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Maurice Randall

Maurice Randall was undoubtedly a quite unusual man.

He was born in Littlehampton West Sussex U.K, to William Henry and Eliza, and ran away to sea at the age of 14.

At 15 he was an apprentice on the ship "Gratitude" under Capt. Edward Saunders, who was impressed with his painting abilities. It was quite common for sailors to paint, but normally not very well.

He sailed from Cardiff on 28/7/1881 to reach Colombo in December that year. The voyage then went on to New York, Rangoon, Colombo, Galle and London. Sailors normally signed up for a 3 year voyage, some jumped ship abroad, others, if abroad after their 3 years would get a passage home.

When he was 20 he was 2nd mate on the Trossachs, a Littlehampton built boat (Harveys boat yard) belonging to Robinson, the shipping ‘magnate’ of Littlehampton. This was for the 86 - 87 voyage, he then was promoted to mate (1st presumably) at age 22, and paid £6 per month for the 88-89 voyage.
His Captain Harry Bachelor contracted the fever and Maurice took the ship into Port Elizabeth for medical assistance. The Captain died and Maurice was granted a provisional certificate of competency by the acting harbor master, and bought the Trossachs back to Appeldore in 1889. 

He was Master of a sailing barge at the age of 23, and then left sail for steam, serving in the Union Castle Line. At the age of 30 he left the sea to become a full time artist.
The Union Castle Line commissioned him to sail round Africa to paint pictures of the various ports.

In 1889 he was living at Netherleigh, Blanford Dorset.

During World War I he served in the Minesweepers, and then returned to painting. He was employed by the company of Master Mariners, by the Messrs Courages Brewery, and by the late Duchess of Norfolk, and the Nizam of Hyderabad. He was honored by being invited to Buckingham Palace to show one of his works to King George V.

In 1933 he was made freeman of the City of London due to Maurice being a master mariner.

Maurice Randall's work has been used in books as illustrations including 'FROM THE NORTH FORELAND TO PENZANCE' (see below)

As one of he founders and once President of the Downland Art Society he was universally popular amongst the members, and much respected as an artist and administrator.

Maurice Randall died on December 14th 1950 at the age of 85. He was cremated at Brighton Crematorium on December 18th.

Titles of some of his other work below(sorry no pictures)

Title	Media	Size (inches)
Days of Endeavor - the Cutty Sark	Oil	39" x 61"
Volendam harbor	Oil	36" x 69"
Steam Yacht, Irene	Pencil / watercolour	12" x 2"
Schooner 'Becalmed off Start Point'	Watercolour	29" x 20"
The Maiden's Isle, Zanzibar	Oil	40" x 30"
Portrait of woman en face	Pastel	24" x 20"
The circus horse	Oil	63" x 48"
Sailing vessels off coastline	watercolour	n/a

We would like to thank everyone that has emailed us and contributed towards supplying some of the information above.

It has been very difficult to find any further information about Maurice Randall, so apologies' if the above is a little sparse / broken here and there. But if we do, we will post it here...... thank you.

If of course you can supply any further information about Maurice, then please do let us know.

Links:

Book Holland, Clive
FROM THE NORTH FORELAND TO PENZANCE
Book containing work after Maurice Randall
Pictures of his work - Naval-art.com
Military prints.com - This may also be one of his works