Not currently on display at the V&A

The Great Eastern Polka

Sheet Music
ca. 19th century (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Music sheet for The Great Eastern Polka, by Charles Coote, which featured in the burlesque Aladdin, or The Wonderful Scamp, a burlesque by H.J. Byron at London's Strand Theatre in April 1861.

Hamerton's illustration on this music sheet depicts the S.S. Great Eastern, an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, nicknamed by him the 'Great Babe', and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. Launched in 1858, she was by far the largest ship ever built and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers from England to Australia without refuelling.

The composer Charles Coote (1808-80) and his son Charles Coote Jnr. (1831-1916) who wrote this music were very successful composers - Coote Jnr. so much that in 1875 he bought out his publishers Hopwood and Crew.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Great Eastern Polka (published title)
Materials and techniques
Lithograph, ink on paper. Intermediate pages composed of printed text.
Brief description
Illustrated sheet music for 'The Great Eastern Polka' performed in the burlesque Aladdin, or the Wonderful Scamp, Strand Theatre 1861, written by Charles Coote Jnr. Litograph by R.J. Hamerton, published by Hopwood & Crew, 1861
Physical description
Lithograph showing the scale of Brunel's gigantic ship the SS Great Eastern
Dimensions
  • Front cover height: 36cm (approx)
  • Front cover width: 27cm
Object history
R. J. Hamerton's image depicts the S.S. Great Eastern, an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and nicknamed by him the 'Great Babe', and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. Launched in 1858, she was by far the largest ship ever built and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers from England to Australia without refuelling.
Association
Summary
Music sheet for The Great Eastern Polka, by Charles Coote, which featured in the burlesque Aladdin, or The Wonderful Scamp, a burlesque by H.J. Byron at London's Strand Theatre in April 1861.

Hamerton's illustration on this music sheet depicts the S.S. Great Eastern, an iron sailing steam ship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, nicknamed by him the 'Great Babe', and built by J. Scott Russell & Co. at Millwall on the River Thames, London. Launched in 1858, she was by far the largest ship ever built and had the capacity to carry 4,000 passengers from England to Australia without refuelling.

The composer Charles Coote (1808-80) and his son Charles Coote Jnr. (1831-1916) who wrote this music were very successful composers - Coote Jnr. so much that in 1875 he bought out his publishers Hopwood and Crew.
Associated object
S.2524-1986 (Duplicate)
Collection
Accession number
S.438-1979

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Record createdOctober 4, 2013
Record URL
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