This miniature is entitled 'Captain William Brookes 1791-1874'. It is executed in watercolour with gum arabic on ivory and is contained within a gilt frame with wooden surround. Brookes was a South Sea whale-ship officer. This is one of two miniatures of him in the collection, the other (MNT0100) showing him as a younger man with straighter hair. Here he has filled out, acquired sandy sideburns, a more curly hairstyle (greying) and an air of authority appropriate to a ship's officer, probably at this point a master. The Museum has a collection of scrimshaw items he owned and three of his journals, of voyages in the 'Recovery' , 1828-31, and 'Matilda', 1832-36 (both JOD/61), and the 'Active' (JOD/59) which he commanded, 1838-42. Both the miniatures were acquired from Major C. J. H. Tolley, his great-grandson, in 1978 and this one is marked 'From MAJ TOLLEY'. Though the files remain to be checked, all the other material came as a single bequest in that year and they are likely be part of that.