Stolen Ship's Painting Recovered

The painting of the barque Hamburg, stolen from the Churchill House's Marine Room in 2002, is now back in Hantsport. The thief who lived in Fall River liked the painting. The police found he had hung it over his bed. It was one of a number of items reported stolen from Nova Scotia museums that summer. In 2002 it was valued at $5000. Now it is valued at $8000 - $10000. 

The RCMP took the painting to St. Clair (Joey) Patterson on April 17. He is a former president of the Hantsport & Area Historical Society. And the town's resident expert on Hantsport ships.The historical society displayed Hamburg at its monthly meeting on April 23. President David Folker read an account of its history.  

"W.E", the artist's initials, are in the bottom right corner. "Charleston, N.S.W." is in the bottom left corner. Edgar, an Australian pier-head artist in the 1890s, painted the ship when it was on a trading voyage. 

Ezra Churchill and Sons of Hantsport built the barque in 1886. It was converted into a gypsum barge in 1907. In 1925 it was tied up on the Summerville Beach across the Avon River from Hantsport to rot. In 1936 it was set fire. Remnants are visible on the beach today.

Joey Patterson retrieved several pieces of the Hamburg.
He used it to frame the only known photo of the barque.