An original sketch for the figurehead survives within the collection of The National Archives,[2] designed by James Edward Hellyer Snr of Hellyer & Sons of Portsmouth, provided on an outline provided by Chatham Dockyard. The original estimate for the carving, which recommended a full-length figure, was £20 (approximately £2,160 today).[3] Both the initial design and cost were accepted by the Surveyor of the Navy.
However, in 1849, Hellyer & Sons submitted another design for a 'neat busthead', for an estimate of £5 (almost £540 today)[3] and it was in this form that the figurehead you see today was carved. The reason for the change in design is unknown.[1]