ATTRIBUTED TO ROBERT WALKER | PORTRAIT OF A GENTLEMAN IN ARMOUR, POSSIBLY COLONEL SIR WILLIAM ROOKE

Sir George Rooke (1650–1709), whose name is inscribed on the back of this painting, was a famous English naval commander, Admiral of the Fleet and the hero of the Battle of Vigo Bay and the capture of Gibraltar. He was painted by Michael Dahl (National Portrait Gallery, London) and would have been only eight years old when Robert Walker died. It is possible, however, that the portrait represents his father, Colonel Sir William Rooke (1624–1690) of St Lawrence, Canterbury. A Royalist, who was imprisoned under the Commonwealth for his loyalty to the King, Sir William was appointed Colonel of a regiment of foot and Captain of a troop of horse after the Restoration. He served as a Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant and High Sheriff of Kent in the reigns of both Charles II and James II. Given his imprisonment for loyalty to the Crown during the Civil War, the Latin inscription, which roughly translates as 'A good conscience, a good Englishman' would support such an identification, however no other known portraits of Sir William exist with which to corroborate his likeness.