Thomas Hickey

This artist was the son of Noah Hickey, a Dublin confectioner, and was born, apparently in May 1741. That he had a brother, John, a sculptor of considerable merit, we learn from the Memoirs of William Hickey (vol iii, p. 349), to whom, by the way, he was not related, though the two families were acquainted. He received his artistic education in Dublin, and afterwards went to Italy, where he remained long enough to master the language. By 1772 he was settled in London (in Jermyn St.) for in that year

On 26 March 1780 Hickey obtained permission to go to India as a portrait painter. His securities were Hugh Bell, of Old Broad St., and Stratford Canning, of Clements lane (the father of the well-known diplomat of the same name). The artist embarked in one of the five Indiamen that left Portsmouth on 27 July 1780 and were captured by the French and Spanish fleets on 9 Aug. Apparently his vessel was taken into Cadiz, where on its being recognized that he was a non-combatant, he was released by the Spanish Government. He made his way overland to Lisbon with the intention of returning to England in a packet boat ; but he found so much employment among the British residents

He was then busy with many comissions, but found time to paint two portraits of [William] Hickey himself and another of Charlotte Barry, the diarist's travelling companion.

Evidently the artist remained in Lisbon until 1783 or 1784, and then went on direct to India, for the EIR of 1791 records that he reached that countryin 1784 in a Portuguese ship.

British Artists in India
The volume of the Walpole Society, Volume 19, 1931, p. 35

William Hickey

Portrait of William Hickey painted by his namesake Thomas Hickey whilst at Lisbon.
(National Gallery of Ireland)

David de Pury (1709-1786)

David de Pury peint par Thomas Hickey, Hôtel de ville de Neuchâtel

En 1785, David de Pury est anobli par le Roi Frédéric II de Prusse.
Sa Majesté le Grand Roi de Prusse m’a fait la grâce du titre de Baron de Pury dans son Royaume et dans tous ses États, honneur que j’estime infiniment, et cependant je n’ai point changé ma signature, parce que les capitaux que je possède dans les fonds publics du gouvernement d’Angleterre et de France y sont inscrits sous le nom de David Pury.
David de Pury, Codicille de son testament, 22 mai 1786


1735 (9 Geo. 2) c. 38P
Naturalization of David Purry and John Merle