Captain The Hon. William Hervey, RN (1699-1776)

John Fayram (active c.1713–d.1744). Oil painting on canvas, Captain The Hon. William Hervey, RN (1699-1776) by John Fayram (active c.1713–d.1744), 1735. A three-quarter-length portrait of a man, turned slightly to the right, gazing at the spectator, standing against dark background with a cannon on the left side. He has long grey, curly hair with centre parting. He wears a long red tunic with matching buttons, over a long greyish waistcoat embroidered with gold braid and with gold braid buttons all down the centre, with a white cravat and cuffs. He holds a long telescope in his left hand, resting across his left arm. His right hand is on his waist. Third son of John Hervey, 1st Earl of Bristol (1665-1751), by his second wife, Elizabeth Felton. Educated at Westminster. He entered the Royal Navy in 1716 and became a Captain. At his father’s suggestion he agreed to an arranged marriage in 1729 with Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Ridge, a rich brewer of Portsmouth. Captain William Hervey received a marriage settlement of £8000 but his wife died in giving birth to their only child Elizabeth in 1730. In 1742 he was cashiered out of the navy by court martial for his excessive harsh discipline at sea. Ickworth, Suffolk (Accredited Museum)