Cruising on the Firth of Clyde poster – Frank Henry Mason – c1940
This vintage British Railways Firth of Clyde poster was created by the artist Frank Mason who was responsible for many railway posters of the era. The image Mason offers is one of the Scottish estuary, the Firth of Clyde as two of British Railway’s most loved steamships pass each other along the River Clyde.
Despite the economic problems of the 1930s, there had been a concerted effort in the construction of new ships for the River Clyde. Eleven steamships, seven paddle ships and four turbines had been built. These new vessels were the last significant use of steam technology anywhere in Europe. Amongst them was the well-loved paddle steamer Jeanie Deans. Named in the ongoing North British Railway tradition of naming their vessels after characters from Sir Walter Scott novels. On the poster, the Jeanie Deans is the ship on the left.
The Jennie Deans and King George V
The Jeanie Deans was a modestly designed ship, but it was powerful and fast. It was originally designed to transport LNER railway passengers to Dunoon ahead of their rivals, despite having a longer sea crossing. She was a popular boat, providing summer cruises from Craigendoren until 1964.
The second ship featured on this vintage Firth of Clyde poster is the King George V. The revolutionary King Edward, built in 1901 for Clyde service was the world’s first steam turbine-powered passenger ship, using a more efficient use of steam. The speed and economy of King George V soon made the turbine the chosen method of propulsion for Clyde steamers on long-haul cruise routes such as to Campbeltown and Inverary.
Going ‘doon the watter’ on The Firth of Clyde
The era of the Clyde steamer began in 1812, when the Scottish engineer Henry Bell began Europe’s first successful commercial passenger service. The service ran the 25 miles between Glasgow and Greenock and was made in a purpose-built paddle steamer he named Comet. The fare was “four shillings”. The success of Bell’s new service quickly inspired competition. Other services down the Firth of Clyde to Largs, Rothesay, Campbelltown and Inverary soon followed. By 1900, over three hundred steamers were operating on the River Clyde. The competition helped keep fares competitive. Improvements in the railway network and lower train fares meant that many more Glaswegians and their families could enjoy a ride on the Clyde or going “Doon the Watta” as it became known.
Where once sailing on the steamboats of the Clyde was a pastime available to only the wealthiest of Glaswegians and tourists, now the lower middle classes and even the better-paid working classes could take day trips on the Firth of Clyde. The railways and steamers made it easier for Glaswegians to escape the city. The holiday trade on the Clyde coast boomed and soon thousands of people were queuing for buses, trains and boats out of Glasgow on holiday weekends. Trips “doon the watter” meant a boat ride along the River Clyde on a paddle steamer to Helensburgh, Gourock, Largs, Rothesay, Millport and Dunoon It was the highlight of the year for many Glaswegians.
The summer of 1938 saw another boost to the tourism industry around the River Clyde when Britain’s Holidays with Pay Act was introduced. The act, the end of a twenty-year-long campaign, provided the right to one week’s paid holiday per year. At the time for many of Glasgow’s manual workers and labourers, the prospect of spending a week at the beach was simply unachievable. The influx of holidaymakers seeking sun, sand and the Scottish sun led to the growth of towns such as Helensburgh, Gourock, Largs, Rothesay, Dunoon and Millport which developed as seaside resorts and were visited by thousands of holidaymakers year on year.
Frank Henry Mason poster artist
Frank Mason was born in 1875 at Seaton Carew, County Durham. FH Mason was born into a naval family and was educated on HMS Conway and spent some time at sea before taking up art. He went on to start a career in engineering in the north of England. Today, he is probably best known for his shipping scenes, coastal landscapes and harbour paintings. He is also known for the maritime paintings and propaganda posters created while working as a shipping war artist in the Royal Naval Reserve during the First World War. Fifty-six of his paintings from that period are held in the Imperial War Museum.
Following the war, Mason became a prolific poster artist. He began designing railway posters for several of the many railway companies in Britain at that time. These include the Great Northern Railway, Great Western Railway, North Eastern Railway, the London and North Eastern Railway and later British Railway. Mason’s work encompassed posters for the English Cunard Line shipping company and the Dutch shipping group Compagnie Nederland. It is thought Frank Mason created 201 posters between 1910 and 1961.
In addition to the Cruising on the Firth of Clyde poster on this listing, some of our favourite Frank Mason posters include his two London posters for the Great Western Railway. His 1940s London Pride poster is special. It offers a superb panoramic view across the River Thames towards Westminster. His London St Paul’s Cathedral poster is equally as impressive. His maritime influence is present in his East Coast Landmarks poster that features the magnificent Orford Ness Lighthouse in Suffolk.
