Portrait of George Matcham Esq. (1753-1833), half-length, in a green coat

The sitter, the son of Simon Matcham, superintendent of the Bombay marine of the East India Company, was born at Bombay and educated at Charterhouse before entering the Company's service. He became the East India Company's resident at Broach until 1783. After his father's death, a substantial inheritance allowed Matcham to travel extensively throughout India and Asia Minor becoming one of the first westerners to cross the Arabian desert on horseback in the company of local guides. In 1787, having retired from the service he married, Lord Nelson's sister, Catherine, by whom he had five daughters and three sons. Nelson held Matcham in high regard and the two men were in frequent correspondence. Matcham, for instance, offered to assist Nelson in the purchase of land near the Merton estate. After Nelson's death at Trafalgar, Catherine Matcham inherited a third of her brother's estate, as well as being awarded (along with her sister Lady Bolton), £10,000 by Parliament.