William Umpleby Kirk Collection (page 21)

The 12 Metre class Alachie, Cintra and Ierne racing at Cowes, 1911. Creator
The Fife built 12 Metre class Alachie, Cintra and Ierne racing at Cowes, 1911

The 8 Metre Endrick sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre Endrick sailing close-hauled, 1911

The 6 Metre class Marmi sailing under spinnaker, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre class Marmi sailing under spinnaker, 1914

The 6 Metre Lanka sailing with spinnaker, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Lanka sailing with spinnaker, 1914

The early 12 Metre cutter Cintra sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The early 12 Metre cutter Cintra sailing close-hauled, 1911. Cinatra was designed by William Fife and built in 1909. Cintra achieved 13 firsts out of 33 starts in her first year of sailing

The US built 12 Metre class Vim sailng with spinnaker, 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The US built 12 Metre class Vim sailng with spinnaker, 1939. Designed in 1939 by Olin Stephens, Vim had numerous innovative features including a trim tab on the rudder

The 6 Metre Cynthia running downwind under spinnaker, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Cynthia running downwind under spinnaker, 1912

Interior of midships cabin on steam yacht Venetia, 1920. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Interior of midships cabin on steam yacht Venetia, 1920

Cruising in comfort, the saloon of motor yacht Scaramouche, 1927

The 118 foot racing yacht Cariad sailing with spinnaker, 1911. Cariad, named after the Welsh word for Sweetheart was built by Summers & Payne in Southampton for Lord Dunraven in 1896

The 8 Metre Garraveen, sailing close-hauled, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre Garraveen, sailing close-hauled, 1914. Garraveen was designed by Morgan Giles and constructed by Nicholson & Pulton, Southhampton in 1914

The 19-metre Norada sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 19-metre Norada sailing close-hauled, 1911. Norada was designed by Charles Nicholson and launched in 1911

battleshp, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
battleshp, 1913

HMS Indefatigable, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
HMS Indefatigable, 1912. HMS Indefatigable was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy during the first decade of the 20th Century

The 21-ton schooner Diablesse preparing to leave for America, 1922

The steam yacht Cecilia under way, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Cecilia under way, 1912

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

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

The steam yacht Emerald. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Emerald

The steam yacht Vanessa under way, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Vanessa under way, 1913. Vanessa later renamed Golden Eagle was built by Ramage & Ferguson, Leith and launched in 1899

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

Group of Solent Sea Birds, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Group of Solent Sea Birds, 1922

King George V and Queen Mary with the crew of HMY Victoria and Albert, c1935. Group portrait of King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953)

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

Steam yacht Branwen, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Steam yacht Branwen, 1914. Branwen, 135 feet length overall, launched in 1905 was the first vessel built at the John I. Thornycroft & Companys Woolston yard

The schooner Francisca at anchor, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Francisca at anchor, 1911

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

The steam yacht Ursula, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Ursula, 1911

Wolseley motor launch at anchor, 1914. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Wolseley motor launch at anchor, 1914. The Wolseley Motors company, a British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in early 1901 by Vickers, also built marine power-units for a variety of watercraft

The steam yacht Maid of Honour at anchor, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Maid of Honour at anchor, 1911

The steam yacht Westoe, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Westoe, 1911

Sea sled Miss England at anchor, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Claude Grahame-White in his experimental 45-foot power sledge, Miss England, 3 Sept 1922. Miss England was built of wood by the Cowes firm of S.E. Saunders in 1921

Motor yacht Pioneer under way, 1915. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Motor yacht Pioneer under way, 1915

The first Solent Sunbeam Dainty (V1), 1925. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The first Solent Sunbeam Dainty (V1), 1925. The Solent Sunbeam, designed by Alfred Westmacott in the 1920 s, is the largest classic dayboat in the Solent

Flying Cloud at the Coronation Review, 1937. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Duke of Westminsters Flying Cloud at the Coronation Review, 1937. Flying Cloud was one of the largest private yachts in the world

White Heather, Meteor III and Brynhild racing in the Solent, 1905. Creator
White Heather, Meteor III and Brynhild racing in the Solent, 1905

Ostara & Mariska running downwind under full sail, 1911

The motor yacht Silver Cloud under way, 1920. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht Silver Cloud under way, 1920

The motor yacht Black Arrow under way, 1934. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht Black Arrow under way, 1934

The 19-metre Maraquita, Corona & Octavia racing downwind, 1912. Creator
The 19-metre class Maraquita, Corona & Octavia racing downwind in the Solent, 1912

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

The motor yacht Anna Marie at Southampton, 1934. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht Anna Marie at Southampton, 1934

The Russian Imperial Yacht Standart at Cowes, 1909. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Russian Imperial Yacht Standart at Cowes, 1909. Standart was built by order of Emperor Alexander III of Russia, and constructed at the Danish shipyard of Burmeister & Wain

The 3 masted auxiliary schooner St George, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 3 masted auxiliary schooner St George at anchor, 1911

The motor yacht Cygnet under way, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The motor yacht Cygnet under way, 1922

The steam yacht Sirocco, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Sirocco, 1911

King George V and Queen Mary on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1931. Creator
King George V and Queen Mary on board HMY Victoria and Albert, 1931. Group portrait of King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary (1867-1953) with the crew of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert

The steam yacht Lady Calista at anchor, 1910. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The steam yacht Lady Calista. Lady Calista was built by Charles Connell & Company in Glasgow in 1898

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William Umpleby Kirk was a renowned yacht designer and builder, known for his exceptional craftsmanship and attention to detail. His company, Kirk & Sons of Cowes, created some of the most iconic yachts of their time. One such masterpiece was the 205 ton J-class yacht Velsheda, captured in all her glory sailing close hauled in 1933. The sleek lines and impressive size showcased Kirk's expertise in creating powerful yet elegant vessels. Another notable creation by Kirk & Sons was the steam yacht Boadicea, gracefully anchored and exuding timeless charm. This vessel stood as a testament to Kirk's ability to combine luxury with functionality. In 1913, Cremona crashed through a wave with sheer force, displaying both her strength and the skillful design by William Umpleby Kirk. The image immortalized this momentous event that highlighted the durability of his creations. The steam yacht Joyeuse also bore witness to Kirk's ingenuity in boat building. Launched in 1914, she epitomized elegance on water while boasting cutting-edge technology for her time. Kirk's designs were not limited to motor yachts alone; he also excelled at crafting magnificent sailing vessels like White Heather and Shamrock racing downwind. These images captured thrilling moments during races where speed met artistry. Shamrock IV, an America's Cup challenger from 1914 without its topsail displayed another side of William Umpleby Kirk’s talent - designing competitive racing yachts that pushed boundaries. However, not all moments were triumphant; RMS Olympic suffered damage after colliding with HMS Hawke in the Solent waters in 1911. This incident demonstrated how even well-crafted vessels could face unexpected challenges at sea. The steam yacht Surf painted a serene picture as it rested peacefully at anchor in 1912 – showcasing yet another facet of William Umpleby Kirk’s versatility as a designer.