On this stamp of Jersey issued in 1984 are depict two ships, on the foreground the brig HEBE and on the left of the stamp you can find the passenger steamer BRITTANY.
The stamp is a design after a painting made by Philip John Ouless (1817-1885) who was born in St Hellier, Jersey.
From an early age he wanted to become an artist and went to Paris where he studied for three years copying many of the pictures in the Louvre, before returning to his native island. Here he married and became well established as a painter and teacher.
The stamp depict the brig off the Jersey headland of Corbierre in 1874.
She was built as a wooden brig by Daniel le Vesconte for J. Le Boutillier, Jersey.
January 1861 launched under the name HEBE, named after the daughter of Hera and Zeus and the sister of Ares and Eleithyia. She is the goddess of youthful beauty and the cupbearer of the Olympus, later to be replaced by Ganymedes. She married Herakles after he won immortality.
Tonnage 236 ton both gross and net, underdeck tonnage 228 ton. Dim. 118.8 x 24.4 x 13.4ft.
Her maiden voyage was to South America, but she was used also in North Atlantic trade to Canada, sometimes with emigrants to that country from Europe.
1870 She had a major repair, and in 1878 her old deck was replaced by a new deck.
1874 J.Le Boutillier was still the owner.
1887 When she was wrecked in October that year her owner is given as J. Wright. Most probably John Wright, a captain from Jersey.
She wrecked on Bryon Island (47 78N 61 46W) an island in the Gulf of St Lawrence.
The steamer depict on the stamp must be the BRITTANY, since no other mail ship to Jersey at that time resembled her.
When the tourist traffic to the Channel Islands had been initiated, the London & South-Western Railway Company to encourage this traffic, built two new steamers the NORMANDY lost in 1870 and the BRITTANY.
Both vessels were built by J.Ash of Cubitt Town in the Thames.
1864 Completed under the name BRITTANY as an iron hulled, schooner rigged paddle steamer.
Tonnage 529 ton gross 333 net, dim. 215.6 x 25.6 x 13.1Ft.
Powered by two 2-cyl oscillating steamengines250 nhp, manufactured by J Stewart at Poplar, London. Speed 15.5 knots.
Cargo capacity for 250 tons.
Maiden voyage 17 November 1864. The first years used in the mail- passenger service from Southampton to the Channel Islands.
1873 Lengthened to 236ft. by Summers & Co., Southampton. Tonnage increased to 655 ton.
She was then put on the Southampton to Le Havre run, but most probably used also to the Channel Islands.
1883 She got two new 2-cyl.compound oscillating engines, 230 nhp.
Re-boilering in 1871 and 1893.
1900 Sold to be broken up, and she was broken up at Preston.
Jersey 1984 9p sg 352, scott 597
Source: Jersey sailing Ships by John Jean. Log Book 14/126 and 16/228. Railway and other steamers by Duckworth & Langmuir. Ships on Stamps CD-Rom from A-D. some-websites.