Thomas Blight, the presumed sitter, came from an old Yorkshire family who had settle in Ireland. He was the son of the Reverend Robert Blight, later Dean of Elphin, and his second wife, Miss Winthrop, and a nephew of John, 1st Earl of Darnley and General Thomas Blighe, who had a distinguished army career; the General bequeathed his estates and fortune to his younger brother the Dean. In 1790 Thomas married Theodosia, second daughter of John, 3rd Earl of Darnley, and his wife Mary, daughter and heir of John Stoyte of Street, Westmeath. He died in 1830.

Ward and Roberts, loc.cit., record a portrait of Thomas Cherbury Bligh in 1782, and sittings in October and December that year, and January and March the following year; payment was made in two halves, the final one in 1784.

A note under the entry mentions a portrait attributed to Romney of the sitter at Mancester City Art Gallery, which was purchased in 1901; this has, however, been re-attributed to Joseph Wright of Derby, dating from c.1777-80, the provenance for that portrait is given as the Collection of Charles Hamilton, Hamwood, Dunboye, Co. Meath and quotes another note from Mr. Hamilton's father to the effect that the portrait, together with those of other members of the family, were bought at the Bligh sale at Brittas; Mr. Hamilton senior was the great-grandson of Lady Mary Bligh by her marriage to William Tighe of Rossana, Co. Wicklow in 1736. This provenance could apply to the present portrait.