Thomas G. Purvis - Port view of the p.s. 'Marchioness' at sea. An inspiring work of the vessel conquering the swell.

The P.S. 'Marchioness' was built in 1888 at the Chepstow yard of E. Finch & Company being 262 tons gross and 119 tons net. Her vital statistics were 160ft. - 1in. length x 22ft. - 2in. breath x 9ft. - 1 in. depth. She was sold in 1913 to a Dutch owner. In the period 1899-1912 she was running the Cardiff to Bristol or Portishead service for William T. Lewis of Cardiff. Mr. Lewis was formerly the engineer to the Bute Trustees and had managed the Bute Docks since 1880 ; later in 1911 he became Lord Merthyr of Senghenydd. Originally, the 'Marchioness' had a single funnel, but at an early date a second boiler was fitted which necessitated a second funnel, hence this work shows her in her early days.

The original painting is held at the National Museum of Wales. [629] [Museum item number : 82.146I] [20191106]