Francis Holman’s Three Hudson’s Bay Company Ships in the Thames (1771) offers a striking and carefully composed portrait of three key vessels in the service of the Hudson’s Bay Company: the King George, Prince Rupert and Sea Horse. In 1771, the three ships rested at Gravesend, east of the Port of London on the Thames, awaiting orders to depart. The Prince Rupert was bound for Churchill, the Sea Horse for York Factory, and the King George, under the command of Captain Joseph Richards, headed to James Bay.

Painted with Holman’s characteristic precision and maritime fluency, the scene depicts the ships preparing for the annual transatlantic voyage to Hudson Bay. It is not only a masterwork of British marine painting but also a rare visual document of the logistical infrastructure that sustained the HBC’s far-reaching trade network.

In the eighteenth century, the Hudson’s Bay Company relied on a small but capable fleet to maintain its operations across the North Atlantic. These ships carried trade goods, supplies and personnel from the Thames to the Company’s northern posts in what is now Canada, returning with valuable cargoes of furs. The annual departure of HBC vessels was a critical and carefully timed event, requiring coordination, seaworthy ships and experienced crews. Holman captures this moment with vivid specificity, showing the ships in varying stages of readiness, their decks alive with movement.

Each vessel depicted played a strategic role in the Company’s fleet. The King George II, launched in 1761, was one of the larger and more robust ships, designed to navigate the hazardous crossings to York Factory and Fort Prince of Wales. The Prince Rupert III, named for one of the HBC’s founding figures, was known for its reliability and regular service during the 1770s and 1780s. The Sea Horse II, a smaller and more agile vessel, was better suited to navigating the complex and often ice-laden coastal waters of Hudson Bay. Together, these ships formed a core part of the Company’s supply chain, enabling sustained trade and seasonal reprovisioning of distant posts.

Holman’s composition balances clarity and atmosphere. The ships dominate the foreground, rendered with meticulous attention to detail—from their rigging and ornamentation to the national flags. The subdued London skyline on the horizon serves as a subtle reminder of the commercial and political centre from which these ventures originated. The choice to show three ships in close proximity, at the cusp of departure, reinforces the sense of shared purpose and institutional coordination.

Holman brought both technical accuracy and personal insight into his work. A former seaman himself, he understood the intricacies of naval design and maritime life, and he translated his knowledge into paintings admired for their realism and narrative power. By the early 1770s, he had become one of Britain’s most respected marine painters, with clients that included naval officers, merchants and institutions. His works now reside in leading maritime museums and collections, valued for their artistic merit as well as their historical significance.

Three Hudson’s Bay Company Ships in the Thames encapsulates both the practical and symbolic dimensions of the HBC’s maritime operations. It speaks to the scale and structure of long-distance trade in the eighteenth century and the essential role of shipping in sustaining overseas ventures. Through Holman’s expert hand, the painting offers a lasting image of the ships and systems that connected London to Rupert’s Land.