New Brighton artist unveils mural that celebrates 98 year old ferry Captain

A Liverpool based artist has created a new mural in New Brighton to celebrate the longest serving captain of the Birkenhead Ferries.

Photo by Rachael Buttery

Adam Bresnan created mural on the side of local bar The Master Mariner, which depicts Mike Lowe, 92 driving a Royal Irish Ferry.

Mr Lowe is believed to have been the youngest appointed captain on the Birkenhead ferries at the age of 28 and was first appointed in 1962.

The artwork celebrates Mr Lowes decades serving as a captain on the Royal Irish Ferries and was invited to the unveiling of the mural alongside Wirral Mayor, Councillor Brian Kenny.

The work was supported by Cammell Laird and commissioned by local charity New Brighton Creative Futures (NBCF).

In a statement about Mr Bresnan’s painting, creative director of NBCF, Rory Wilmer said: “This mural is our way of saying thank you while he can see it, enjoy it, and feel the community’s appreciation."

“We wanted to create a mural because stories like Mike’s deserve to live in the open air, not hidden in archives or fading memories.”

“By placing his image on the streets of New Brighton, we’re anchoring his legacy in the same landscape he devoted his life to.”

A second art piece was also produced by local artist Joe Forrest and a collective of other volunteers the same day.

New Brighton Creative Futures are currently in the process of creating an ‘open air art gallery’ across the town, which began in 2018 and consists of 35 street art pieces by local artists.

New Brighton Collective Futures are still calling for donations to commission new art exhibitions and are planning on producing two more murals by February 2026, according to hellonewbrighton.com.

By Rachael Buttery