The portrait depicts Captain Francis Blake Delaval (1692–1752), son of Edward Delaval and Mary Blake. From March 1719 to August 1720 Delaval was commanding officer of the frigate Gosport, and in 1720–1 commanding officer of HMS Worcester. Francis Delaval inherited Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, from his uncle, Admiral George Delaval, and Ford Castle from the Blake family. In 1724 he married Rhoda Apreece, daughter of Sarah Hussey and Robert Apreece, and heiress to Doddington Hall. The present portrait presumably dates from about 1715–20. It is quite loosely painted, and in some respects it is reminiscent of Michael Dahl, although not sufficiently accomplished to be attributed to him.