury yacht and one of the last of three large steam yachts constructed in the UK

The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing with spinnaker. 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing with spinnaker. 1939. Thendara was designed by Alfred Mylne for the Scottish yachtsman Sir Arthur Young. She was launched in 1937 and is still racing today

Istria sailing downwind under spinnaker, viewed from stern, 1912
Istria sailing downwind under spinnaker, 1912. Istria, was designed by Charles Nicholson and originally owned by the architect Sir Charles Allom

The 15-metre Ostaria, Hispania and Sophie Elizabeth racing upwind, 1911

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Arthur Henry Kirk was a renowned shipbuilder and naval architect from Cowes, known for his exceptional craftsmanship and innovative designs. His legacy lives on through the magnificent vessels he created, each one a testament to his expertise. One of Kirk's notable creations was the majestic J-class yacht Velsheda. With its sleek lines and impressive 205-ton weight, it gracefully sailed close hauled in 1933, showcasing Kirk's mastery of yacht design. Another masterpiece by Kirk & Sons of Cowes was the steam yacht Boadicea. This vessel exuded elegance as it anchored peacefully, reflecting Kirk's attention to detail and commitment to creating luxurious yachts. In 1913, Cremona crashed through a mighty wave, displaying both her strength and Kirk's ability to construct sturdy vessels that could withstand nature's forces. Kirk also designed the steam yacht Joyeuse in 1914. This exquisite creation exemplified his dedication to combining beauty with functionality in every aspect of his work. The motor yacht La Toquade at anchor in 1939 showcased yet another side of Kirk's talent. Its modern design highlighted his adaptability as he embraced new technologies while maintaining timeless aesthetics. Kirk & Sons' contributions were not limited to luxury yachts alone; they also played a role in sailing competitions such as the America’s Cup. The iconic Shamrock IV raced without topsail in 1914, demonstrating both speed and agility under Kirk's careful engineering. However, even great ships face challenges at times. In 1911, RMS Olympic suffered a torn hull after colliding with HMS Hawke in the Solent waters—a reminder that even amidst adversity, Arthur Henry Kirk’s designs stood strong against unexpected obstacles.