File:Captain Sir Charles Christopher Parker (1792-1869) RMG BHC2930.tiff

A half-length portrait, slightly to the left, showing Parker in a captain's full dress uniform (over three years) of the 1825-27 pattern. The painting is inscribed, signed and dated on the back of the canvas: 'Captain C. C. Parker, RN. painted by T. Uwins. Naples, 1826'.

Charles Christopher Parker was the youngest son of Vice-Admiral Christopher Parker (1761–1804) and the grandson of Admiral Sir Peter Parker (1721–1811). In this highly naval family, Parker’s mother, Augusta, was the daughter of Admiral John Byron. He entered the Navy in June 1804, serving in the ‘Glory’ and then the ‘Barfleur’. In June 1805, he was with his brother, Peter, in the sloop ‘Weasel’ before moving to the ‘Eagle’, under Captain Charles Rowley, seeing action off the Italian coast. In 1809 he was in the Baltic in the ‘St George’ and then in the ‘San Josef’ in the Mediterranean. Parker was moved to the ‘Unité’ in May 1810 and promoted lieutenant on 17 June 1811. In August that year he was then invalided following a serious fall from the quarterdeck into the gun room.

Recovered, he was in the ‘Menelaus’ in 1812, now commanded by his brother, before moving that May to the ‘Malta’ under Rear-Admiral Hallowell. He continued in her until promoted commander on 5 April 1815. From 1819 until he was posted captain on 23 April 1823, Parker was in the ‘Harlequin’, 18 guns, on the Irish coast. He saw no further service. He attained the ranks of rear-admiral (7 October 1852), vice-admiral (28 November 1857) and admiral (27 April 1863) on the retired list. He succeeded to the family baronetcy on 18 November 1835.

Thomas Uwins RA (1782-1857) was a well-known English portrait, subject, genre and landscape painter (in watercolour and oil), and a book illustrator. later in life he was Surveyor of the Queen's Pictures (1844-56) and Keeper of the National Gallery (1847-55). From 1824 to 1831 he lived in Italy (mainly Naples) for his health, where this portrait was painted.