A half length portrait, slightly to the right, wearing what is believed to be an undress coat of Office Packet Service after 1823. Baldock began his sea service in the East India Company and in 1806 he joined the Royal Navy. He served in the ‘London’ which was commanded by an uncle. In 1811 he was engaged in the seaward defence of Cadiz for a year and served in the North American station during the 1812 War. He then built and commanded a post office packet called the ‘Swallow’ and two steam packets, ‘Firebrand’ and ‘Firefly' between 1824 and 1832, just before this portrait was painted in about 1835. In 1839 he commanded the cutter ‘Snipe’ on the west coast of Ireland and was promoted to commander. He was in charge of the packet service at Dover between 1846-48, and by 1869 was a rear-admiral. He was awarded the Cross of a Knight of the Portuguese Order of the Tower and Sword for conveying the Queen of Portugal’s Consort, Prince Ferdinand, to Lisbon.