'BLOOMING BILLY BYRON' was William 5th Lord Byron (1722-1798), great uncle of the poet, the 6th Lord Byron. In 1765 William Byron killed a neighbour in a duel and although acquitted of murder, he became a recluse, becoming increasingly eccentric, holding mock battles within the grounds of the estate and dressing his servants up as soldiers. The watercolour shows the Folly Castle and the mock naval Forts which were built from 1749. For further information see L.A. Marchand, Byron a Biography, I, 1957, p.7.
We are grateful to Charles Nugent for his help in preparing this catalogue entry