His younger brother, Captain John Holman (1733–1816), maintained the family shipping business and remained close to Francis throughout his life.

Young Francis would certainly have been immersed in the maritime world during his up-bringing; the legacy of this early knowledge is a wealth of detail and accuracy in his later work.

With the American War of Independence and the strong contemporary public interest in the Royal Navy, it was natural that Holman should turn his talents towards more patriotic themes.

Captain John Holman brought his body back to Ramsgate for burial on 4 December in Jane's family vault at St Laurence, where the vicar recorded his death as due to "lethargy".

His attention to detail and in-depth knowledge of his subject have left us with a valuable record of eighteenth century maritime life, and consequently his reputation as a major marine painter has grown.