SUNBEAM, RYS (Royal Yacht Squadron) was a composite-hulled barquentine with auxiliary steam engine. Launched in 1874, she was the yacht of Thomas Brassey, 1st Earl Brassey, until his death in 1918.

His second wife, Lady Anna Brassey, wrote several popular books about their travels aboard the Sunbeam, which were published between 1879 – 1889.

The vessel was named in remembrance of the Brassey’s youngest child, four year old Constance Alberta Brassey, who had died of scarlet fever in 1873.

The yacht’s figurehead, a gilded half-length sculpture represented Constance as a winged putto – a classical motif found primarily on child sarcophagi of the 2nd century.

[Source: Wikipedia]