‘HMS Clarkson’ under construction

This photograph shows part of a ship lantern called ‘HMS Clarkson’. It is covered with beautifully cut paperwork (known as takada) and one of the lantern builder’s assistants is adding decorations made out of coloured tissue paper. The lantern was named after John Clarkson, the first Governor of the newly established settlement of Freetown in 1792 and was built by King Tom Lantern Club.