Oval portrait, oil on canvas, with frame, of Rear-Admiral George Fowke (1767-1832) signed and dated 'R Guest 1794/Pinx.'. George - here shown as a lieutenant - was one of the eight children born to Major Thomas Thorpe Fowke (1740–1805) of the Royal Mariners and Elizabeth Skinner (d. 1809). On 24 July 1797, George married Mary Magdalene Kelsall, daughter of William Kelsall and Mary Elizabeth de Saussure at Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas. It would appear that he met his wife when posted to Jamaica as a young lieutenant in the 'Swallow'. The union saw the birth of eleven children.

On 9 July 1798, Fowke was promoted post-captain and appointed to the ‘Proselyte’, a 32-gun frigate, in December that year; the ship was part of the fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Sir Andrew Mitchell. In February 1801, the ‘Proselyte’ was attached to Duckworth’s fleet and sailed for the Leeward Islands. While under the temporary command of Lieutenant Henry Whitby (Fowke not being on board), the 'Proselyte', sank after 'striking on a sunken rock off the island of St Martin, West Indies', on 4 September 1801, though the crew were saved. On 27 May 1825, George became Rear-Admiral of the Blue, but never hoisted his flag.