Once identified as the painting called The Pump (1922), this picture was painted while Roberts was staying at Pett Level, the Sussex home of John Knewstub (1872-1959), brother-in-law to both the artists William Rothenstein and William Orpen, and the director of the Chenil Gallery, Chelsea in London. Roberts also painted Katie Knewstub (1907-2008), John's niece who, along with one of her brothers lived with him and his wife, after the death of their parents.