Left high and dry

Meet Admiral Lord Howe: he’s a rare find so far inland. Or indeed anywhere. You’ll find him at The Lee, the village which owes much of its recent history to Sir Arthur Lazenby Liberty, founder of Liberty’s of London. In 1926 Sir Arthur bought the hulks of the Royal Navy’s last two wooden warships and used their timbers to construct Liberty’s Tudor building. One of the ships was The Himalaya, launched in 1860. She carried the figurehead of Richard Howe who was commissioned into the Navy in 1745 and promoted to Admiral in 1770. Sir Arthur installed the figurehead on the back drive to his home at Lee Manor, where it remained until 1953 when it was moved to Pipers, then the Stewart Liberty family’s home.

By 1975 the Admiral was in need of expert restoration. He was cut down to his present size, squirted with unguents and mounted as seen today. This surgery revealed his construction – an inch of paint, carved pine and a carcass of oak held together with brass pinions and bolts. In 1993, the figurehead was hollowed out and the carcass was refilled with sustaining substance. Now too fragile to embark on another voyage, Admiral Howe will remain at anchorage at Pipers. History tells us he was The First Lord of the Admiralty and a gallant serving officer. Salute him as you pass.