“"We don’t remember days, we remember moments."

~ Canvas, Colours & Inks ~

~ 1800 ~ Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1800 ~ The Boat House, Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1801 ~ Landguard fort from Harwich ~ George Frost (1744-1821) H&D ~

~ 1805 ~ A View near Harwich by John Berney Crome H&D ~

~ 1807 ~ The Mill, Beacon Hill, Harwich H&D ~

​~ 1810 ~ F.Molting, Stormy Seas, Harwich H&D ~

Captain Durrant's Sketchbook (1802 ~ 1813)

The fine art collection includes an album of one hundred and forty-two drawing and watercolours, including images of Gosport and Portchester, produced between 1802-1813 by Captain Durrant.

In 1793 King Louis XVI was guillotined and the resulting French Revolutionary Government declared war on Britain. This was the long struggle which developed into the Napoleonic Wars and continued until France was defeated at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Throughout this time the British Navy was seizing ships belonging to France and her allies and bringing them back to England as prizes. The necessity to find places to house the captive crews of these vessels became an increasing problem as hulks, garrisons and castles had to be adapted to incarcerate the prisoners of war. As the conflict intensified there were upwards of 100,000 men imprisoned and the need for prisons gradually moved northwards from the south of England.

The responsibility for guarding and administering these prisons fell to various militia men, one of whom was Captain Durrant. Tradition has it that this home-based officer was seconded from the Leeds Volunteers to the West Yorkshire Regiment, although it is difficult to verify this.

Captain Durrant’s duties appear to have taken him to a variety of postings around the country such as Dover, Gosport, Portchester, Colchester and Norman Cross. An accomplished artist, he has recorded in watercolour paintings and pencil drawings the prisons and environments to which he was posted, thereby providing us with some idea of the conditions in which the Napoleonic prisoners lived.

​The album he has left contains approximately one hundred and forty-two pieces, most of which were produced between 1802-1813.

~ 1813 ~ A view of the harbour entrance at Harwich by Capt Durrent H&D ~

~ 1813 ~ A view of the harbour entrance at Harwich by Capt Durrent H&D ~

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~ 1813 ~ A view of the harbour entrance at Harwich by Capt Durrent H&D ~

~ 1813 ~ A view of the Harwich Barracks from the sea by Capt Durrent H&D ~

​~ 1813 ~ A view of Ordnance House, Harwich by Capt Durrent H&D ~

~ 1813 ~ A view of the Harwich, Essex from the sea by Capt Durrent H&D ~

~ 1813 ~ A view of Ramsey near Harwich, Essex by Capt Durrent H&D ~

~ 1815 ~ A Mill Near Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1818 ~ The Snow Thames in two Positions off  Harwich by John Harwood H&D ~

~ 1818 ~ Thomas Luny ~ Warships and a cutter in a heavy swell off Harwich H&D ~

~ 1820 ~  School of John Constable - Harwich The Low Lighthouse and Beacon Hill I ~

~ 1820 ~ School of John Constable - Harwich The Low Lighthouse and Beacon Hill II ~

~ 1820 ~ John Constable - Harwich The Low Lighthouse and Beacon Hill III ~

~ 1820 ~ John Constable School ~ Harwich The Low Lighthouse & Beacon Hill H&D ~

~ 1820 ~ Off Harwich T.Wilton H&D ~

~ 1821 ~ The New Church at Harwich H&D ~

~ 1830 ~ Harwich, by John Edge H&D FW ~

~ 1830 ~ View of Harwich H&D ~

~ 1830 ~ View of Harwich II H&D ~

~ 1830 ~ Henry Ninham "View of Harwich", Essex H&D ~

~ 1831 ~ Mistley Quay, Essex  ~ Near Harwich H&D ~

~ 1832 ~ Pen & Ink of Blackmans Head, Harwich, Essex H&D ~

​~ 1832 ~ Pen & Ink, On the Beach at Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1836 ~ View of Harwich, Essex by Henry Warren H&D ~

~ 1840 ~ Frederick Brett Russell  ~ Coastal Property at Harwich ~ (1813–1869) H&D ~

~ 1840 ~ The "Amazon" Yacht running into Harwich by John Salmon H&D FW ~

~ 1840 ~ Cliffs and Seashore, Dovercourt Bay, Essex H&D ~

~ 1840 ~ Harwich from the Sea, Essex H&D ~

~ 1840 ~ Harwich Green, Essex H&D ~

~ 1841 ~James Wilson Carmichael (1800-1868) watercolour, Cliffs Near Harwich H&D ~

~ 1850 ~ An East-Indiaman off Harwich by  Charles Gregory H&D ~

~ 1850 ~ Entrance to Harwich ~ by James Burrell (active 1850–1892) H&D ~

​~ 1850 ~ Sunrise with a distant view of Harwich H&D ~

~ 1855 ~ Dovercourt New Town, from Beacon Hill, Near Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1855 ~ Pen & Ink sketch of Harwich Harbour & Town, Essex  H&D ~

~ 1855 ~ A watercolour of Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1860 ~ Kings Street, Harwich, Essex H&D ~

~ 1860 ~ The Stone Pier, Harwich by John Moore H&D ~

~ 1861 ~  Harwich Harbour by Edward H&D FW

~ 1861 ~  Harwich Harbour by Edward H&D ~ Mirror ~

~ 1861 ~  Harwich Peninsula, Essex H&D ~

~ 1861 ~  Harwich Peninsula, Essex H&D ~ Mirror ~

~ 1865 ~ Church Street, Harwich H&D ~

~ 1867 ~ Esplanade & Lighthouse, Harwich H&D ~

~ 1867 ~ Lighthouse & Sands Dovercourt H&D ~

~ 1873 ~ William Calcott - Fishing Boats off Harwich H&D ~

​~ 1875 ~ Fishing smacks off Harwich Pier ~ Henry Charles Heath H&D FW ~

​~ 1880 ~ Fishing vessels in a steady breeze off Harwich by John Moore H&D FW ~

​~ 1880 ~ Out of Harwich by John Moore of Ipswich (1820-1902) H&D FW ~

~ 1880 ~ 'Out of Harwich'; 'Approaching Harwich' John Moore H&D FW ~

~ 1885 ~ H.M.S. Ganges by Charles Napier Hemy, RA RWS (British, 1841-1917) H&D ~

​~ 1886 ~ John Moore of Ipswich (British, 1820-1902) Off Harwich H&D FW ~

~ 1888 ~ The Three Cup's Tavern & Hotel ~ Edward Pocock H&D ~

​~ 1890 ~ Harwich from the sea by Charles Bentley H&D FW ~

~ 1891 ~ Charles Napier Hemy - H.M.S. Ganges H&D ~

~ 1891 ~ Felixstowe pier looking towards Harwich by Thomas Smythe (1825-1906)  H&D ~

​~ 1891 ~ Harwich, Essex, 1891 ~ George Vicat Cole H&D FW ~

~ 1892 ~ I Saw three Ships by Perry Broad H&D ~

~ 1892 ~ Felixstowe pier looking towards Harwich by Thomas Smythe (1825-1906) H&D ~

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