John Thomas Serres

In 1790-1791 he recorded his impressions in sketches documenting a voyage he made along the French and Italian coasts on a tour taking in Paris, Lyons, Marseilles, Genoa, Pisa, Florence, and Rome, where he passed five months, and then Naples.

[1] He also became Master of Drawing at the Royal Naval College in Chelsea and in 1793 was made Marine Painter to the King after his father's death.

[2] Serres, already Master Draughtsman to the Admiralty, was assigned as an artist to the Channel Squadron during the blockade of Brest, 1799–1800.

[3] Serres' successful career was badly damaged in the early 19th century by the activities of his wife Olivia Serres, who came to believe that she was the illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Cumberland and publicly pressed her "claim" to his estate, insisting on being addressed as "Princess Olive of Cumberland".

[2] His daughter Lavinia Ryves spent most of her life continuing to unsuccessfully press her mother's "claim" on the estate of King George III, even managing to take it to the House of Lords.