Captain Alfred George Course

Alfred George Course began his career as an apprentice in square rigged ships sailing between London and Australia. He subsequently became a Master in the merchant marine and, later in life, the Dockmaster of the Surrey Commercial Docks. In this portrait by an anonymous artist, Course is depicted in his naval uniform.

Course was also a writer and his best-known work, 'The Wheel's Kick and the Wind's Song', was published in 1951 and regarded as something of a classic in the genre. A founding member of the International Association of Cape Horners, Course edited their journal until his death in 1976.