The figurehead of HMS Trincomalee was carved by Hellyer & Sons from pine; a suitable wood for figurehead carving owed to its softness, straight grain which enables consistency of working and its lightweight. Yellow pine was often favoured by the Royal Navy for its strength, durability and stability.[13]
It depicts a turbaned man, believed to represent a Sri Lankan, where Trincomalee is a port. The British used Trincomalee as an anchorage for Royal Navy ships in the Indian Ocean, following their permanent occupation of Trincomlee in 1795[14] after their success during the Battle of Trincomalee.[15] The dockyard was established by the British as a naval dockyard, and was home to the East Indies Station during World War II.
The original design, drawing and correspondence regarding the creation of the figurehead survive within the collection of The National Archives in London. This design of a turbaned man was commonly used for figureheads of ships built in India, which were often named after regions of the subcontinent, such as HMS Carnatic (1823) (Karnataka), HMS Calcutta (1831) and HMS Seringapatam (1819) (Srirangapatna).
The figurehead itself was carved in Britain, rather than alongside the ship in Bombay (modern day Mumbai). This was not uncommon, with prominent carving families such as the Hellyers petitioning the Naval Board for the contracts to carve for ships being built within the British Empire. The ship would then have the figurehead attached when it reached its port of creation.[16]
The figurehead was conserved by Orbis Conservation in 2020, revealing historical restoration and paint work. Earliest paint samples revealed reds, greens and gold used later that matched a cigarette card issued in 1931, suggesting this scheme was followed by a previous restorer.
