Palm Line Ship Paintings
Ibadan Palm ‘59 painting by Robert Lloyd
Whilst looking through the Palm Line Facebook site researching another possible section for this website, we were intrigued to notice so many different paintings of the company’s ships. The paintings varied enormously from detailed and professional oils to amateur relatively simple water-colours. Several of the paintings were commissioned by individual Palm Line ex-seafarers bearing testimony to their good memories of their time spent at sea with the company. One particular painting does appear more than once. The same painting of Ibadan Palm by Robert Lloyd has come up no less than three times so far, once as an image on a video cover.
What follows below are photographs of those 28 paintings together with any details we have regarding their history. We believe there must be many more and we would love to hear about them. Readers are encouraged to contact us with information on any of the paintings or, indeed any other paintings that we could possibly add to the site. Please use the ‘Comments, Q&As’ section in the ‘General Locker’ above. Alternatively, email us at: palmship@aol.com.
The Paintings
Akassa Palm, painted by Edward Paget-Tomlinson, June 1999
Courtesy Stephen Barr
The painting was purchased on eBay by Stephen Barr in 2025. Stephen travelled on the Akassa Palm (as well as the Ikeja Palm and Elder Dempster’s Apapa) as a passenger with his parents when they lived in Tema, Ghana in the late 1960s.
Edward Paget-Tomlinson (1932 – 2003) was a prolific artist, author, museum curator and painstaking maritime historian. It is not currently known who, if anyone, commissioned this painting.
Andoni Palm painted by Tony Westmore (c2010)
Courtesy Bob Paterson
Bob Paterson wrote: “Picked up this print a few years ago, not sure where from or anything else. Just thought it was a good reminder of my first year as Deck Boy (Peggy) then ordinary seaman. Loved arriving at Freetown as I was no longer Peggy, until on the way back.”
Ilesha Palm painted by Tony Westmore
This 12”x10” oil painting by Tony Westmore is currently in his studio and is for sale, unframed, at £125.00 plus p&p. Tony has told me he would be happy to undertake commissions.
Bamenda Palm at Hamburg painted by Ossie Jones in 2010
Courtesy Barry Priddis
Barry Priddis commissioned this A4 watercolour from Ozzie Jones in 2010. The brief to Ozzie was the Bamenda Palm, derricks shipped, deck cargo of logs, swinging off Howaldswerk in Hamburg with Bugsier tugs in attendance.
Ossie Jones describes himself as a journeyman artist working in different styles in the old-fashioned way of doing things, entirely by hand eye co-ordination. He advertises in specialist shipping magazines, painting to order.
Ikeja Palm – Artist Unknown
Courtesy Mike Gray
Mike Gray wrote “I bought this painting off eBay many years ago, artist unknown”.
Badagry Palm painted by Keith Shackleton
Courtesy Alan Weekes
Albert Hoffman’s granddaughter, Poppy, commented that this painting was one of his prized possessions.
Keith Hope Shackleton (1923 – 2015) was a British artist who concentrated on landscape views and animals.
Painted by and courtesy of David Drummond
Painted by and courtesy of David Drummond
LAGOS PALM (III) commissioned for John Dobson by his late father, Jim, for his 40th birthday
Courtesy John Dobson
'Elmina Palm' passing the Crosby Light in the River Mersey, by Colin Jones
Courtesy Alan Weekes
Lobito Palm in the River Mersey, by Keith Shackleton Courtesy Alan Weekes
The painting was presented to Sir Arthur Smith, Chairman of the United Africa Company, on his retirement in November 1969. It was commissioned by Palm Line in recognition of Sir Arthur’s long association with the company, of which he was Chairman from 1955 to 1959 and as a token to Lady Smith who launched the Lobito Palm on 12 May 1960
A recent painting of Ikeja Palm on her final sailing from Liverpool on 1 August 1981.
Painted by & courtesy of David Walker
Nigel Owen commissioned renowned NZ artist Wallace W. Trickett to paint the Ilesha Palm and Elmina Palm passing each other. He sailed as an engineer on both vessels.
Courtesy Nigel Owen
Lagos Palm (II) pictured southbound crossing the Bay of Biscay
Painted by & courtesy of Robert Lloyd
Andoni Palm in the River Mersey, artist unknown
Courtesy Alan Weekes
Painting by John Cain of Badagry Palm arriving at the Liverpool Princes Landing Stage for the disembarkation of the President of Ghana on 18 June 1957
Courtesy Alan Weekes
Robert Fogden had this painting done of the Palm boats he sailed on during his 4 years with Palm Line. The deck cargo one is Andoni Palm southbound 1974 then from top TS Worcester, Andoni Palm, Kano Palm, Katsina Palm and Ilesha Palm.
An oil painting of Kano Palm by David Isley 1974
Courtesy Alan Weekes
Painting of 'Ilesha Palm' was painted by Liverpool AB John Benn and given to Alan Weekes, on either his first or second trip on her in 1970. He used the ships own paints for his works
Courtesy Alan Weekes
South Bank artist David Mulholland did these paintings on the Ikeja Palm in 1974 during an art residency with the Seafarers Education Association.
A Ted Hollingsbee painting of Akassa Palm. He was bosun onboard the vessel about 1964/65
Courtesy John Hollingsbee
Elmina Palm by Phil Welsh. Commissioned by Robert Ellsmoor. Presented to Captain David Fleming-Miller for his 90th Birthday
Courtesy David Fleming-Miller
Andoni Palm by R Clarke
Courtesy R Clarke
Africa Palm – Artist & location unknown
Courtesy Graham Hobbins
Ikeja Palm at anchor in the Mersey by Tom Kirby
Courtesy Graham Hobbins