William John Huggins 1781-1845

William John Huggins as a young man served with the East India company as Steward and assistant to the purser aboard the Perseverance, which sailed for Bombay and China in December 1812-14. On its return to London he then set up residence in Leadenhall Street near East India house as a marine painter. Throughout his career he specialised in ship portraiture and in 1836 he was appointed marine painter to King William IV, amongst his most important commissions were three views of the Battle of Trafalgar of 1805, which are still in the Royal Collection.

The Madagascar was built in 1837 at the Blackwall yard on the Thames and resembled the Seringapatam. As one of the Blackwall frigates she was renowned for her speed and on one occasion ran from the Cape to the Channel in 43 days. However, mystery surrounds the fate of the ship as she disappeared when heading homeward bound from Melbourne in 1853.