Admiral Sir Edward Thornborough (1754-1834), 1821 (oil on canvas)

Creator: Samuel Lane A three-quarter-length portrait, nearly full-face, in admiral's full-dress uniform, 1812-1825, with the ribbon and star of the GCB. Thornborough's naval career, in which he rose to Admiral of the Red, is unusual for the length of its active service, which was nearly sixty years. He first went to sea at the age of six or seven as a 'captain's servant' in the 'Arrogant', 74 guns, in which his father was serving as first lieutenant. He became a junior flag officer in the Channel fleet from 1801 until the Peace of Amiens and on renewal of war in 1803 served in the North Sea under Keith and Gardner, before doing three years in the Mediterranean under Collingwood, 1806-1809. His last service was as commander-in-chief at Portsmouth, 1815-1818.